Project Runway All-Star Challenge Review

Before “Project Runway” came back for its sixth season premiere, fans (especially long-time fans) were treated to a tasty appetizer.

Except it was the sort of tasty appetizer that costs $8 and leaves you stuffed and wondering why you ordered an entrée.

The one-time, two-hour “Project Runway All-Star Challenge” was right in my wheelhouse. I started watching the show in season 2, so it really didn’t bother me that the All-Star challenge didn’t include any of the show’s alums from season 1. “All-Star” featured some of the show’s most likable contestants, super-talented also-rans, and “colorful” personalities. (“Colorful” being a code word for a-holes.)

Season 2’s Daniel Vosivic and Santino Rice, season 3’s Jeffrey Sebelia, Uli Herzner and Mychael Knight, season 4’s Sweet P Vaughn and Chris March, and season 5’s Korto Momolu all returned to compete for a $100,000 prize. The challenge was to create a three-piece mini collection, with one of the pieces required to be red-carpet worthy. (The All-Star challenge took place in New York, but the show didn’t want to miss a chance to plug its upcoming L.A. season.) Special guest Nicole Kidman announced (via taped message) that the red carpet look would be worn to the premiere of her new movie, “Nine.” (I’m SO there!)

Coming into this thing, I had the designers separated into the aforementioned camps. I had Daniel and Korto as “super-talented also-rans”, I had Mychael, Uli, Chris and Sweet P” as “likable contestants”(obviously, they’re talented too), and I had Jeffrey and Santino as the “colorful characters”. Although a couple of the “likable” designers showed some serious chops, everyone mostly stayed in their little boxes.

Much of the show was dominated by Jeffrey and Santino, probably two of the show’s most notorious villains. I actually enjoyed each of these guys during their original runs (Jeffrey was a bit of a toolbox, but I liked his style and Santino WAS legitimately funny), but during “All-Star” the two (especially Santino) seemed almost obligated to play up their “villainous” characters.

I mean, how else to explain Jeffrey’s decision to grow a porn-stache that made him look like Thomas Jane in “Boogie Nights”? I wondered why Jeffrey was asked (and would agree) to come back since he actually won his season and I saw this as more of a wild-card competition for designers who didn’t win. Then I realized I big part of the appeal for Jeffrey (other than the cash) was the chance to obnoxiously plug his band “Sing Orpheus” by wearing their T-shirt throughout. Still, just like when he was on the show originally, Jeffrey was on target a couple of times with his comments. I chuckled out loud during the show’s cheesy intro when one losing designer said, “They got it wrong,” followed by Jeffrey’s, “No they didn’t.” Also, while his crack about Mychael’s Fashion Week collection not being All-Star worthy may have been harsh, it was also 100% true.

Santino, on the other hand, basically just acted (in the words of Korto) like a “fool.” In his intro, he claimed that “Project Runway” didn’t make him - HE made “Project Runway.” While this statement is undoubtedly ludicrous (especially now that Christian Siriano is the biggest star to ever come out of this show), it’s not COMPLETELY ridiculous when you think about the impact he had on the show’s second season and really helping it cross over to the mainstream. The rest of the time, he seemed more content with distracting his competitors and drawing attention to himself than with actually completing his metallic and camel toe-tastic collection. Oh well, at least he polished off his fantastic Tim Gunn impersonation again.

Besides Jeffrey and (especially) Santino’s antics, the workroom sessions were kind of a bore. (These people HAVE been through this before). It was so boring that Chris decided to take a nap throughout most of the competition. The only “drama” the show could muster was a low-wattage feud between Uli and Sweet P. All it amounted to was basically that the two had very similar taste now that Uli had decided to move away from her signature prints.

Midway through the challenge, the producers threw the designers a curveball by making them design a fourth look using only material from the STK restaurant where they were dining. I knew there’d be a twist at the restaurant and this turn of events delighted me. This new challenge was SO “Project Runway.”

The fashion show came along, and it was good to see Michael, Nina, pregnant Heidi and guest Diane Von Furstenberg (or was that “Nine” co-star Sophia Loren) back along the runway and ready to judge.

Actually, the runway show turned out to be rather unspectacular since - once again - these people mostly know what they’re doing. Mychael, Jeffrey, Santino and Uli were in the bottom four and eliminated. Personally, I might have subbed Uli in for Chris in the top 4 (his red carpet dress was WAY too much), but the guy was so touched to be considered among the best that I’ll let it slide.

Sweet P impressed the judges by incorporating a bit of her biker chick aesthetic and making it both pretty and, well, sweet. Though she finished third, it seemed like she got a good boost of confidence.

Coming into this thing, I felt like Daniel was going to win because he really should’ve beat out Chloe Dao in season two. However, after actually seeing the challenge, I felt like Korto (very flattering to women, VERY well-made and vibrant) would win. Her restaurant dress was better than anything out there, for my money.

It was not to be. Daniel and his inspired, athletic-looking collection won over Korto’s more wearable looks, leaving Korto as a bitter second-place finisher her last two times on the runway. Congrats to Daniel, a very deserving (and considerably richer) winner.

So what’d you think of the All-Star challenge? Which past contestant would you rather have seen? (I would’ve preferred to see Laura Bennett in place of the totally disinterested-looking Mychael.) Which “Nine” star could wear Daniel’s dress at the red carpet? (I’m thinking Kate Hudson.) Did you catch Heidi’s obviously dubbed-over line about the champagne she was drinking on the roof top not being real? Did this thing REALLY need to be two hours? Finally, do you think Korto (or Sweet P) should’ve won?

Project Runway All-Star Challenge…B