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Tonight’s episode of Project Runway All Stars began aboard the USS Intrepid - a Naval ship and historic landmark. Following an outline of the challenge, four U.S. military veterans made a dramatic entrance. The designers were told that they would be creating outfits for these women for a special occasion.
Project Runway All Stars hosted by Carolyn Murphy airs on Lifetime Thursdays at 9:00 pm ET.
Designing for Someone Special
Each designer was paired with a veteran from a different branch of the military. They took a chance to talk to their clients and find out what the occasion was as well as what the client was looking for. Project Runway usually throws an "everyday people" challenge into each season. Having come from a family full of servicemen and women, I thought that it was great to shine a light on the particular people who are out there serving every day.
Joshua was paired up with Captain Leslie Nicole Smith, an Army veteran who developed a blood clot while stationed in Bosnia that resulted in an amputation. I loved her the second that she said she was more concerned with whether or not she could wear heels than whether she could walk again. Their personalities seemed to mesh, but Josh is known for going over the top, so I hoped that he could tone it down for her.
Is There Anything You're Worried About?
Joanna came in ready to scope out the progress. She immediately questioned Emilio's choice of yellow fabric and intimated that he would be challenged designing for a regular woman. He appeared a bit defensive stating that he dresses real women all the time. However, when the model came in, he seemed to be having trouble.
Anthony Ryan shocked me, because his dress looked dowdy in the workroom. His looks are normally very polished and elegant. I can usually picture what it will look like in the end. This one was pretty shapeless. I understand that the client wanted to draw attention away from her bust line, but I didn't like his approach. Uli's dress was very pretty and polished on the form. Barring any major catastrophes, I thought that she might be able to pull out a win this week.
Last Runway Before the Finale
The ladies seemed to be having a good time in hair and makeup getting all dolled up. Josh's client seemed to really like her outfit. Maybe he won't be in the bottom this time. At this point, everyone is a good designer, so it's really anyone's game. It's no longer easy to pick the winners and the losers from the start of the runway. Guest judges this week were Katie Holmes and Carmen Marc Valvo.
Uli's dress came out first, and it looked incredible on her model. An airy yet elegant summer dress, it was very flattering and perfect for a wedding. Joshua's A-line skirt and top was amazing, and his model seemed to love it as well. He also made a matching look for her service dog. It was gorgeous and flattering, and tailored to his client. Shockingly, Anthony Ryan's look was the worst one this week, but I wasn't thinking that he wouldn't make it to the finale. The judges disagreed with me, merely critiquing the fact that his dress covered up his model.
Joshua won his first challenge this season, and thankfully so. He's in the finals. Uli was next to coast in. Anthony Ryan and Emilio also made it into the finals. I don't know why I was surprised that they didn't eliminate anyone. This is the third time that it's happened. Bo-ring. Two-part finale, here we come.
