BPR Party: PRAS Episode 11

Greetings BPR Party people! We are down to the final 5 on Project Runway All Stars which of course means it's time for the "avant-garde" challenge where the host and the mentor and the judges all have different definitions of what that means. Should be a good one! Your friends in snark await, click on the comment tab to join the party.

BPR Party: PRAS 5 Episode 3

Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke/Lifetime

Hi again Project Runway fans! It's time for our little weekly funfest as we watch another episode of  "All Stars" together. This week we are treated to the dramatic stylings of a team challenge. What convergence of cosmic events happened last summer that ended up in a pairing of Daniel and The Mitchell, only the producers know. But it's sure to provide plenty of fodder for our party crew. Click on the comment tab and come on in, if you dare.

Episode 10, "Versatile Tops and Bottoms," Preview Video

New York City's Times Square is the backdrop when the designers learn about the business of fashion and style combinations.

BPR Interview with Alexandria von Bromssen

Camp Couture dolls representing Alexandria and Patricia. 

 Project Runway Season 4 All-Star, Alexandria von Bromssen, talks about her experience on the show.

A highlight:

BPR:  If you could go back, would you do anything differently?

AB:  Yes, I would have agreed to do the show a little sooner.  The producers called many times to ask me to do the show.  Even when I was in Paris, they called me every day.  I was visiting one of my students in Paris - she is on a three-year scholarship studying fashion in Paris.  She asked me if I would wear her scarf on the show and honestly that was the tipping point.  I finally agreed to do the show, and you can see her scarf in the opening montage.


I wanted to design with fabrics, not with plastic and metal and these unconventional materials.  This just wasn't for me.  


BPR:  Who is your best friend from the cast?


AB:  I tried to befriend everyone, but definitely Gunnar is the one I loved the most from the cast.


BPR:  After your elimination, as you waited out the remainder of the filming, how did you spend your time?  


AB:  I sewed.  I walked home after my elimination and immediately began work on my collection.  I set up a full studio in my apartment.  I created a men's collection, a women's collection and an accessory collection.  I made handbags, I made it all.

Click here to read the entire interview.

Click here to visit Alexandria's website.

Thank you Alexandria!

Michael Costello Joins Project Runway Season 12!

BPR Interview with Peach Carr

Project Runway Season 2 All-Star designer, Peach Carr, talks about her experience on the show.

A highlight:

BPR: What made last night's challenge difficult? 

 PC: These are explanations and not excuses, but what happened was that first, we spent 25 of our 30 minutes trying to decide on our word. Then, when I presented my sketch my team said, "no we aren't using stretch, we are not doing sportswear, no 60's-70's, this isn't our girl..." So I started to feel like a fish out of water. 

 BPR: If you could go back, would you do something differently? 

 PC: One season a designer is raked over the coals for doing his own thing and not being a team player. The next season, someone is eliminated for going along with the team and not standing up for their aesthetic. 

 It's hard to say what I would do differently. Everyone expressed their opinions so strongly and I just went along and changed my design. There were six people on the team and five of them were saying one thing. I felt that I had to go along. 

 On the runway, I said to Isaac, "You would have fired me if I had spent the last five minutes of our design time arguing my point." 

 At this point it is just a guessing game about what I could have done differently - you never know what the judges will say.

Click here for the full interview.

Click here to visit Peach's website and to see more of her designs.

Thanks Peach!

Reactions To Episode 11

Project Runway All Stars kicked off the finale tonight, but we'll have to wait until next week to find out who the winner is. What did you think of the episode? Do you still think your favorite will take home the big prize? Post your reactions to Episode 11 here.

News from Rami Kashou, Molly Sims and The All Stars

Project Accessory Host, Molly Sims is on the January cover of Shape Magazine.



Click here for more from Entertainment Tonight.

Project Runway All Star designers and judges will be at The Paley Center for Media in New York City on January 19th. Click here for more information.

Rami Kashou is designing a bridal collection for Bebe. Click here for more.

BPR Interview with Project Runway All-Star Designer Anthony L. Williams

All photos: Delminquoe Cunningham

Project Runway season 7 finalist and All-Star contestant, Anthony L. Williams, appeared at Neiman Marcus in Atlanta Thursday December 8, 2011 and BPR's own Image Architect Courtney A. Hammonds sends us this report. Thanks Courtney!

Mr. Courtney A. Hammonds

Anthony made a personal appearance at Neiman Marcus in Atlanta on Thursday December 8, 2011.

Neiman Marcus had a table set up on the second floor, with a mannequin wearing a one of a kind gown of Anthony’s. I, along with my photographer Mr. Delminquoe Cunningham arrived at Neimans a bit early to ensure proper lighting, setup and staging. Lights camera action! So, without further ado, here’s an entrée to my experience with Mr. Stacked, Packed and Ready to Attack Anthony L. Williams:

Q: How did you feel when you received the invitation to compete on the All-Stars?
A: Oh, I’m really excited about this question! I feel blessed and CHOSEN. Many are called but few are chosen.

Q: When you arrived and saw the other designers, who did you feel would be you biggest competition?
A: Well, this is an interesting question because all the contestants first met off camera. Once we met and we sized one another up, Rami and Austin would be my choice. We all have a history of designing gowns.

Courtney and Anthony flank Dave Ferguson - Fashion ambassador for Neiman Marcus

Click here to continue.

Meet Project Runway All Stars Dec. 8 and 10 at Neiman Marcus

Project Runway All-Star Designers will be making personal appearances at Neiman Marcus stores across the country next week.

Here is the schedule:

Neiman Marcus Atlanta - Dec. 8, 7:00 - 8:00

Meet April Johnston and Anthony Williams.

3393 Peachtree Road, NE Atlanta , GA 30326


Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills - December 8, 7:00 - 8:00

Meet Michael Costello, Gordana Gehlhausen, Mila Hermanovski, Rami Kashou, Jerell Scott and Sweet P

9700 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills , CA 90212


Neiman Marcus Denver - December 8, 3:00 - 4:00

Meet Mondo Guerra

3030 E 1st Ave Denver, CO 80206


Neiman Marcus Paramus – December 10, 12:00 - 1:00

Meet Elisa Jimenez and Austin Scarlett

503 Garden State Plaza, Paramus , NJ 07652


Neiman Marcus Westchester - December 10, 3:00 - 4:00

Meet Elisa Jimenez and Austin Scarlett

2 E. Maple Ave, White Plains , NY 10601

Project Runway All Stars Premieres January 5th on Lifetime

Which All-Star designer are you most looking forward to seeing again?


A new day has arrived for 13 of the show’s most talented and memorable designers who’ve come back to the catwalk to face a brand new panel of discerning eyes with host supermodel Angela Lindvall, world-famous designers Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman as judges and fashion tastemaker and mentor, Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles. The designers have already shown what they can do and have created names for themselves since appearing on their seasons but will they have what it takes to impress these fashion elites? They must also show off their fashion prowess to guest judges such as the iconic Miss Piggy, supermodel Miranda Kerr and musician and producer Pharrell Williams, among others throughout the season. The All Star designers set to take the Runway once again are:



Kenley Collins ( Brooklyn , NY ) – Season Five, Second Runner-up
Michael Costello ( Palm Springs , CA ) – Season Eight, Fourth Place
Gordana Gehlhausen ( San Diego , CA ) – Season Six, Fourth Place
Mondo Guerra ( Denver , CO ) – Season Eight, Runner-up
Mila Hermanovski ( Los Angeles , CA ) – Season Seven, Second Runner-up
Kara Janx ( New York , NY ) – Season Two, Fourth Place
Elisa Jimenez ( New York , NY ) – Season Four, 10th Place
April Johnston ( Savannah , GA ) – Season Eight, Fifth Place
Rami Kashou ( Los Angeles , CA ) – Season Four, Runner-up
Austin Scarlett ( New York , NY ) – Season One, Fourth Place
Jerell Scott ( New York , NY ) – Season Five, Fourth Place
Sweet P/Kathleen Vaughn ( Pasadena , CA ) – Season Four, Fifth Place
Anthony Williams ( Atlanta , GA ) – Season Seven, Fifth Place



The winner of Project Runway All Stars will receive the most lucrative prizing ever in Project Runway history. Prizes include an exclusive designer’s boutique in select Neiman Marcus stores and on NeimanMarcus.com, $100,000 dollars in technology and office space to help grow their business from HP and Intel, $100,000 cash from L’Oreal Paris, a feature spread in Marie Claire, for which he or she will serve as a guest editor for one year, and a sewing and embroidery studio provided by Brother International. Project Runway All Stars is produced by The Weinstein Company and Bunim-Murray Productions.

Project Runway All Star, April Johnston Auctions Designs for Charity

April is auctioning four original designs to benefit Savannah/Chatham CASA, Inc.

Click here to bid.

Project Runway All Stars AND Project Accessory will Premiere on November 3rd

Runway fans rejoice! Stay tuned to Lifetime on Thursday nights for All Stars and Project Accessory.



The cast for Project Accessory has been announced:

Cotrice ( Milwaukee, WI/Atlanta, GA ) – specializes in jewelry
Brian Burkhardt ( Manchester, NH/Miami, FL ) – specializes in jewelry
Christina Caruso ( New York, NY ) – specializes in jewelry
Nina Cortes ( Miami, FL ) – specializes in jewelry
Shea Curry (Hattiesburg, MS/Los Angeles, CA) – jewelry and hair accessories
Adrian Dana ( Baltimore, MD/Lithuania, GA) – specializes in church hats
David Grieco ( Watertown, NY/Los Angeles, CA ) – specializes in belts
Kelly Horton ( Philadelphia, PA/Edgewater, NJ ) – specializes in handbags
Diego Rocha ( Sao Paolo , Brazil / Chicago , IL ) – specializes in handbags
Nicolina Royale (Minneapolis MN/ Los Angeles, CA) – leather accessories
Rich Sandomeno – ( Elmwood Park, NJ/Los Angeles, CA ) – specializes in jewelry
James Sommerfeldt ( Chicago , IL ) – specializes in footwear

Project Runway All Stars Host - Angela Lindvall?

On the cover of British Vogue, June 2010. Photographed by Tom Craig.

Is model/actress Angela Lindvall the host of Project Runway All-Stars?

Click here for the story from Modelinia.

We shall see!

Project Runway All-Stars - Miranda Kerr? Georgina Chapman?

Click here for the scoop.

Lifetime Makes It Official

Get ready to pop those corks, Tim! Hot off the presses:

NEW YORK (May 3, 2011) – As part of an aggressive expansion to grow its original programming stable, Lifetime today unveiled its 2011-12 programming slate featuring a powerful line-up of two all-new scripted dramas, doubling Lifetime’s number of scripted series from two to four; pick-ups of 11 unscripted programs representing more than triple the amount of reality hours on the network, including Project Runway All Stars and Project Accessory...

Season 9 is slated to premiere "this summer" and if past scheduling practice is followed that likely means a late July debut. Casting is going on now and primary filming will most likely take place in June and early July.

The big news today is the confirmation of previous reports on the return of Project Runway All Stars and the debut of Project Runway Accessory:

Eight one-hour episodes each of Project Runway All Stars, featuring talented and memorable past contestants from the series who will once again compete against each other in a series of challenges to show they still have the innovation, talent and poise that made them household names, and Project Accessory, following enterprising artists who will be put to the test to create the newest and hottest trends in accessories as they compete for a cash grand prize to help them launch their own fashion accessories business.

Thankfully, there was no announcement concerning the dubious Project Runway: Masters project. We are excited to see former Project Runway Executive Producer Rich Bye affiliated with Project Accessory but are worried about the dilution of the brand. Is this too much Runway?

Click here for more from Lifetime.

A Note From Uli Herzner

Hi Laura and BPR,

I absolutely loved to be on the All-Star Challenge. Especially meeting designers from other seasons. Sweet P and Korto are supernice and talented and I am so happy to get to know them. We became really good friends.

We did not like that the editing of the show made us look like enemies...life is too short to waste time and energy in confrontations and fights. There was so much love, fun and respect in the workroom this time around....we all respected each other ....but it's a tv show ... so the producers had to create drama for the viewer...I guess.

The challenge .. I thought was the best ever !!!! We all had a chance to show "how we have evolved and what we are up to now." ... I guess I must have missed the part where I got a different challenge "to make a printed collection" ....because the fact that I have moved on as well and also grown as a designer....was pretty much dismissed by the judges

What? ..... did they really want me to do the same thing again as 3 years ago? Isn't fashion about creating new things every season?

If they would have criticized the pieces I did ... but no ... they totally ignored my collection .... and were asking for the prints ....which they hated so much the last time around...and Nina saying I lost my spirit .....that's an insult !!!!
I never lost my spirit ....and even if they try very hard ...I will never lose my spirit !!!!!!

I just don't want to be put in a box (in my case, the printed, flowy, hippie...Uli box.)

I am always inspired by ..what I want to wear ....and I don't want to wear the same stuff over and over again. How often can you wear a loud print?....and "hippies" don't really have the money the buy my stuff.

(I am sorry ...my pieces are expensive .... because you need a ton of money to be able to produce in China ...to sell a cheap mass-produced product, and as we all know ...I never won any money to do that)

So, I have to admit ...
I was really devastated and crying my eyes out.
I just did not quite understand ..felt like... getting hit by a truck...
but after a lot of hugs and support from my fellow designers, a glass of wine and a good night sleep....the world looked all bright again the next day.

There are no winners and losers.
I think the producers were looking for another "Christian " ...and they found him in Daniel ..who did a great job ...and is a great representation for an "All-Star winner" and the Project Runway show.
Me...on the other hand..not so much !

I am happy that I was part of the "All-Star Challenge."
I think there are many, talented, young designers out there ...who would kill for that chance, and I really enjoyed the time there...not regretting it ..at all and I will keep moving forward ... in "baby steps"

Life is good !!!
I have my little design company ....making pieces for high-end boutiques and private clients...no pressure ...no one telling me what to do ....all the creative freedom I want (Because I am a free spirit!) and about 2 weeks out of the month I still work as a fashion stylist on photo shoots. I get to spend time with a great group of people and travel to fantastic locations ....and I love it.
I am following my dreams !!!!!!!

thanks for reading this
peace and love
uli

A Note From Chris March

This was in our comments from Chris March. Given the concern that many of our readers have expressed about him, we felt it was appropriate to give his words a bigger voice:

Hi Everyone--I don't know if it's appropriate for me to comment here, but I would like to say a couple of things about the show:

First, thanks to everyone for your praise of my collection--it is very flattering and means a lot to me! The show had incredibly tough circumstances this time, and I was lucky to get anything done...

About the sleeping...a few things colluded to make me extremely sleepy during the filming.

1) I got approximately 3 hours of sleep a night, less the night before the runway.

2) The first day of filming, I got a bad case of food poisoning at lunch (which they conveniently edited out) that made me very weak and dehydrated.

3) I am diabetic, and on a new medication that makes me very, very sleepy. It just can't be helped.

4) Yes, I have sleep apnea, have been diagnosed and have a CPAP machine. Unfortunately, the other circumstances of participating in the show overwhelmed any sleep I actually got.

5) Then, to top it all off, I went home after the final interview and went to bed, and woke up the next morning with a terrible case of the flu (which I must have been catching during the last days of filming).

PLEASE know that I try to take care of myself (yes, I am painfully aware that I really need to lose weight) and go to the doctor every 3 months to monitor my diabetes. I have made great progress with it since being on Season 4 (I was then insulin dependent, and no longer need it).

Thanks again for all your lovely compliments, and you can visit or email me any time on my website at www.chrismarchdesign.com.

Sincerely,

Chris March

Project Runway: All-Star Challenge Preview

BPR readers are looking forward to the All-Star Challenge as much to the premiere of Season Six! Check out the poll results here.

Project Runway All-Stars Special August 20th on Lifetime

The two-hour special will air just before the premiere of Season Six on Lifetime. Here are the designers:

Daniel Vosovic
Santino Rice
Uli Herzner
Jeffrey Sebelia
Mychael Knight
Chris March
Sweet P
Korto Momolu

That's all I have right now - please stay tuned!

Update: Here is an image from myLifetime.com. It's great to see everyone together with Tim and Heidi!