PRAS3: Punk Clearly Has a Wide Interpretation!

Don’t get me wrong from my title! I thought the episode was great and I saw a lot of well-crafted and well-designed pieces. I am just not sure how many truly encompassed the punk attitude and spirit, i.e. just tacking some safety pins on a look! Project Runway All-Stars Season 3 is clearly going to be filled with twists and shocking eliminations. I don’t see many bad designs going home, just those who didn’t meet the challenge!

So yes, PRAS’s started out with the fun intros & meet and greets. It seems as if there were so many from Season 10-Melissa, Christopher & Elena. I am intrigued to see which designers will make for some dramatic TV! Will it be Seth Aaron and Jeffrey, or really Elena and anyone, haha, but perhaps Irina?? Who knows, but as a devoted fan to PR, all shapes and forms, I am hooked and ready for this season!

Alyssa Milano is this season’s host and judge. She promptly greeted the designers at the start of the episode, forewarning that this season there is no IMMUNITY! So every week, each designer must be on their A++ game! Alyssa then provided details for the 1st challenge — to create your own version of a punk-rock runway look. Punk is not a new trend, but really was brought to the forefront this past year, as it was also the trend featured for the 2013 Met Gala. Punk rock icon, Debbie Harry, served as the guest judge this week. And in a last minute surprise and twist, she decided to wear the winning look for a future event. So with about a day to work, what else was in store for the designers this week?

So the designers were off to Mood, but never left?? Yes, the designers had to give up their many Parson’s workroom comforts-lots of space, a lounge, etc. Needless to say, working in the basement at Mood was a tight space, thus lots of floor and in-between the aisle work was going on. Right off the bat, we saw traditional designer no-no’s: biting off more than you can chew, as with Elena, and time management, as with Melissa. Zanna to the rescue!

Zanna Roberts Rossi, Marie Claire‘s Senior Fashion Editor, will serve as the designers’ mentor this season. And so what did Zanna time produce for the designers? I thought she gave some great advice, a little cliche, but very typical for PR — keep an editing eye, time management, don’t play it safe, and of course, remember the challenge! The designers were then onto the runway day, which was also done right at Mood, crazy! This season, the accessories wall is hosted by QVC, makeup is provided by Mary Kay, and haircare from Alterna. We saw some interesting designer processes during that past day — Ari turning pant legs into shorts and using those pant legs as sleeves?? Also, what I guess made Elena’s look what it was, she had the model wear the jacket backwards. But we clearly saw this suggestion was made by her model, so funny! So how did these designers fare for their 1st all-star runway?

Well, as I already mentioned, I saw a lot of great looks, but I don’t think most with this punk challenge. I was all over the place with my personal picks for top and bottom so I will just critique and go over what the judges picked. I agreed more with the bottom picks than the top. It was hard to pick a bottom because really, no designer in the bottom had a completely horrible look, it was just all about not meeting the challenge. I love Melissa so I was surprised to see here there, but if she works better with time, I don’t think she will re-visit the bottom anytime soon! But from her last PR go-round, we know time management was always her Achilles heel. Viktor’s look was designed so well, I mean that jacket was pretty phenomenal. But as the judges pointed out, it wasn’t really punk, it was almost too perfect, and the two pieces didn’t seem to work well together. Finally, with Ari, I agree with the judges’ decision to eliminate her first. The look was pretty far removed from punk and for me, was just blah. But for the judges’ top picks, I was a bit more in disagreement.

I guess though, it was also hard to select a top 3. I liked many of the safe looks, but I questioned if they were truly punk. I 100% agreed that Seth Aaron should be in the top and really for me, he was the clear winner. His look was so punk, so stunning, great fit, I mean the list could really go on and on. I think the most out of place top pick for me was Jeffrey though. I didn’t really love this look. It seemed a bit bulgy too me, but I also didn’t get the punk nature of it. I welcome any explanations for that! And so with Elena, while I didn’t agree with her top 3 placement, it almost came as no surprise that she was in top 3 and also won the challenge this week. I mean, how many times during the episode were we reminded that she never won a challenge during her first sting on PR?!?

I look forward to this season! If you missed my intro piece for the designers, here is that link. Also, just as a reminder, we do have back on the judging panel this season, the stunning Georgina Chapman of Marchesa and Isaac Mizrahi. Here is the full list of the highest ever in PR history prize package, worth over 3/4s of a million dollars! I forgot one off the list from my 1st post:

a fashion spread in Marie Claire and a position at the magazine as Contributing Editor for one year
the opportunity to design a collection to be sold on QVC
Next Generation technology and office space from HP and Intel to help grow their business and bring their creative vision to life
a year’s supply of resource® Natural Spring Water and an all-expenses paid, luxurious trip for two to South East Asia courtesy of resource® Water
professional hair styling and photography for all of the designer’s upcoming fashion shows throughout the year, courtesy of Alterna Haircare-Wow, this is pretty awesome!!
from Mary Kay, an entire year’s worth of beauty products for their fashion shows as well as professional makeup artist services for their debut show-Another wow prize!
a cash prize of $150,000
complete custom sewing studio to launch the winning line from Brother Sewing and Embroidery

Wow!! I love this prize package because there are so many practical and useful aspects. Thanks for reading, remember to stay fully updated with Fashion Nexus by liking on Facebook or following on Twitter. I of course have another great giveway ongoing, so by liking on Facebook, you are automatically entered!