Project Runway All Stars premiere recap: Taste trumps experience

Does experience bring success? The Project Runway All Stars premiere proves that taste will always trump experience in Project Runway.

Season 6 of Project Runway All Stars has officially premiered on Lifetime. This new season as Project Runway All Star veterans compete against rookies (those who haven’t been on an All Stars season). Even with the multiple Project Runway experiences under their belt, these designers aren’t guaranteed success. In this episode, does experience bring success? The Project Runway All Stars premiere shows that designers need to ensure that their taste levels meet expectations.

This new Project Runway All Stars season was billed as rookies versus veterans. But, that designation really shouldn’t mean too much to Project Runway fans. Truthfully, all the designers have Project Runway experience.

If a designer has appeared on several seasons of Project Runway without significant success, should a less experienced designer be worried? Experience doesn’t always equate to amazing designs, or taste.

The season opened with a team challenge. Prior to the designers hitting Mood, they had to compete, rookies versus veterans, in a quick stitch relay. When this challenge was announced, I thought that I was watching Top Chef.

Project Runway All Stars season 6 episode 1 official photo. Image via Lifetime.

This challenge was completely unnecessary. The episode didn’t even show the majority of the tasks. That few minutes of television could have been replaced by something else. If Project Runway was looking for a way for the teams to choose a theme or get the extra spending money, they could have flipped a coin or used the button bag. This challenge was a waste.

Moving on to the main challenge, the two teams had to create an eight look collection based on a season. The veterans (who won the quick stitch challenge) chose spring, and the rookies received Fall. Each designer would be judged on his/her individual look. One designer from the winning team would be the winner and designer from the losing team would be eliminated.

A team challenge on the first episode is tricky. Granted, these designers know each other, but the personalities and dynamics can be difficult. Truthfully, the rookies should have had an advantage. The assumption is that the rookies would have had less drama or less of a chip on their shoulder.

Overall, the feel of the first episode was a little anticlimactic. Sure, there is a lot to show in the first episode. Still, the episode seemed like a highlight reel. No one really understood the how or why behind the looks. Sure, each collection had a backstory, but the individual pieces seemed lost.

Truthfully, the collections were unclear until the runway reveal. Overall, the pieces seemed like standalone items without any connection to each other. A color story can create a thread between designs, but color can’t be the only connection.

The biggest surprise from the Project Runway All Stars premiere was the new mentor, Anne Fulenwider, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire. Fulenwider is a spitfire in the workroom. Forget the Tim Gunn touchy-feely happy time. She tells it like it is. The criticism is real, helpful and on point. I hope that there’s more Fulenwider throughout the season.

Project Runway All Stars season 6 episode 1 official photo. Image via Lifetime.

This premiere didn’t really have any big excitement, reveals or changes. A new runway layout isn’t going to excite Project Runway fans. Fans tune in for the dram. Other than Fulenwider’s curt criticism, the show didn’t have big moments.

The rookies’ versus veterans’ collections seemed to fall a little flat. The designs didn’t seem to have a lot of innovation, punch or spectacle. Colors seemed drab, designers seemed lackluster and no one seemed excited at the prospect of a new season.

While the veterans were super confident, their spring collection wasn’t successful. The blues and whites were less Miami Beach Art Basel and more Golden Girls Miami Beach. Granted a few designs had promise, like Ari’s opening dress. That dress floated down the runway. It looked effortless and fashion-forward.

Project Runway All Stars season 6 episode 1 official photo. Image via Lifetime.

The rookies’ fall collection was more successful because it offered some innovation. The top three looks from the rookies were Merline, Char and Edmond. While the three designs were obviously a fall color palate, each look stood on its own.

Char’s dress was easily the most relatable. The multi-level dress was slightly innovative yet approachable for the normal woman. The color was lush and the design was flattering. Char was smart to heed Fulenwider’s advice. This design could have been a hot mess.

Edmond’s design probably didn’t translate well on television. The drab olive color is hard to love. Also, the dress’s fit was funky. With exaggerated shoulders and some gaps, the model looked slightly disheveled. With a little more time, this dress could have been amazing.

Merline’s design was the winner. Her look was probably the most innovative. The arm design resembled armor. Even though her look was different, the technique was poor. Merline might be a good designer, but her execution skills need to improve.

Project Runway All Stars season 6 episode 1 official photo. Image via Lifetime.

While three veteran designers were in the bottom, only two designers were up for elimination. Ken and Casanova were the two bottom looks. Ken’s look was a hot mess. His interpretation of a power suit looked more like a feeble suit. The proportions were off and some of the seams didn’t line up. It could have been a successful look, but it was lacking conviction. Even Ken knew that his design wasn’t up to his standards.

Casanova’s look was confusing. The top was sharp. The back cutout was delightful even if the fit was slightly off. The pants were odd. When the model walked down the runway it didn’t look like pants. It appeared like she had a bathing suit bottom and sarong.

The first designer eliminated on the Project Runway All Stars premiere was Casanova. Truthfully, his design had more redeeming qualities than Ken’s design. But Ken can create more designer conflict in a season. No reality television show wants to eliminate a chaos maker in episode 1.

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What will the new Project Runway All Stars season bring? Who knows? We will have to tune in to find out more.