Project Runway All Stars episode 5 recap: Superhero strut

Does every woman have a superhero strut? Project Runway All Stars episode 5 is about being empowered by a look.

Over the past year, women have found their power. Whether it is Wonder Woman inspired strength or willingness to speak out in the Me Too movement, every woman can be a superhero. In Project Runway All Stars episode 5, the designers’ looks need to embody that super hero strut.

Every week Project Runway All Stars incorporates a new theme. Like last week’s unconventional challenge, the designers need to find inspiration from a theme without being too literal. This week’s inspiration was a beauty product which needed to be interpreted into a superhero power. Unfortunately, literal interpretations caused a designer’s demise.

Have you ever had that moment when you put on the perfect outfit and feel empowered? This challenge embodied that feeling. Even though the designs were to have a “super power,” the real theme was women’s empowerment. The top designs showed a confident woman strutting down the catwalk.

Project Runway All Stars recap, photo from Lifetime

This season of Project Runway All Stars has seen a few designers take control of the competition. Fabio and Anthony seem to be the judges’ favorites. Each week, these two designers come up with innovative and stunning looks to walk the runway. This week was no different.

Anthony’s pure white gown with voluminous sleeves was a vision. The delicately tailored dress highlighted a perfect neckline. While the bodice was sleek, the sleeves were the perfect contrast. The design was fashion forward and powerful.

While his superhero power story was a little strange, the dress didn’t need a storyline. The model looked powerful and confident. It definitely made a fashion statement.

Project Runway All Stars recap, photo from Lifetime

Fabio’s look took a different approach. The two pieces, a dress and a removable skirt, had a subtle quality to them. Overall, the look doesn’t scream superhero. Still, there was a strength to his design.

The look was very chic and fashion forward. Considering his theme was snake, Fabio was very smart to avoid a literal interpretation. The fabric and design showed a lot of versatility.

Since there could only be one winner, Fabio was crowned the superhero challenge winner. While his design was intriguing, Anthony’s dress made a bigger impact. If I were to channel my inner superhero, I would hands down choose Anthony’s dress.

The bottom looks were quite obvious. First, Edmond’s cut out dress with the cape was obvious. Superhero doesn’t mean add a cape (remember that point from The Incredibles?). The combination of a heavy leather cape and a cut out dress was just strange.

Project Runway All Stars recap, photo from Lifetime

Also, the cape has been done, especially that cape. Who hasn’t seen a cape draped over the shoulders on top of a gown? While there was a redeeming quality or two, this design wasn’t fashion forward.

Another bottom designer was Amanda. We saw that prediction coming in the preview snippet. First, the pink color was a literal interpretation of her theme. Second, pink is a hard color to use well. Amanda’s designs don’t lend themselves to bright pinks. Lastly, the color blocking was a little overworked.

Project Runway All Stars recap, photo from Lifetime

Overall, Amanda’s look was dated. While she put a lot of effort into the color blocking, her dress suffered from fit issues. Unfortunately, the look made a statement, but not a superhero, powerful statement.

The last bottom look was Merline’s dress. Her dress seemed like an interpretation of a 1970s Star Trek outfit. The colors were off, the pattern was wrong and the finishing was a disaster. Did anyone else notice that she made this dress, or at least the shoulder, before? She needs to find another design to put down the runway.

Project Runway All Stars recap, photo from Lifetime

The judges chose to send Amanda home. They found her dress was a design that others just wouldn’t want to wear. While the color was a bit much, it shouldn’t have been the design sent home.

For some reason, Merline remains in the competition. She doesn’t sew well, she creates similar looks and she has been in the bottom often. How can she continually stay in the competition?

Sure, a few of her designs have been fashion forward. Still, no woman can feel like a superhero when there is a visible seam cutting across her chest. In previous episodes, the judges said that she would be sent home for another poorly constructed design. Apparently, that threat was an empty one. Merline is still standing.

This week’s Project Runway All Stars  was a little disappointing. With a theme of superheroes and women’s empowerment, I would have hoped that the designers could have done more. The majority of looks were just bland. Even the all-black Golden Globes gowns had more of a superhero and women’s empowerment theme than this particular challenge.

Granted a few designers did and have been doing well. Even so, the other designers just seem to go through the motions. I would rather have horrible design disasters than unmemorable looks. Even after watching this episode, I can’t remember half the designs. That situation doesn’t make fans watch the show week after week.

Next: Project Runway All Stars unconventional materials challenge

What’s next for Project Runway All Stars? The next week features Betty Boop, yes the cartoon. Can this theme get rid of the bland and boring on the runway?