Pencils and Pop Culture: Who Will Take the Project Runway All-Star Title?

Pencils and Pop Culture: Who Will Take the Project Runway All-Star Title?

Tomorrow night is the season finale of “Project Runway: All-Stars,” which has pitted outstanding designers from nine seasons of “Project Runway” in a winner-takes-all competition. The past ten weeks of competition have seen challenges that ranged from designing a gown for a night at the opera to incorporating LED and light technology into futuristic garments. It may be reality television, but I have to admire a show where actual skill and talent is the focus.

One of the things that heartened me about this particular go-round of “Project Runway” is the use of tried-and-true methods for drafting by many of the designers. I’ve written before about my dismay over the product-placement in Project Runway and how it impacts the design process. Too many plugs for HP tablets has resulted, in my opinion, of a season full of pretty lackluster designs. I truly believe that there’s something about working with a pencil and paper that lets artists access their creativity in a way that a computer screen does not.

The all-star workroom has been full of pencils (though I’m told everyone looks better in an outfit that’s sketched by a Blackwing…just saying) and sketchpads, and the difference has been stunning. While I miss the grand vision and couture-quality artistry of past pros like Chris March, the garments that have come down the all-star runway have been far more memorable than some of the wimpy stuff dreamed up by recent competitors.

The final three consists of Austin Scarlett, Mondo Guerra, and Michael Costello. Three more different designers you could not find, and the finale is shaping up to be a fierce one. I haven’t peeked to check out their collections in advance (the finale was shot and taped at New York Fashion week last month), but I will fully admit that Austin is my favorite, by far. I loved his work waaaay back in Season One, when he was eliminated right before the finale (a travesty of justice, I tell you!), and have been thrilled to watch him work his particular brand of elegance.

The favorite to win it is Mondo Guerra, and in a way I’ve often felt that this season was designed just to give him the win that he completely and richly deserved after his loss to Gretchen Jones in season eight. While some of his designs have left me cold (ESPECIALLY last week’s mish-mash of fabrics and colors in an awful sack dress – what were the judges thinking of giving that the win?!), his technical prowess can’t be beat, and he is more versatile and modern in a way that Austin, for all of his glamour, is not.

Every competition has a dark horse, and this season it’s Michael Costello. He has done some beautiful work, but for me it’s felt a bit…formulaic. His designs haven’t shown me fabric in a new or innovative way, which is something I can consistently say for Mondo and Austin. However, his work is certainly the most wearable and approachable of the final three designers, which could stand him in good stead for a finale win.

How about it, PPC fans? Who is your pick to take the top prize tomorrow night? Which designers do you think should have made it farther? Do you prefer designing with computer software, or with pencil and paper? Duke it out in the comments below!