PR All Stars: The Disappointments

Posted on Jan 9, 2012 in Fashion

A while back, when this show was merely an announcement, a couple of Project Runway alums asked us if we thought they should do the All-Stars show. We said it was up to them, but that the great risk will be that they come off looking worse than they did the first time around. Neither of them wound up in the cast and we don’t know if that’s because they heeded our advice, but here’s a couple examples of what we’re talking about. Two very talented designers put out two very shitty looks and if either of them had been shmauf’d for it, it would have looked pretty bad for them.

Austin, we think we speak for the rest of Project Runway fandom when we say, “Girl, what the fuck?”

We thought the original idea of using the transparent plastic was fabulous. We liked the color he was using as well. We really were expecting something completely different from this – cleaner and more mid-sixties mod fabulous – and we were almost ridiculously disappointed when it walked out. The shape is HORRIBLE. She looks like her stomach is exploding. And designers? Potscrubbers aren’t as fabulous as some of you seemed to think this week. Austin had a great “make it work” moment when he burned through the plastic, but in the end, he really didn’t make it work at all.

About the only thing that would indicate this is a Kenley creation is the fascinator-like shower scrubbie in the hair, which is pretty sad because that’s about the most obvious style choice one could make with dollar store finds.

We were never huge fans of her aesthetic, but the little cat-thrower was always able to produce dramatic outfits, well (if not perfectly) executed. This is so boring and half-assed we’re a little shocked. In fact, the more we look at this the more we think it should have been in the bottom simply for lack of effort.

We hate to say it, but if either of them produce work on this level next week, we’ll be calling for their shmauf’ing.

Okay, in all honesty, we don’t really hate to say it about Kenley.

[Photo Credit: myLifetime.com - Screencaps: tomandlorenzo.com]

Tags:

Project Runway All Stars

Anonymous

Kenley and Miss Scarlett both chose the dreaded wee-wee pad color scheme….although Kenley’s was closer
http://twitter.com/MandySCG MandyJane

Yeah, I was disappointed in Austin too. I didn’t really have any expectations for Kenley and I honestly don’t even remember that outfit going down the runway.
- Sobaika Mirza
  
  I kind of felt bad for Austin in this challenge. How was he supposed to follow up the corn husk dress? The first win of the first season of Project Runway is very hard to live up to.
  - Anonymous
    
    I felt bad for the 99 cents materials he used, and for the model who had to wear that piece of junk.
  - Anonymous
    
    I felt the same way and figured that because of his awesome 1st win there was nowhere to go but down. And, boy did he plummet I’m sad to say.
  - Anonymous
    
    He sure had long enough to think about it that was like a decade ago.
Anonymous

I think Austin is very lucky that he didn’t end up in the bottom three, and it has nothing to do with the glue gun accident. The dress is horrid. On every level.

I must pet on my flame retardant suit now. But I like Kenely’s I specifically like that she used the rubber suction cups as “pearls” I draw the line at the buff puff hat, though. Better than the gown she showed for the preview. Highish middle.
- Anonymous
  
  But I like Kenely’s I specifically like that she used the rubber suction cups as “pearls”
  
  I like the idea of it, but unfortunately it ended up just looking like a draped and stapled bath mat. Maybe if she’d cut it up and used the pieces in different ways, it would have worked.
  - Anonymous
    
    Ha, that’s what I thought it was! In fact I was thinking that it looked like the model was walking through a windstorm wearing a construction paper hospital gown and got hit by a flying bathmat.
    - Anonymous
      
      That is the PERFECT description of Kenley’s dress. The mat really does look like it was an after thought.
  - Anonymous
    
    Absolutely. She did NOTHING to her materials. She could have manipulated them into something much better.
  - Anonymous
    
    You might be right that the bathmat could have been used more effectively if Kenley had cut it up. As it is, it’s simply a bathmat folded and pinned?stapled?glued? asymmetrically-not a good move, Kenley.
    Now I’ll duck in case Kenley’s in feline-chucking mode!
- BerlinerNYC
  
  The shower sponge fascinator was something I actually found charming. Kenley annoys me to no end as a person(ality), and I was never knocked out by her designs (so hard to separate the two, though), so I will not shed a tear when she gets booted. But the fascinator was a shoutout to the hat with the original dress she was supposed to take inspiration from, so I actually thought that was a quite clever and humorous recapitulation of the original look. And I say this grudgingly, because I hate to praise that woman.
- Anonymous
  
  I agree completely.
Anonymous

Congratulations, Kenley. You took a shower scrubbie and bathmat and made them look like shower scrubbie and a bathmat!

I get what Austin was going for, but damn that is ugly. And sad.
- Lori
  
  Sad is right. The model looks like she’s about to cry and I totally understand why. She knew that pictures of her wearing that monstrosity would end up on the internet, where nothing is ever truly gone. That’s enough to make anyone tear up.
MilaXX

I wondered if Austin’s plastic florishons or whatever was overkill for having to cover the burned/melted piece. There’s no excusing the exposed belly, though. Kenley’s was just minimum effort and definitely should have put her in the bottom.
- Call me Bee
  
  I think from the film it looked like Austin’s glue-gun hole was near the hem–so the florishons (Heeee–isn’t that an Angela word?) on the tummy had nothing to do with it. Meaning they were in the original desing and that is sad.
foodycat

That first one looks like the product of a bridal shower game.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Josefina-Madariaga-Suárez/100002964685796 Josefina Madariaga Suárez

I remember both of them for the theatrically of their designs. I can’t see a glimpse of drama on these outfits.
aimee_parrott

I thought Kenley’s was awful, and Austin’s only a bit better. Of course, I think we can probably count on Kenley making the finals and probably winning. Thanks in advance, Bunim-Murray.
- Anonymous
  
  I have seen so many spoilers about the final outcome, and if you haven’t I’ll save you from it. Suffice it to say – I don’t believe she will win based on the internet rumors I’ve read.
Anonymous

Austin’s model is styled to look like she just got out of the shower. I’d have guessed there were no towels, so she wrapped herself in the shower curtain.
- Anonymous
  
  Yeah, and I guess Kenley’s model was in there with her, since she just wrapped herself in the bath mat and stuck a puff-scrubby in her hair.
Anonymous

Totally agree. Kenley has always seemed like a bit of a bitch, but a lot of the stuff she produced (Including her inspiration for this challenge) intrigued me.
Anonymous

Love Austin so much — he’s like Corky St. Clair — except he seems to know what he’s talking about — so I really hope he pulls it together!
Anonymous

I completely agree about these two assessments.

The thing that is really alarming about Kenley’s dollar store creation is that I actually liked it better than that horrid royal blue/80′s mullet gown that walked the runway first.

in 2001 I dressed up as an 80′s prom queen for Halloween, and that dress is frighteningly close to the dress I wore for Halloween. And I bought mine @ Goodwill.
- Anonymous
  
  I was a little surprised that Kenley brought that gown as the representation of how she’s evolved. It shows that she’s not grown at all and has even regressed.
  - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6PUVFQ7YCZZFZRIER6BEJ4HVYE Amye
    
    Well, compared to her 1950′s aesthetic, she’s just about 30 years. Unfortunately, the 80′s haven’t come back around yet.
    
    Or maybe, Thank God.
Anonymous

“She looks like her stomach is exploding.”

More like her ovaries went supernova. How disappointing!
And Kenley’s dress looked like a bathmat. Go figure.
- Anonymous
  
  I think it mostly was a bath mat.
  - Anonymous
    
    Combined with whatever the blue was (paper gift bags?) it made for pure hideosity.
    - Anonymous
      
      Say what you like, but at least Sweet P seemed to cut and sew her hideous hillbilly cabana coverup; here it looks like Kenley stapled together a bath mat and a length of wrapping paper in 30 seconds, plopped a scrubbie in her model’s hair and called it an afternoon.
      - http://profiles.google.com/sara.e.munoz Sara Munoz
        
        I agree. I think Kenley’s was worse.
      - Anonymous
        
        I respectfully disagree. As simple as Kenley’s construction was, it had a visual impact that was striking. I liked the silhouette. Sweet P’s was just slopping and blah. A sad dress if ever there was one, in my opinion.
      - Anonymous
        
        HILLBILLY CABANA COVERUP. Again I snort and laugh. Always at YOUR comments. xo
Anonymous

Okay… obviously Austin thought it was the candy store challenge, hence he wrapped his model in clear cellophane. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

As for Kenley, she must have just squeaked out of the bottom three. As Gertrude Stein infamously said, There is no there, there. What exactly did Kenley spend the $100 on? Booze and cigarettes? And it would seem that Kenley spent more time shooting off her mouth than actually working on this crapfest of a garment before hurling it down the runway.
- Anonymous
  
  Booze, cigarettes and a case of Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow.
- Anonymous
  
  Booze, cigarettes and a case of Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow.
  - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MNMVM2GPVUEIOJXBOSLCXKAW4U judy brown
    
    Unfortunately, none of the above can be bought at the 99 cent store.
    
    So the mystery remains: my theory is that Kenley stuck the rest of the hundred in her wallet. She needs the cash.
    - http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart
      
      It depends on the store — I have found make-up at the Dollar store before…
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6PUVFQ7YCZZFZRIER6BEJ4HVYE Amye
  
  And it would seem that Kenley spent more time shooting off her mouth than actually working on this crapfest of a garment before hurling it down the runway
  
  And that surprises you, why?
- http://beautyforrealgirls.blogspot.com/ accidental housewife
  
  I wish she’d spent her money on booze. Maybe if she’d been drunk while designing, she could have come up with something better. I have absolutely no idea what she was going for here. Austin’s is bad, but I see what he was trying to do. Kenley’s, on the other hand, is a ridiculous mystery.
Anonymous

Austin’s walked the runway so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to fully see its horrendousness. I actually didn’t think it was all that bad until your screencaps. WTF? Austin, boy, I’m torn between you, Mondo, and Kara and you’re making it easy to choose with this stuff. And Kenley, meh. That dress must have been hella heavy for the model.
Anonymous

Austin’s outfit was butt ugly, I actually thought Kenley’s was ok because of the clean shape
http://twitter.com/susanpcollier Susan Collier

These came out so quickly, I barely remember them!

While I never caught on TV what Kenley’s was made of, I did notice how badly the bodice moved. Yep. It moved like a rubber bathmat on a bias. She’s lucky that the judges’ Eye of Sorun honed in on her fellow contestants.

I know what would look great paired with Austin’s dress: Jerry’s Gristides shower curtain raincoat and rubber Living Gloves! I’m sweaty/clammy in sympathy for this poor model.
Anonymous

I didn’t see the first season, but I’ve seen pictured of Austin’s work during that season and… I don’t get it. Why do people love him? Is it his personality? Is it his own personal style? Is it because he was robbed of a place in the finale? Even if something is not to my taste I can usually find a way to appreciate it, but I just can’t like his work at all.
- Anonymous
  
  I watched and dang I’ll have to go back and look at the pics because other Than the purple and blue hombre dress that looked tacky and messy, and the fact that he modeled for Jay, I don’t recall that much other than his self promotion (and slamming others like Wendy). Combine that with his proclamations on this episode, he better step it up quick of he could easily be gone right after Sweet Pea.
- PostsYouCanDanceTo
  
  Right there with ya. I did watch that season, but I found Austin very affected and a bit overwrought and never really warmed up to him. On a message board where I also post about this show, another commenter made scorecards of all the designers in their respective seasons. Given the love for his cornhusk dress, its very easy to forget that he was in the bottom 3 for six of the nine challenges. He did win twice, but in hindsight they seem to be more flukes than anything.
  
  People really like him because he’s such a flamboyant dandy whose reputation is bolstered by the mystique of the semi-legendary first season, and I think, especially this late into the series’ run, most people remember him and don’t really remember the clothes since his personality really outshone them. But yeah, the clothes don’t measure up, and on a repeat viewing of the first season, I was surprised by how much even I thought his clothing was better than the overly elaborate, heavy, costume-y looks bordering on cartoonish that I was watching him send down the runway.
Anonymous

I would like Austin’s dress if it weren’t for the exposed stomach. I don’t mind the ovary explosions, as another reader put it. They change the shape and make it interesting. Honestly, are they any worse than many of the gigantic bows that we’ve seen on many red carpet dresses?
http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart

Austin’s dress was psychotic… I couldn’t believe when he said he actually liked it during the runway show, because I can see making something that hideous because there’s no time to change course but to actually think it looks good?!? That’s right up there with believing that mustache looks good. Maybe he’s recently been diagnosed with a severe eye problem or mental illness and the meds are screwing with him?

Kenley’s is boring. Just dull.
- http://www.GiftedCollector.com Nancy Abrams
  
  They all say they love their outfits and are proud of them as they go down the runway. It’s as if they think the judges can hear them and will be influenced by their comments.
  - http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart
    
    No, I remember some times of “I just hope other people were worse” — Kaynebow did it at least once and I think twice.
http://magnetgirl.tumblr.com Anika

Cut that mess in the middle and Austin’s is great. But with those waist bouquets…ugh. Kenley’s is just boring and thrown together. I want both of them to go far (I’m probably the only Kenley fan on the internet) but not on looks like this…
http://twitter.com/ohmybears48 Michelle Argento

I’m actually in LOVE with Kenley’s style. And I think this dress has potential, but it looks like she gave up half way through. She could have studded those shower suckies with some dollar store earrings or at least found some dog collar to use as studs for it. But I like the bases of it.

All I could think of with Austin’s dress was that it reminded me of my grandma’s plastic couch in the 70s with a big hole cut out of it.
Anonymous

Kenley’s – rubber bath mat and ?? what. I knew that her’s was really bad, but seeing Austin’s more, I think that he also should have been lower than Gordana
Anonymous

austin’s should have been a one piece dress without all that crap going on at the waist. The concept was good he just didn’t execute it in the end. Kenley’s, the style was fine I just think the use of the bathmat was odd (but this was an avante guard challenge).
Anonymous

I forgot to mention; I’m glad the judges didn’t focus on styling, because Austin’s model probably has the worst hair I’ve ever seen on this show. As the Braying Tangerine would say, “It’s insane!”
- Anonymous
  
  His model looks really depressed, too.
- Anonymous
  
  Now I will think of MK as the Braying Tangerine. Stubenville, I think I love you!
Anonymous

What makes it even more disappointing is that came from the very same person who made the fabulous corn husk dress. As soon as I saw he was using plastic and tissue paper I knew it would be bad, and was already disappointed. I expected more.

Kenley; meh. In the battle between these two, she wins, albeit barely and not a very big victory there.
Anonymous

perhaps if the producers returned these to the 99 cent store, they’d be lucky enough to get a refund of 89 cents.

i know austin can do better.
- Anonymous
  
  After seeing his show with Santino, I’m not so sure he can do better. He produced a few interesting garments on PR, but there’ was always a serious taste issue going on. The piece he brought, used as inspiration for this travesty, was absolutely NOTHING.
Anonymous

Y’know, Austin did some fantastic work on Season 1. But even then, when he went off the rails, he went way off the rails! (Remember that “wedding dress”?)
- Anonymous
  
  Or that postal ‘uniform’ that was so twee it was almost offensive?
  - Anonymous
    
    I love the imaginary world where postal workers look and dress like that. And also like Austin wearing Jay’s postal uniform. Ridiculous for the challenge? Absolutely. Perfect for a 1950′s movie musical, however.
    
    I had no idea there were so many people out there that don’t like/get Austin’s personality or design. I loved almost everything he did on S1 (but I love costume more than fashion, it’s true). Personality-wise, he must be the best or the worst person in the world to hang out with, because he’s just ON all the time. Fun for awhile, I bet.
- Anonymous
  
  I just might have to pop Season 1 in the DVD player to refresh my memory of some of Austin’s work.
Maria Rosenfire

Austin should have been on the bottom for that. It’s just straight-out bad.

My only other criticism of the show: we could probably have another 10 minutes of workroom/critiques if they cut out all of those freaking dramatic pauses at the end. We know, it’s all very gripping and suspenseful, but you sound like William Shatner riding a snail in slow motion.
Anonymous

I really didn’t mind Kenley’s though it looked a whole lot better before I saw it in its close-up photos. Austin’s was definitely bottom worthy but not surprising, given some of the tacky designs he came up with on the show that he and Santino did.
Mariah J

Very shocking how bad these two were…tsk tsk
Anonymous

i think kenley is very talented and that this look was ingenious … she knows how to style too … it got her by — the bathtub thing is hilarious and she positioned it just right … i also really liked the very very brief glimpse of her her outrageous super blue and white gown with attendant white corsage … she’s got a definite aesthetic and she brings it .. she’s the real 80s girl on the show and i like her for that — plus, daughter of tug boat captain — i mean, come on (Korrs tm)

austin is just a planet unto himself … it could have been so great but then turned into a wtf … i love him — love the way he dresses and styles himself and just love HIM — here’s to hoping he brings all the glam and taste to his own personal attire to his designs … i would so love to see where he lives and what it looks like … sure it’s super fabu
- http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart
  
  Oh my, I didn’t even think of the home visits part… with no Tim, Joanna will be doing the visits… that should be interesting:)
  - Warmheartedgirl Seattle
    
    Since they’re not showing at Fashion Week, my guess is that there won’t be any home visits, right?
    - http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart
      
      The interview I read said they still each did a collection and a show, just not at Fashion Week. So I would assume that the visits are still on, but I could be wrong.
Anonymous

Wow. Now I’m understanding why the camerawork was so busy on the runway – there was major avoidance of these two efforts, for good reason. When you compare the thoughtfulness and execution demonstrated in Mondo’s and Rami’s outfits, these look perilously like stuff that was being cranked out by designers in Season 9. Very disappointing efforts by these two.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Clydette-Wantland/673315286 Clydette Wantland

WTF indeed Austin!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HREPOWNBVUBRIVPQCF3ST2IKDM Euphory

After the last two seasons, I have come to appreciate Kenley much more. At least she can sew and isn’t all depressed-girl.
Anonymous

Kenley’s looked like she was kind of going for a Leanne Marshall kind of vibe (and of course, failed miserably). Although the colors aren’t exact, but they are reminiscent of Leanne’s superb BP collection. Am I crazy for thinking this?
Anonymous

“Luckily the judges did not notice the patch.”

Oh Austin, don’t fret about the patch. It is the least of your problems. Hopefully he can do better.

Both of these seem worse to me than Gordana’s.
Anonymous

I had forgotten how much I hated Kenley’s voice; it hits me like fingernails on a blackboard.
- Anonymous
  
  Where is the “like a million times” button? Her voice makes me cringe.
- Anonymous
  
  Kenley has a voice that could peel paint.
- http://beautyforrealgirls.blogspot.com/ accidental housewife
  
  I wish I could forget it. Gah!
BuffaloBarbara

I like Kenley’s aesthetic, but agree that she should have been on the bottom this week. I’m willing to wager she was the fourth worst, and probably within a point of whatever their system was.

Austin… oh, I want him to get better. But the problem wasn’t in the hole in the skirt, hon. It was with the skirt. But I’m rooting for him to recover and make fabulous things next week.
http://twitter.com/herong Heron

I didn’t hate Kenley’s at all. Austin’s was just DRECK, tho.
Anonymous

The combination of the plastic and tissue paper Austin used looks really great, but the front should have been as simple as the back. – even simpler and it’s a chic little dress.

As for Kenley, lose the poof on her head and it’s cute. The suction cups on the bath mat make a nice print.
http://profiles.google.com/sara.e.munoz Sara Munoz

So bad I gasped.
Anonymous

I am surprised she was invited back. That feather dress in her final collection that was a carbon copy of the McQueen dress pretty much screamed to entire word that she was NOT a designer. A tailor, yes, and I am sure a damn good one, but PR is not a tailoring contest.
https://profiles.google.com/104791269167429064986 Judy S

Yeah, staring at the photos of these two does not improve one’s opinion of them. I kind of liked Austin’s brillo pads but there is something about the rest of it that makes me think of another type of pad. Kenley’s is just strange.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jane-Morris/1076502799 Jane Morris

that Kenley thing…I didn’t see it that clearly on the show. Is that a bath mat? A bath mat and wrapping paper? It doesn’t look like a dress at all. It looks like a girl wearing a bath mat and wrapping paper.
- Anonymous
  
  You forgot the scrubbie in the model’s hair. Too bad Kenley couldn’t find a spray can of bathroom cleaner to make into a clutch.
  - Susan Crawford
    
    She looks like the Miss January on the annual plumber’s union calendar, doesn’t she? And a wee minaudiere made from a bedazzled can of Drano would have been a super touch!
  - Anonymous
    
    SNORT! that was funny. Thank you. I needed that.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IJRFPPXB2FMWQUBF2IYSVOTTLA Sean

I havent watched this show in a few years. Nice to know it’s keeping down to its usual low standards of presentation. My god, those are so hysterical, they’re right up there with “Like my dress? Saw it in the window and had to have it!”
Judy_J

Kenly’s bathroom dress. That’s exactly what it is….bathmat, check. Shower scrubbie, check. Blue shelf liner, check. All the girl needs is a towel and a toilet brush and she’s in business.
- Anonymous
  
  I would have loved to have seen a toilet brush used in the model’s hair style!
http://asskickingadviser.com/ Ass Kicking Adviser

100% with you – ditto your comments exactly. Including the part where you wouldn’t be upset if Kenley was auf’d.
That dress she brought to ‘show what she’s been working on lately’? Snore……
Anonymous

I have such fond memories of Austin from Season One that I really want to see him do some creative work on AllStars, and certainly the hot glue gun mishap presented him with a make it work moment, but this look is just wrong. It doesn’t flatter the model in any way.

Austin
Anonymous

Dearest T and Queerest Lo,
I must take a moment to thank you guys (again) for posting all the pictures of the clothes. Even though it’s what you do, I’m sure it can be a challange & headache (at times–always) to get all this together for your desperate, clammoring minions. I appreciate & enjoy it so much. Like you guys I came to the show many moons ago because I loved watching creative people be creative and loved seeing what they were able to create …..THE CLOTHES. ( I also like “Face Off”, “Drag Race”, “Top Chefs” and other PR rip-offs for the same reasons) It is soooo frustrating when they show the creations in a “blink & you’ll miss it” way.
Really?!? The producers think we aren’t that interested in the “Runway” portion of “Project Runway” so they just speed past that silly part of the show! Sheesh, who is passing out the cool aid over there.
ANYWAY (breathe & get back on track) I barely remember one or two looks after the Runway “extravaganza” and can’t wait to come here to see what everyone created.
Actually it’s sad (for PR) that I NEED to come here afterwards to SEE what I wanted see on the show but couldn’t.
I hope they are paying you big time for the much needed service you guys provide for needy viewers like me (yeah, right).
But, then it was the producers wacky, crackiness that brought me to you in the first place
so I’m thankfull for their insulting editing of what we silly fans want to see.
It was that blind darkness that brought me to the Light of TLO.
That makes me happy….Thanks!
Anonymous

Austin is a Lifetime darling, so he’ll be around awhile A Bunim-Murray arrangement, no doubt.

If Kenley had done a little something with the shower mat (cut, shape, manupilate it SOMEHOW), it might have been better.
jeneria

Can anyone tell me why Austin is even on the show again? Of all of them, he’s probably been the most high-profile and commercially successful with his own wedding dress line at Kleinfield’s.
- Anonymous
  
  Probably for the same reason wealthy women expose themselves to the camera in the Real Housewives of… franchise; he craves the publicity.
- Anonymous
  
  Two words: fame whore
Anonymous

Kenley should have been in the bottom three instead of Gordana.
- Anonymous
  
  I agree…seeing the pics….Kenley’s is bad, bad, bad. It’s like what Janet Leigh would have worn had she survived the shower scene in Psyco and grabbed to cover herself.
Anonymous

Kenley should have been in the bottom three instead of Gordana.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1344922354 Eric Scheirer Stott

I kind of like the pot scrubbers on Austin’s piece- at a glance they look a little like rhinestones. If the aim was to be clever in a funny ironic was it would be a winner- but unfortunately he tried to be serious
muzan-e

I never even noticed Kenley’s fascinator.
Mostly because I was trying to work out why the hell she’d pinned a bathmat to that poor girl’s chest.
Call me Bee

Yes–Austin’s dress was a piece of work! Loved the idea of using the colored tissue and plastic–and had he placed that stomach-burst detail elsewere on the garment–maybe on a hip, or just about anywhere else–it would’ve turned out cute.
I did not remember Kenley’s being so bad! A rubber bath matt. Just stuck to this poor girl’s chest. What wasa the rest of the dress made of? Oh–it doesn’t matter–I am appalled that this didn’t make the bottom three. While it was an interesting material to use–what an awful outcome.
Anonymous

Schmauf’ ing! LOL You guys kill me.
Anonymous

I did not realize Kenley used a bathmat and scrubbie sponge until I saw your photos. I was stunned into horrified silence. Not the good kind, either. I can’t believe this didn’t get auf’ed.
Thanks for the pics! The awfulness made my day. Nothing on my desk at work even approaches this mess. I have a renewed will to live!
Anonymous

I was hoping for more from Austin. This was terrible. Kenley’s was terrible too, but I had to laugh at the cat-thrower label. You guys are the best!
Anonymous

What made Austin’s hideous dress worse–aside from the model, who looks incredibly pissed off (well, who can blame her?) and whose hair is styled so badly for this outfit–was the voiceover of Austin, in his obnoxious new “I AM A STAR!” voice, saying how this dress defined beauty. Memo to Austin: Does NOT! And really, get over yourself, why doncha? One of the things we all loved about you in Season One was how sweet you were and how funny and self-deprecating. Now you’re just a giant ego with a bad moustache who made a truly hideous dress.

I was very happy to see how bad Kenley’s look was. She should probably have been in the bottom three instead of Gordana. I hope this means she’s off her game and will be leaving us soon. Like on Thursday.
- Anonymous
  
  Inforapenny said: “I was very happy to see how bad Kenley’s look was. She should probably have been in the bottom three instead of Gordana. I hope this means she’s off her game and will be leaving us soon. Like on Thursday.”
  
  Word!
Anonymous

It kinda sorta looks like they were designing for the gaze of Georgina Chapman – you know, foldy and napkiny and so on. I was appalled by Austin’s entry! Also by his mustache, but that is for another time….
Anonymous

I was so disappointed in Austin, both this dress and his ‘show us what you are up to now dress’ at the beginning. Several people had what I thought veered more into HS prom dress as opposed to Red Carpet glam dress as their ‘show us’ outfit.
Anonymous

Yeah, Austin’s was disappointing and hiddy. I was thinking there was no way he was going to come up with anything even remotely as fabulous as the corn husk dress. Wish I’d been wrong.

I don’t even remember seeing Kenley’s. At all. Definitely deserved to be in the bottom. Utter crap!
A Mystery

I actually really like Kenley’s use of the bathmat. Of course you could manipulate it into something that isn’t reminiscent of being a bathmat but I don’t think producing something that is self-referential of the original material is necessarily a crime. It is just another way of approaching the challenge and in a way it is something that is more ambitious and challenging to pull off. Especially since you have to work with the materials as what they strictly are rather than bend them to your will like you’d usually do with fabric.

I think it would be a disaster is she tried manipulating or cutting the bathmat up tbh. It is simple, minimalistic and clean (as a bathmat!) that the cheekiness of using a bathmat as is would be lost, which is what I’d argue as the most interesting element of the garment. The loofa was a nice touch since it referenced the bathmat, and the blue colour was on spot with being a “sterile” colour. The only thing I think is troublesome is the way the mat finishes at the hip and maybe the back but even then I go back and forward between them It has a humorous concept and unconventional construction, so I think it fits quite well with the brief. One of the more memorable looks for me.

I actually like Kenley and like what she brings to this competition, so maybe there is a bit of bias but I want to see more.

Austin on the otherhand has something that is overwrought. Somewhere along the line he lost what they say is the “integrity of the materials”, not far enough in manipulation so it stays unfinished. I actually like the pairing of the wrapping paper and transparent film, it had this really nice shiny effect that was best shown at the back of the garment. At the front it looks like a raincoat, it needed to be firmly adhered to the wrapping paper than to be loosely moving to get that effect. Maybe if it was separates, with a simple skirt and a jacket that had his embellishments? He was onto a really interesting combination of materials just didn’t have enough time to edit it and bring it together. I think it edges itself out of the bottom three for purely the promise of something special, just unfortunately it wasn’t finished to the standard he has set for himself in time.

However I would switch it around having Elisa be safe (sans the sacred geometry cape) and Austin in the bottom three. With Gordana and Sweet P in the bottom two, with Sweet P gone.
- Anonymous
  
  I agree with your assessment of Kenley (and Austin’s) creative results.
  Although I had to look long and hard for any positive review of Kenley’s outfit. I was immediately drawn to it’s form
  and when I saw she had used a bathmat; I was that much more impressed. (yes, – I wished she had finished it more
  interestingly in back). I was so looking forward to Austin’s but was pretty disappointed – it just didn’t fulfill his talents. Needl
emily mcginnis

Both of these were worse than Gordana’s. And I didn’t think Gordana’s was great. But these were just… worse, somehow.
Susan Crawford

When Austin realized the glue gun had melted a hole in his dress, I had NO idea of what the dress actually looked like. If I had any inkling that it was that mess that came down the runway, I would have advised him to throw a VAT of hot glue on it. This was SO disappointing. But they gave him an “out” by pointing out that as winner of the premier PR unusual materials challenge, he was under a bit of extra pressure. But Austin, honey, less diva and more design, please!

Kenley, this was a damp, drippy excuse for a “design”.
Anonymous

I thought fir SURE Austin was out on that one.
http://angryfemur.tumblr.com Andrea Lane

When Kenley’s walked out I started shouting “WTF IS ON HER HEAD?” Then I remembered her season where she spent THE ENTIRE TIME with feathers in her hair and sticking feathers in her model’s hair.

Le sigh.
Anonymous

I think Kenley’s showcase dress was just as ugly as her challenge dress. And Austin? I hope he stops the preening long enough to produce some memorable designs. Right now, it’s preening 1; designs 0.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6PUVFQ7YCZZFZRIER6BEJ4HVYE Amye

I absolutely agree regarding Kenley. Gordana’s moved beautifully on the runway. There’s no way that should’ve been in the bottom over this bitch’s.
Diana Martinez

What I want to know is, what do you guys think of Austin’s ….. I guess I’ll call it a mustache, although, really, what the hell is that thing? I really, really, really want him to shave it. I can’t be the only one.
bloodshothalfblind

by the time the runway show was over, i had forgotten wtf kenley made. now i know that my mind had blocked it out. that’s way worse than elisa’s. can she go home now before they give her anymore camera time plz?
Lisa

My baby Austin nearly gave me a fucking heart attack with this one – I thought he was a goner for sure. He needs to get his act together.
Anonymous

I thought Austins would be in the bottom 3. Actually there was a lot of crap that went down the runway!
http://twitter.com/onetimeko maybe more

Kenley should have been in the bottom. I am SHOCKED that she wasn’t — except the producers probably want her around for the drama factor, which she’s been known to deliver on.
spooki C

Sweet P’s was the crappiest looking but Kenley’s was even more awful because of how ridiculous it was. It’s like a “sexy bathroom” halloween costume!

Austin, you better not disappoint again. Your poor model looked like a dollar store mermaid doll.
Anonymous

i actually ended up watching this a bunch of times as my friend was over & she’d never seen PR before. she was fascinated & watched this episode at least a few times. while knitting, of course. in the background. yes.

so i got to see austin’s plastic & kenley’s bathmat more than i ordinarily would have done. i think it’s the power of austin’s personality that made us both forget [read: ignore] his tangled clear & teal grotesquerie & my inherent inevitable distaste for kenley’s personality–but even more, way way more: here ouvre–that made the ghastliness of her entry stand out.

but it is ghastly. no question. & that it & she shouldve remained after its presentation speaks, once again, to more behind the scenes manipulation. my friend found elisa appalling while i do not, but i think my friend’s reaction is more common than my own. although, of course, elisa provokes more irritation than rage. i think it was that dichotomy that kept kenley over elisa. people dont precisely despise elisa, regardless of how much she annoys them. they do hate kenley. that fury is one of PR’s unfortunate fuels. so she’s still here.

i mean, can it honestly be said that this is better than anything that actually did appear in the bottom? i suppose the argument could be made that it’s more now wow today, more à la mode, but that seems kind of specious if, perhaps, only to me.

edited to add:
ps. i cant be the first to mention that both of these models looked purely miserable?
Anonymous

You might be right that the bathmat could have been used more effectively if Kenley had cut it up. As it is, it’s simply a bathmat folded and pinned?stapled?glued? asymmetrically-not a good move, Kenley.
Now I’ll duck in case Kenley’s in feline-chucking mode!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OQG2B3GDOIKSFYT6YDXFVOMEM4 A. Lure

What’s sad is that these two creations have a lot of flaws, BUT they’re NOT the worst things that walked that runway– Miss Anthony, I’m looking at you. Bitchy April, too. I can’t get behind what Austin did, but I don’t think his dress is without merit. It certainly has an ethereal quality that’s very Austin. I responded positively to the color choice: soft and pleasing to the eye. I HATE the stomach half-ass triangle. It’s utterly unflattering. I don’t like the folding/pleating at the hips. One CAN widen the hips successfully– Jay Sario did it in his finale collection– but this is anything but successful. It’s extremely sloppy, and that asymmetry sure as hell ain’t intentional. He just couldn’t get the detailing on both hips to match. But I can see where he was going with it. Had he placed the detail in a more flattering way– not have the things start at the crotch and protrude– and had he executed it well, it might have been an interesting design element. I kind of like the embellishments. Again, they’re far from perfect, but I like how he attempted to mimic bejeweled things.

As for Kenley’s, eh. There’s that sloppy hemline, the unevenness of which is particularly glaring at the back of the dress. In fact, everything is sloppily tacked together. But I don’t mind the idea behind the garment. There’s something architectural about it, and there seems to be an attempt at a garment whose overall silhouette and composition is dictated by the shapes/configurations of its two parts– without any need for embellishments. I dunno– but there’s something simplistic and kind of pure about that.
Anonymous

I don’t hate Kenleys.
Anonymous

Juxtaposing these two creates a dilemma for me because it emphasizes how much my reaction to them surprises me.

Austin’s looks like a great idea torpedoed by the harsh realities of execution – when something somehow is *almost* what you envisioned yet somehow that *almost* is enough to turn the greatness in your head into unmitigated disaster. [This describes my usual experience with the creative process.] But. BUT. But! This disaster on the rocks of execution comes form AUSTIN, the man who wow’d us with cornhusks. Does. Not. Compute.

And then. And then! [and gentlemen, and then . . .] Kenley parades a look that seems to have been slapped together in no more than a couple of hours, tops (and that’s if she couldn’t find a glue that would work with the paper under-dress.) And Kenley’s aesthetic is not mine at all.

Yet Kenley’s blue paper plus no-skid bathmat has a downright cute little shape and makes a FAR better impression at a glance than a good third of what came down the runway. I hate to admit it, but this is what a designer is supposed to be able to do – to carve a pleasing shape that catches my eye, whether s/he does it with color, line, texture or bathmat. Now, there’s not much to enjoy when one looks at it closely, but unlike several others, it *isn’t* hideous up close. Just kinda not much ‘there,’ there.

And that I have this much to say about two fairly unsuccessful efforts says something about how good this show can be when the contestants are outstanding.
Anonymous

Girl, WTF is right. I thought Austin was going to be in the bottom 3 for that horror, although I didn’t figure him for schmauf’ing. Yowza. I hope these two snap back to (fake) reality, otherwise this season will be a bit of a disappointment. I was figuring they’d both be in the final six.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=768540908 Badriya Al-Badi’a

Austin’s reminded me of the less successful of last season’s pee pad outfits.
Anonymous

Kenley’s reminds me of Judy Noodles (who of course beat Kenley), I wonder if this is going to be a thing.
http://profiles.google.com/eszubert Elizabeth Szubert

The only problem with Austin is that a hot glue gun destroyed his original outfit. I would have liked to seen the model wear the original outfit rather than what Austin had to scramble to make.
- Anonymous
  
  According to what Austin said, this IS the original outfit. He just made a patch to disguise the hole the hot glue gun made in the plastic.
Allison Woods

Austin’s craptastic dress stands to remind us that as talented as he is, on occasion he makes something utterly blech.
vmcdanie

Yeah, these are both bad-much worse than Gordana’s which was at most just overwrought.

I’m not a Kenley fan (Jesus, does such a title exist?) but I am a fan of her aesthetic more often than not. I really liked her finale collection although Leanne was the clear winner with possibly the best finale collection ever. I guess I’m saying unless her personality gets unbearable, I hope she sticks around so I can see what she makes.

So many good designers, it’s really a shame to see them auf’d. I’d like to see a variation where they all hang around to compete for a slate of episodes instead of seeing someone talented go home after one bad week.
deslonrox

Austin’s dress was pretty bad, especially around the middle. As for Kenley, I never liked her stuff much, and she doesn’t seem to be any nicer. I could have slapped her for gushing about valuable a mentor a fashion editor made when she was always so dismissive and disrespectful with Tim Gunn. Let’s hope she’ll go be-bye soon.
https://www.facebook.com/kjarnsaxa kriselda jarnsaxa

Austin absolutely MUST show his true self this week… the “real” Austin Scarlett is such a divine creature, and he comes up with such fascinating creations, I desparately want to be able to see him all the way into the finals! Of course, much the same can be said for Mondo, and I thought he truly deserved the win this week. I could see someone going out for a night on the town in his outfit with no real modifications – you can’t say that about Rami’s. I respect that he was trying to make nice big rolls on the shoulders, but the natural tendency of a shopping bag to square out gives it a very awkward look to me. As for Kenley, the sooner she goes away, the happier I will be.

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PR All Stars: The Disappointments

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