Episode 3: "Would You Rather Wear Something Nutty or Tacky?"

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Welcome to Week Three of Project Runway All Stars. Things kick off in Long Island City, where the designers come face to face with the world's largest collection of "Aerosol Art"—less pretentiously known as "graffiti." The designers are given spray paint, plus their choice of white cotton or chiffon fabric, and are told that their assignment is to make wearable art. We double check our television listing to make sure we're not watching Work of Art on Bravo.

Next, in her stilted robotic way, host Carolyn introduces the designers to Meres One, Sen 2, and Zimad, "Three of the best graffiti artists in the world." She shares that they've collaborated with Louis Vuitton, Missy Elliott, and Robert DeNiro, but doesn't elaborate on how these collaborations worked. Perhaps one of the world's great actors is also one of the world's great taggers. The artists teach the designers some tricks of their trade, but even though all three speak English, subtitles are used. The producers obviously think that people in Iowa don't understand Queen's English.

Back at Parsons, most of the designers work on their creations, while Kayne and Ivy gossip about Laura Kathleen. Kayne says that her continuous bragging about her wealth is getting on "everyone's last gay nerve." In the midst of the conversation, Laura Kathleen walks in. Kayne immediately shuts up, but Ivy, can't stop passive aggressively giggling. Laura Kathleen deduces what is going on, and spends the rest of the episode bitching about how horrible Ivy is—while at the same time insisting, "I don't have to be a bitch to compete."

Costello Tagliapietra
Joining Georgina and Isaac in the judging chairs this week are guest judges Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra, the designers behind Costello Tagliapietra. Carolyn shares that they are two of "Anna Wintour's favorite designers," possibly in an attempt to explain to viewers who are out of the fashion loop, why two men who look like grunge lumberjacks are on their television sets. Robert and Jeffrey give great commentary and insights. We'd like to see them judging again.

Emilio's Design
Our winner this week is Emilio Sosa, with a bold flame-like take on a denim jacket, which he pairs with a matching skirt. Emilio explains, "Graffiti artists who do it well, do it really well. Otherwise it's not good. So I'm doing something graffiti inspired so it's not a cheap knockoff." Ironically, on his original Project Runway season, Emilio designed a fabric with a graffiti pattern—his name repeated all over it, Stephen Sprouse style.

Anthony Ryan's Design
In second place is Anthony Ryan, with a cute dress covered in a simple linear graffiti pattern of blue and black. Georgina loves his proportions and the dress's high waistline. But our guest judges fear it looks "a little young for an art-gallery setting."

Ivy's Design
Third from the top is Ivy, with a red, orange, and yellow homage to female super heroes. Her fabric's design even includes words written in a Pop Art style, much like the "Pow" and "Wham!" one might see in a comic book. The judges like all of it, with the exception of some sheer white chiffon hanging from the bottom. Georgina also points out that the jacket's structure is almost the same as the one Ivy sent down the runway two weeks ago.

Laura Kathleen's Design
Third from the bottom is Laura Kathleen, with a purple and yellow print-looking dress. The dress's skirt is so short that her model's gynecologist could give her an exam just by watching the show. The judges like the fabric's pattern but feel the dress is much too short and loathe the black piano fringe Laura Kathleen has hanging from the back.

Kayne's Design
Second from the bottom is Kayne. Not surprisingly, the king of Southern pageant-wear creates a gown. The top is just a plain black velvet halter, but the graffiti skirt is as colorful as "a circus rainbow." Each section of color is then lined with black velvet ribbon to make it stand out, much like the way graffiti artists outline their words in black. The judges like the halter top, but are not fond of the rest of the dress. Kayne's taste level is questioned for the first time this season, but not the first time in his Project Runway career. Meanwhile, Kayne feels that he made his model look like Kate Middleton. Perhaps if Kate Middleton were a carny.

Suede's Design
In last place, and leaving the show, is Suede, who makes another sleeveless party dress. This one is one-shouldered and gown length, and looks like it was thrown together in an elementary school arts and crafts class—and not in a good way. Suede spray paints circles on the skirt, and then cuts and tacks on circular épaulettes to the top. Isaac thinks it looks "too Party City costume-ish." And so we bid "goodbye" to Suede, and take a sigh of relief as we hear him talk about himself in the third person for what we hope is the last time with his exit line: "Suede's time to go again."
· All Project Runway All Stars Posts [Racked]
· All Project Runway Posts [Racked]