The All Stars Finale Part One: Michael Hopes, Austin Copes, and Mondo Mopes

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It's part one of the finale for Project Runway All Stars and things kick off with Faux Heidi Lindvall telling our final three designers—Mondo, Austin, and Michael—that they each have only four days to make a final collection of five pieces. Really? Guess we won't be seeing anything brilliant—you know, collections that could potentially get the final three designers major financial backing, which might lead to true success, which would be a first for a designer on the series.

For his collection, Austin decides to mix 18th Century Rococo art with rock star and Hasidic styles. Amazingly, he's not the first designer to go Hasidic. All we see of his final collection is a wedding dress. We don't remember ever seeing any Hasidic men wearing white strapless ballgowns, but then again, we've never looked under their coats. Meanwhile, an extremely confident Michael spends about ten seconds coming up with his idea, a tribal print resort collection, which is about seven seconds more than that idea needs.

While his fellow designers are working on their collections, Mondo mopes. And then Mondo mopes some more. And then he's snotty to the other designers. And then he mopes some more. The thing Mondo doesn't do during the first day of the challenge is begin work on his collection. Eventually, after a visit from Georgina Chapman, who shares that she too stresses out whenever she is creating a collection, Mondo figures out what he will do. Since he feels like he needs therapy, his collection will be inspired by it. Rorschach prints here we come!

Isaac Mizrahi, Joanna Coles, and Faux Heidi also pay visits to the now segmented workrooms. Isaac tells the remaining All Stars,"Be daring," Joanna wishes them, "Good luck," and Faux Heidi throws a twist at them.

Faux Heidi says that all three designers must each now create a sixth look for their collections. Still within the four days. How reasonable. The look must be made out of the scrap materials they have left over from the previous challenges. This twist seems heavily biased toward Mondo, since he is so good at mixing printed fabrics. Faux Heidi then brings back all the aufed All Stars and lets each of the finalists choose one as an assistant. Mondo picks Mila, Austin picks Anthony and Michael picks April. Surprisingly, no one picks Rami. Less surprisingly, no one picks Elisa.

Aside from the usual bickering over model choices and a visit to Marie Claire's impressive offices, that's pretty much all that happens this week. We don't know who will win next time, but on this episode, Austin seems to be getting a winner's edit and Mondo looks like he's just stopped crying during most of his interviews. Still, our money is on Mondo. Again.

If you want more Project Runway to get you through until next week's finale, check out our many All Stars related stories from last week. These include Nanette Lepore's viewing party, The Project Runway All Stars Sample Sale and a candid interview with Kenley, where she tells us why she seemed so much nicer this season.

And now, for the Top Ten Moments of Project Runway All Stars Greatness...

10. Austin decides to shave his mustache for, "A fresh start, a new beginning, a Renaissance as it were." Or possibly just to mess up the editors when they want to sneak in old footage of him.

9. The designers are given separate work rooms. Perhaps it's so Michael can't copy.

8. Mondo says he was in his workroom hanging out in a total funk, "And then there is a voice." We expect him to say it's God, but it turned out to be Georgina Chapman. God's wife.

7. Austin shares that Anthony critiqued one of his designs saying, "I don't like the lace. It looks like dead white lady."

6. After the designers' final visit to Mood, we realize we haven't seen Swatch once this season. Perhaps his agent demanded more Kibble.

5. Mondo says, "The models come in for a fitting and it's like a zoo." Guess they don't have to worry about feeding the animals.

4. When Austin asks Isaac Mizrahi if he has ever believed in a look that no one else believed in, Isaac responds, "Every season." Maybe that's why so many of his lines have gone under.

3. Georgina Chapman shares with the All Stars, "I'm lying in bed thinking, 'Why am I doing this to myself? This is torturous.'" Surprisingly, her thoughts have nothing to do with Harvey.

2. April is amazed that Michael picks her to be his assistant adding, "But it will be up to my standards." Unfortunately for Michael, this doesn't set the bar very high.

1. Austin says his collection's theme is, "Fragonard Madame de Pompadour meets 21st Century rock star slash Williamsburg Hasidic gentlemen." We can't wait!

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