‘Project Runway All Stars’: Gelato-Inspired Dresses in the Lick of Time

The designers on Project Runway All Stars won’t ever look at gelato the same way again. On Thursday’s episode, the show provided a scoop of the dessert for their inspiration and world renown designer Diane von Furstenberg presented them with the series’ shortest competition time ever.

PHOTOS: 18 Fashion Risk Takers of 2011

It was too funny when last episode’s winner Michael Costello was given the first pick of the ice cream flavors and he was to choose who could pick second and Rami Kashou turned catty. He said he knew “how this cookie would crumble.” And if he meant Michael would pick Mondo Guerra, then he’d be right. The two who were once enemies on their season are like peas in a pod now.

All the designers were thrown for a loop with the challenge of creating something inspired by their gelato in about six hours. The series made it a bit easier on them by creating “Mini Mood,” an assortment of fabric selections from the show’s preferred textiles store. I don’t know about you, but I giggled every time someone said “Mini Mood.” I guess I just imagined little people versions of the helpful staff popping out each time they said the word. The designers also had to lean heavily on the Neiman Marcus accessories wall, which threw April Johnston off. She prefers to make her own accessories.

In the end, it was between dynamic duo Michael and Mondo. Michael did some draping (surpraz!) and came up with a Greek goddess look (see photo at right) that was sexy where it counted – it had a low front. The only think working against him was the dress color. It was like a nude when his flavor was grapefruit. To his credit, the gelato was a similarly muted color instead of a bright citrus-like color one would think grapefruit came in.

STORY: ‘Project Runway’ All Stars Premiere — 5 Hot Dresses, 5 Hot Messes

Color should have been a challenge for Mondo, as well. His ice cream flavor was cantaloupe. But, Mondo feels very comfortable with using color and he made the greens and oranges work on the fitted kimono dress he created.

Judge Isaac Mizrahi didn’t seem like he enjoyed either creation all that much and mostly he seemed bothered by the color of Michael’s dress (as if he could be blamed for that) and the use of orange and lack of sex appeal on Mondo’s head-to-toe look. But, he was pretty much outvoted by all the women on the panel. Aside from the resident judges, Diane was back. And if you’ve seen her last collection, flowing fabrics are her bag. And to up the ante on the competition, model Miranda Kerr joined the panel and would wear the winning dress at an industry event.

In the end, Michael (who Diane seemed especially happy with. “Call me after this,” she told him during the critique as his chin hit the floor) ended up winning.

PHOTOS: An Industry Exec’s Top 10 Red Carpet Essentials for Men

In the bottom two, April and Kara Janx were up for elimination. The judges felt April’s construction on her short blueberry-inspired dress was subpar while Kara’s chocolate with cayenne-inspired dress didn’t show her passion to them and its baby doll silhouette was serving maternity realness. So, who did they send home? Apparently, bad construction was the deadlier sin and a tearful 22-year-old April was sent packing.

I thought the judges got it right. April’s dress looked like she made it in less than six hours while Kara’s was very finished. And while I agree a pregnant woman would love to hide her baby bump under its multicolored layers, I don’t believe that Kara’s creation was as uninspired as the panel believed it was.

What was your take on the judges’ decision? Tell us in the comments section below.

Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro