"Project Runway All Stars" Eliminated Designer Interview

What pregnant woman wouldn't love a gelato-inspired show? This past week, the Project Runway All Stars design challenge revolved around the creamy dessert. Did anyone else immediately send their hubs out to get some upon seeing that fellow show up on the runway with a cart full of delicious flavors? You may think I’m kidding, but I assure you I’m not. The second I see anything resembling ice cream, whether it’s the old fashioned stuff, fro yo or gelato….it’s all over.  I can’t get it out of my head. I HAVE to have some STAT! What can I say? That’s life as a ravenous pregnant chick! By the way, coconut gelato was my flavor choice in case you were wondering. I know I always like to read about what others are chowing down on!

As you know, if you’ve watched the episode, April was sent home last week. I was definitely surprised by that outcome. I know her ideas didn’t always come across in the final garment as she intended, but she has such incredible vision, I thought she would last longer. But April, herself, wasn’t shocked by her elimination and she told me why when I chatted with her.

When I asked her if, given the time constraints of the six hour challenge, she thought that construction should have been less of a factor in the judges’ decision than vision and, on that note, whether she thought Kara should have gone home instead of her, she replied that she felt like they were both “equally in trouble. I don’t know what the judges reasoning was for me going home and Kara staying. In my eyes, however, I was going home."

And why was she so certain she was going home? In her words… “I’m not a Project Runway designer. I didn’t have time to do what I do best , which is really fitted, tailored, body con stuff.” As far as her garment from the gelato challenge goes, she had this to say… “I attempted to do a corseted creation with layers. It was my fault for taking it on. It was too complicated."

April seems to be the kind of designer who wants to do what inspires her rather than adapting to situations like the ones that Project Runway puts the cast members in. As is always the case on PR, competition among the designers plays a major role and April isn’t one to play the game. Remember how Austin was barely able to control his rage over Kara using his sewing machine for a moment? I have a feeling that later on in the show, situations like that will result in major blowups! Maybe it’s best that April left the show early on as she “would never put another designer in a bad position to overpower them.” She said she “wanted to play by the rules and play fair.”

I’ve always wondered how I would do in a competitive environment like that. Would I simply do my best and let everyone else do their own thing or would I claw my way to the top regardless of whether I stomped on toes on the way up? I would like to think I would play fair like April, but who knows?

So…How would you play it?

"Project Runway All Stars" airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Lifetime. Watch full episodes for free online.