Author: Mondo Guerra

Courtesy of Lifetime

From left: Heidi Klum, Zac Posen, Nina Garcia and Kerry Washington

You can almost smell the hairspray and feel the adrenaline backstage as the four finalists make last-minute touches to their NYFW collections. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

After they completed their “Tide Washable Fashion” looks and received final advice from Tim Gunn, there’s no more time for second-guessing. The Lincoln Center stage is set. The judges, with guest Kerry Washington, are waiting.

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All the hard work, all the sacrifice, comes down to this moment. For Justin, Dom, Bradon and Alexandria, it’s show time.

The Collections

Justin LeBlanc

Justin’s collection showed that you don’t have to be loud to make a big statement. His minimal, soft architectural looks were also very modern and feminine. It was cohesive and told a unique story.  Justin clearly has passion and vision.

I loved his first look and finale gown and I’m crazy about the 3D-printed accessories. However, Nina Garcia said she wished Justin had shown just two more outfits that had a “wow” factor. It’s a tough call, with his clean, crisp aesthetic, to introduce too many elements and remain true to himself as a designer. One thought — maybe if he had  put touches of his unconventional finale gown materials throughout the collection, it would have been more dynamic. Built a crescendo, if you will.

A beautiful, polished exciting collection. Really lovely.

Dom Streater

I’m all about Dom’s fearless use of color and print. It’s something I really respond to. She pushed herself and showed us her vibrant, elevated side. And I loved what I saw. She achieved the “retro-futurism” she was aiming for and captured my imagination.

I particularly liked her printed plastic touches. She transformed a common material into something refined and eye-catching. I love when designers play with different textures. And Dom’s finale gown? A knockout. Hard to believe it’s hardware and screen. It looks like elegant armor.

I did agree with Zac Posen that the bathing suit was the least successful look. Something about the cut of it wasn’t the most flattering. I would have loved to see a plastic coat dress in the silhouette of Dom’s avant-garde challenge.

An exuberant show with tons of impact and appeal.

Bradon McDonald

I cringed when Bradon’s model spilled coffee on his dress. But the show must go on and he kept his poise and “made it work.”

Bradon’s collection surprised me. He showed some exquisite pieces. The “coffee-spilled” floral dress and the blue ombre’ gown were beautiful. I loved his shorts and jackets too. He took a risk with his opening look and got mixed reactions from the judges. I got the concept but the silhouette seemed out of place within this collection.

Nina said Bradon’s collection seemed “disjointed.” I think that cohesion was his Achilles’ heel, too.  For me, the collection also read on the mature side. Not a bad thing, necessarily. Just not what I’m used to seeing from Bradon. 

Alexandria von Bromssen

Out of all the designers, I think Alexandria knows her girl the best. I like that her designs are tough but also very soft and feminine. And I appreciate all of the details and nuances she put into her garments. The Lincoln Center crowd applauded her opening look made out of phone books. It was a real showstopper.

The judges all wanted to wear pieces from Alexandria’s collection. For the most part, it was cohesive. The collared vest paired with the ruffle-y skirt seemed out of place, though. Probably because it was the only hint of color in the collection. But her materials look rich and easy to wear.  She has an eye for quality.

Love the hats. Showing separates was smart, too. This is a cool girl with good taste. Alexandria poured herself into this collection and made clothes that women want to wear.

The Judges’ Decision

After a tough deliberation, the judges named Dom Streater the winner of Project Runway season 12!

(Yay for the judges choosing print and color!)

Mondo’s Last Word

Tim Gunn wasn’t putting it lightly when he said it was anybody’s game. The four finalists each showed incredible work and very distinct points of view. But there can only be one winner.

Dom’s victory was well-deserved. Not only does she create fun, sophisticated designs, her qualities of character are — in a word — adorable. She worked hard and stayed humble throughout the competition and her collection hit the mark. I’m thrilled for her and can’t wait to see more.

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Of course, it’s not news that I was rooting for Justin. But as his mother shared after the judges’ decision, he competed with integrity and grace and the whole country fell in love with him. Not a bad consolation prize! I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more from Justin.

It’s been an incredible season with major talent and major drama. Thank you, readers, for staying tuned with me each step of the way. Congratulations to Dom and congratulations to all of the season 12 designers.

xoxo,

Mondo

Project Runway All Stars champ Mondo Guerra is back to dish on the designs and drama of Project Runway season 12. His exclusive collection of eyewear with national optical boutique SEE hits stores this fall. He has also partnered with Merck for “I Design,” a national HIV/AIDS education campaign that underscores the importance of patients tailoring treatment goals with their doctors. To learn more about Mondo, visit mondoguerra.com.

Tim Gunn raises a glass with the final five designers of season 12.

New York Fashion week is so close, the remaining contestants can almost taste it. But for one designer, it was a bittersweet departure. 

Tim Gunn made home-visits with each of the semi-finalists to check on their collections.  And then the competition intensified as three of them battled to join Bradon and Dom on the big runway.

The Collections

Last week Alexandria, Helen and Justin didn’t quite convince the judges they deserved a place at NYFW, so they each got a chance to show what they could do with more time.

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Alexandria von Bromssen

Alexandria kept her nose to the grindstone and created at least 30 garments for her collection which she called “Neo Nomadic Punk.”  Heidi Klum said she “absolutely loved” her looks and wanted all of them.  Nina Garcia said they looked flat and Zac Posen said that while it had a luxe quality, the collection needed more impact for the runway.

Helen Castillo

Helen tried to communicate vision with her collection, inspired by clairvoyance.  Nina liked her LBD but said her dress in the print seemed “tortured” and that her braided hair chokers were “spooky.”  Zac added that the print dress seemed like “a concept that never came to fruition.”  Heidi said her girls looked sad and “stuck.”

Justin LeBlanc

In his collection, Justin told the story of his journey from being born deaf to being able to hear for the first time at age 18.  Heidi said she “blown away” and glad Tim Gunn used his save on Justin.  Zac said his use of 3D printing was innovative but warned not to go overboard with accessories and that his hair concept needed a re-think.  Nina said there was something “very poetic” about Justin’s collection.

The Judges’ Decisions

Both Alexandria and Justin intrigued the judges enough to want to see more, earning their places at the NYFW finale.  And while Helen had an impressive winning streak this season, she fell just short of Lincoln Center and was auf’d.

Mondo’s Last Word

First off, how much of a trooper was Tim Gunn for “carrying on” even after his nasty tumble on the subway stairs?  Another example of why he is my hero.

About the face-off between the three hopefuls…

When I saw Helen’s looks walk, I tweeted that her first dress looked like “she farted in it and it got frozen in time.”  Everyone has an opinion, and apparently Helen thought mine stunk.  We had a few Twitter exchanges before she blocked me.  Sorry, girl — I still love you.  But I have to agree with the judges.  It just wasn’t a “wow moment” for me.

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I really liked Alexandria’s collection.  She went into the fight as an underdog but emerged a real contender, in my opinion.  Her easy, edgy point of view really came through.  The familiar silhouettes re-imagined in luxe, feminine fabrics and textures worked.  But I agree with the judges that Alexandria needs to turn up the volume with her styling at fashion week or people might fall asleep.

The clear standout for me was Justin.  His collection expressed so much artistry and innovation–it was a real showstopper.  Love the story and see the inspiration reflected in his designs.  And his accessories were so cool.  All three looks delivered drama and intrigue but his unconventional look was insanely good.  Even though there wasn’t technically a winner for this challenge, Justin finished first in my book.

There we have it!  Dom, Bradon, Alexandria and Justin are the final four.  Next Thursday, Project Runway will crown the season 12 champion.  Who will win the title and take home the biggest prize package in the show’s history?  Tell me your predictions in the comments.

Project Runway All Stars champ Mondo Guerra is back to dish on the designs and drama of Project Runway season 12. His exclusive collection of eyewear with national optical boutique SEE hits stores this fall. He has also partnered with Merck for “I Design,” a national HIV/AIDS education campaign that underscores the importance of patients tailoring treatment goals with their doctors. To learn more about Mondo, visit mondoguerra.com.