The two-hour special brought back some fan-favorite designers from the past five seasons -- including outspoken Tim Gunn impersonator Santino Rice, print-crazy German Uli Herzner, over-the-top costume designer Chris March, last season's runner-up, Korto Momolu, and season 3 winner Jeffrey Sebelia -- but the winner of the $100,000 prize was season 2 finalist Daniel Vosovic
AOL TV caught up with Vosovic just hours after he was crowned the all-starriest all star to talk about his friendship with Tim Gunn, his upcoming line, what he's got planned for that huge cash prize and some of the stuff we didn't see on the show. -- By Maggie FurlongOnly one show could spark more anticipation than the long-awaited return of 'Project Runway': 'Project Runway: All-Star Challenge.'
The two-hour special brought back some fan-favorite designers from the past five seasons -- including outspoken Tim Gunn impersonator Santino Rice, print-crazy German Uli Herzner, over-the-top costume designer Chris March, last season's runner-up, Korto Momolu, and season 3 winner Jeffrey Sebelia -- but the winner of the $100,000 prize was season 2 finalist Daniel Vosovic
AOL TV caught up with Vosovic just hours after he was crowned the all-starriest all star to talk about his friendship with Tim Gunn, his upcoming line, what he's got planned for that huge cash prize and some of the stuff we didn't see on the show.
Was coming back sort of a mission to prove you should've won the first time, or more to show that you've grown since you were on?
I went back to just show people where I'm at, to show the judges where I'm at and what I've been doing, and show you guys how I've grown as a designer. The thing is, I was on the show four years ago, four days after I graduated from college -- I just think I was designing what the judges wanted to see. I certainly thought I had good ideas, and there were good designs throughout, but I felt like I wasn't 100 percent confident in my own point of view. So taking four years and going back to assisting in New York and really trying to solidify my point of view, I felt like, "Wow, this is great timing." I'm launching this company in February 2010, and all of a sudden I get a call from 'Project Runway.' It was a great way to show the people who essentially launched my career where I'm at.
And to plug your book ...
Yay! I love that book, I really do. It's called 'Fashion: Inside Out.' I was approached by my editors originally to do more of a straight how-to book, and I hated that idea. A designer is much more than just a seamstress or just a patternmaker or just a sketcher. I just thought about what I would want to hear and read about, and also what else is not out there. So I started to delve into the full design process: what goes on in our heads from conception of an idea, where we look for inspiration, and how you take inspiration and run it into a 3-D design. A photographer followed me for eight months, shooting all the nitty gritty stuff. It was so invasive ... more so than 'Project Runway'!
You seem to have the cutest relationship with Tim Gunn ... I'm jealous.
Tim is a very, very dear friend, and with it you get brutal honesty on both sides and you get generosity and kindness. I know that Tim and I will continue to be friends, even if I didn't show a line, even if I wasn't starting a company. I know that he's there for me as a friend, and as a mentor -- it's just really nice to feel that, to look into someone's eyes and believe what they're saying. Because it's TV, it's fashion -- two industries that are known for bullsh**! [Laughs] It's nice to have someone who'll tell you honestly what they think, whether you agree with it or not.
What do you have planned for the $100,000 prize?
Can you imagine? I mean, it hasn't even been 24 hours yet, but I can say I'll probably put some of it right into the company -- materials, people's salaries -- but I'd love to shave just a small, small piece of it off and maybe bounce away for two or three weeks. My boyfriend's never been to Europe before ... I've been dying to take him to Paris. I think that would really be a fun thing to do. But I certainly celebrated last night, don't get me wrong!
But you're so busy! Where do you find the time?
That's one thing that I've learned getting older -- it's like, "Wow, I work my a** off!" I've learned to not feel guilty about taking a little bit of time for myself. It's important for people to understand -- for all of us that are working so hard -- you shouldn't feel guilty for taking four or five days where you literally just shut your phone off. That's such a big thing for most people -- like, shut your damn phone off! [Laughs] Michael Jackson died when we were taping and we had no idea. The world continues with or without you.
Who did you feel was your biggest competition on 'All-Star'?
I was genuinely excited to see everyone -- I think we've learned that you never should underestimate anyone, especially people who were on the show two, three, four years ago. You don't know how they've changed as a designer. When I saw the clothes come out on the runway, I thought Korto was definitely up there, and I thought Uli's stuff was beautiful -- we were all very shocked by what her critique was. But everyone had a good show. The stuff that we know and that you guys see behind the scenes, the judges don't know. The judges don't know that Chris slept half the time and whipped out an amazing collection. People don't know that part of Jeffrey's sequined dress was unraveling, and that's why it was so short. People don't know! All eight of us believed that we could get the win, watching our runway show. Not that I would do it again, but if you throw us back in that mix a year later, the same people, same environment, I guarantee the outcome would be different. You just don't know -- fashion is a very subjective thing.
Who is wearing that hot dress of yours to the 'Nine' premiere? It was so vague, like they were trying to say, "Nicole Kidman will be there, but she probably won't be the one wearing it." But it's so perfect for her!
You know, you and I are starting GetNicoleKidmanToWearDanielVosovicsDress.com ... we need to start a petition, she needs to watch the show and see how gorgeous she would be in it. I specifically chose a blonde model -- she'd be perfect! [Laughs] I'm grateful that it will be in the company of such amazing people. My boyfriend and I are huge Daniel Day-Lewis fans, and when we heard that he was attached to 'Nine,' then Nicole, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren. Then this challenge came, and I was like, "Holy sh**!"
Will you be watching the new crop of designers on season 6 of 'Project Runway'?
Um, we own two TVs and they have not been turned on in probably three months. We just don't watch a lot of TV -- I watch 'The Office,' but it's usually on DVD or the computer. '30 Rock' is f***ing genius! And I wish that 'Arrested Development' came back, because that was one of the smartest shows I've ever seen. Ever.
Source: aoltv
