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Project Runway All Stars – Week 9, Up in Lights

This recap of Project Runway All Stars contains spoilers! Stop reading if you don’t want to know who won or lost last night. With only five designers left, it’s getting down to the wire, literally. Host Angela teases this week’s challenge saying, “Innovation and technology are just as important to the fashion industry as thread,” she says. “You will be using both in this challenge as you light up the runway with your designs.”

This week the designers are asked to use lighting technology to create an avant garde look. The winning design will be worn by one of music producer Pharrell William’s artists. The runway will be lit by black light, and everyone wonders, will the Neiman Marcus Accessory Wall be glowing too?

Quicker than the speed of light the designers dash to stock up on strings of lights, neon, glow sticks and anything you would see on an Eighties themed Christmas tree that has inspired Nicki Minaj.

“I can’t handle this!” Austin says as he attempts to untangle strings of lights.

“Austin has become very high maintenance,” Michael says as if he has had an epiphany. Mondo comments under his breath, “he is like a little prima donna.”

The spotlight once again shifts back to Austin and his always-animated commentary. “Making fairytales come true is what inspires me and motivates me in life,” he says.

Now it’s off to Mood. Everyone is eyeing Kenley wondering if she will dare to go against the judges and do polka dots again? To everyone’s amazement Kenley opts for plaids.

“You have really stretched yourself this time,” Mondo says in a sarcastic monotone voice.

Back at the studio, a portion of the workroom has transformed into a dark room. Michael ventures in the black light lit space to preview his pattern. The others joke that he is playing seven minutes in heaven with his design and he confesses to having “commitment issues with fashion.”

It’s time for Joanna Coles’ weekly counseling sessions.

First, Joanna assesses Michael’s neon green creation and says “this looks part alien, part Elizabethan.”

Suddenly the episode takes a serious turn as Austin trades the sewing machine for a nearby computer to Skype his mother. Online he is met with the unfortunate news that her house has been foreclosed upon. “I want to win this for our family,” Austin says in tears. “This is how God must have felt when he was creating the heavens. It’s not easy.”

The models come in for their fittings.

“Whatever you do, girl, don’t sweat; you don’t want to get electrocuted,” Michael warns his model.

Mondo is having tons of technical issues. “I can hardly change the battery!” he proclaims.

Austin grabs a pair of black satin pumps from the Neiman Marcus Accessory Wall to match his “heavenly galaxy” look.

At Parsons the lights are off and the five illuminated looks hit the runway.

“She has this crazy ninja turtle look about her,” Isaac Mizrahi says about Michael’s samurai-esque dress. Guest judge Pharrell Williams comments that his avant garde look belongs at Comic Con, not the runway.

The judges like Kenley’s volumized look. “You managed to give us volume on the top and volume on the bottom ,and she manages to look good,” Isaac says. However,  Pharrell points out that her top reminds him of a fence.

Mondo’s look isn’t as over-the-top as his competitors’. “I wonder how avant garde this is?” Isaac asks. He confesses that it reminds him of Teletubbies. Georgina points out his cone bra’s obvious inspiration. “Doesn’t it remind you of Madonna?”

Jerell’s tribal fiberoptic creation does not go over well. “It looks like she bought the rest of the pieces at a joke store,” Isaac says, with a confused expression.

“The styling just kind of came off grandma-ish,” Pharrell comments.

Austin’s phantasmal look is well received. “This is so romantic; but is it just lights put around a gorgeous dress?” Angela asks.

Mondo is safe. Now it’s Kenley vs Austin. Austin wins. “You’re a star!“ Pharrell says to Austin. He breaks out into tears of joy. Kenley is safe. It’s between Michael and Jerell. The judges cite Michael’s poor execution and Jerell’s half of an outfit. In the end, Jerell is out.

For more fun with Project Runway All Stars, visit the fan site NeimanMarcus.com/projectrunwayallstars and Shop. Vote. Win!