“Project Runway All Stars” returns for its third season with several new faces among its judges and mentors, as well as a whole new list of old faces returning to do battle starting Oct. 24 at 9/8c.
Alyssa Milano will host the third year, Lifetime has confirmed. She will be the competition’s first host who isn’t a model (’80s pinup calendars don’t count) after Season 1’s Angela Lindvall and last season’s Carolyn Murphy.
Also, Marie Claire senior fashion editor Zanna Roberts Rassi joins as the new mentor. She replaces the magazine’s editor-in-chief Joanna Coles, who mentored the contestants for the show’s first two seasons.
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Designers Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman will return as judges with Abigail Breslin, Gabourey Sidibe, Kristin Chenoweth, Elisabeth Moss, and Michael Urie among Season 3’s guest judges.
Competition looks exceedingly fierce this go-round with three previous winners in the mix. See the full list of returning designers below:
• Jeffrey Sebelia (Los Angeles, CA) – Season Three, Winner – This self-proclaimed “God of Chaos,” known for his grunge and punk style, made his mark on Project Runway by surprising the judges during Fashion Week, making him the season three winner. Since his win, Jeffrey has developed a successful high-end kid’s line called La Miniatura.
• Mychael Knight (Atlanta, GA) – Season Three, Fourth Place – Season three’s fan favorite Mychael has made a big name for himself since his appearance on Project Runway and is hoping to make it to the end this season. His labels include Mychael Knight, Kitty & Dick (female and male lingerie) and MajK (unisex fragrance), and his designs have been worn on the red carpet by celebrities such as Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Rowland and Queen Latifah.
• Korto Momolu (Little Rock, AR) – Season Five, Runner-up – Throughout her season, Korto was known for embracing color, diversity and her African roots into her designs. Since her time on Runway, she continues her success by selling her collections and keeping things eco-friendly with the garment line “Green Love,” and has designed for Leila Lopes (Miss Universe 2011), the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and for the Walton Family (Wal-Mart).
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• Irina Shabayeva (New York, NY) – Season Six, Winner — Being the season six winner and never receiving any low scores by the judges, Irina has what it takes to win again. She started a bridal line after Runway and has designed for many celebrities, including the butterfly dress worn by Selena Gomez for the 2011 People’s Choice Awards and the dress for Grammy®-winning singer Carrie Underwood in her album cover Blown Away.
• Seth Aaron Henderson (Vancouver, WA) – Season Seven, Winner — This self-taught designer already proved once to the world he was the best, and knows he is capable of winning again. His designs are inspired by music, specifically New Wave, Punk and ’80s Goth, and he is committed to a sustainable future, so his designs feature organic fabrics and recyclable plastic bottles. Since winning Project Runway, Seth has done red carpet commentary for E! and served as a part of the fashion judging panel for past Runway seasons.
• Ari South (Honolulu, HI) – Season Eight, Third Place — Wildly successful fashion designer and fan favorite Ari South (formerly Andy South) is ready to reintroduce herself to Runway fans and win the competition. Ari feels that living her life as an openly transgendered person gives her ability to impact not only who she is as a designer but also others. After Runway, her first collection was picked up by Neiman Marcus in Hawaii and has been carried there ever since.
• Viktor Luna (New York, NY) – Season Nine, Third Place — Being a photographer, as well as a designer, Viktor gains inspiration for his fashion from nature’s overlooked oddities. His collection is geared towards woman who is empowered, elegant and edgy, and some celebrities who have worn his designs include Ciara, Carly Rae Jepson, Big Boi and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
• Melissa Fleis (San Francisco, CA) – Season Ten, Third Place — From growing up in a tiny town in Michigan to competing on Project Runway, Melissa knows how to make a big impact on the fashion world. She designs for “independent, savvy girls who like to wear black” and is inspired by the Dada and Bauhaus art movements, wanting to give women a feeling of strength and edge. After Runway, Melissa has been creating custom leather jackets and clutches, and one day hopes to create a lifestyle brand that includes interior design and furniture.
• Christopher Palu (Massapequa, NY) – Season Ten, Fourth Place — Although he didn’t win his season, Christopher is coming into this All Star season with the most challenge wins among his fellow competitors. He has training from the Fashion Institute of Technology and his speed gives him an advantage when it comes to designing. Christopher is excited for this opportunity, since his last season gave him courage, strength and confidence.
• Elena Slivnyak (San Francisco, CA) – Season Ten, Sixth Place — Futurism and luxury are the key influences for Elena’s designs. When it comes to fashion, shoes and accessories are musts and her icon is Lady Gaga. Although Project Runway was one of the most stressful things Elena claims she has done, she is prepared and ready to compete for the win.
• Daniel Esquivel (Austin, TX) – Season Eleven, Fourth Place — Project Runway’s most recent alum and best team player, Daniel, is ready to show his more competitive side this time around. His styles root from upbeat happy music and are described as free, modern and sexy. Since Runway, Daniel has returned to designing for elite clientele in Austin.