Photo Credit Barbara Nitke
If someone
asked us which movie star we’d most like to interview, we’d pick Robert De Niro
or Meryl Streep. When it comes to TV, we’ve been fortunate enough to speak with
two of our idols — Bob Newhart and Dick Van Dyke. But in reality TV, there was
one “get” we’ve been dreaming about for a while now — Austin Scarlett.
This week we finally chatted with the Project
Runway All Stars runner-up about his couture aesthetic.
Austin was
our favorite designer from the debut season of Project Runway in 2004. He was so talented that sometimes we have
to remind ourselves that not only didn’t he win, but he came in fourth. Jay
McCarroll took home the prize and Austin took the rear behind Kara Saun and
Wendy Pepper — two designers we had to Google because we just couldn’t remember
who they were.
For his part, Austin spun his 15 minutes of fame. His follow up series with fellow Runway designer Santino Rice, was a bit of bust but we loved it nonetheless. And his gorgeous gowns have adorned a celebrity or two during red carpet events. But we were sure that Austin would finally score a crowning accomplishment and be named winner of Project Runway.
Sadly he
lost to the equally deserving Mondo Guerra. But Austin rode the Runway train all the way to the last
station and reminded everyone how talented he is along the way.
In a recent conference call interview he talked about his loss, conceding, “Fashion is always a matter of opinion at the end of the day. And my fashion has a very strong point of view and that point of view may not necessarily be for everyone.”
Austin
didn’t expect everyone would embrace his work based on how things went the
first time around. “I remember on the first season of Project Runway, I got a lot of criticism for being high style or
too focused on the couture aesthetic. But I decided back then that this is
really who I am as a designer. This is what I do best. This is what people look
to me for.”
He realizes
that his grandiose style doesn’t necessarily fit inside the reality show’s box.
He confessed, “I kind of had a feeling that they would never really choose a
pure glamour couture designer on Runway.
They’re more targeted to the ready to wear aesthetic, which is fine.”
Certainly
Austin’s final catwalk collection didn’t look like something you’d pick up in
Macy’s. According to the designer his theme was an 18th century vampire who
borrows clothes from her “Hasidic dandy” friends.
But perhaps
most surprisingly, it wasn’t all diaphanous gowns. There was a rock ‘n’ roll vibe
that Austin hasn’t shown too often in his work. He explained, “That is really a
side of me that’s always been there. People are most familiar with my purely
soft and romantic looks. But I love drama. I love more of an edgy look as well,
just something that pushes the envelope a little bit. Though the classical
beauty is something that I will always create and love. But I wanted to have a
little bit of fun with it and give more of what I thought a fashion show should
be about where you’re giving something, instead of a whole new attitude, really
something that hasn’t been seen necessarily before.”
Still
Austin’s next project will focus on what has certainly become his signature
style. He described the new project while explaining why he signed up for the All Stars season, “For me going on the
show was really a chance to share my philosophy with the world. I am developing
a new signature collection of evening dresses that will be coming out in the
fall. So I really thought that the show would be a great way to get people
excited about that. And I had fun with the whole experience.”
Season 10
of Project Runway is casting now. To
find out more visit their official website.
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