‘Project Runway’ Season 20 All-Stars Episode 4 Recap: Fit For a Royal

Spoilers below.

Meghan Markle said it best: Monarchy is an outdated institution, but we all want to dress like queens. And, okay, maybe she didn’t say those words exactly, but we all know the thought has crossed her mind more than once. It’s a sentiment Project Runway leans into with Bravo’s standard zeal in episode 4, during which the designers are paired off into teams and tasked with dreaming up a gown fit for royalty. As Christian instructs the crew, they need to be “crystal clear of your contributions to these gowns,” as only one member from the losing team will survive to see another episode.

At firstMood Fabrics, they have 30 minutes and $1,000 to conjure up materials, which is laughable given what some real-life royal wardrobes have cost. Still, our remaining hopefuls make it back to the workroom with armfuls of tulle and appliqué as the brainstorm sessions and tensions start to simmer. Brittany puts it this way: “I would say 90 percent of us are very type-A control freaks. I am both of those things, as well as high-strung.”

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The teams—Brittany and Anna, Kara Saun and Laurence, Kayne and Viktor, Hester and Fabio, Rami and Bishme, and Prajje and Korto—do their best to divvy up tasks based on their individual skillsets and aesthetics. Prajje and Korto are a match made in literal heaven, at least according to Korto herself: “Jesus gave us the green light, and we said, ‘Yes, sir. Amen.’” Similarly, Laurence and Kara Saun each imbue different pieces with their signature touch, with Laurence stitching together a “hard” leather cape while Kara Saun handles the “soft” tulle dress.

Still, others struggle to strike the same balance. It takes Brittany and Anna hours to finally establish their trust for each other. Eventually, they flesh out an entire backstory for their pretty pink gown, by which point I’m worried they’ve spent more time on the fanfiction novel about it than they have the actual article of clothing. Brittany tells Christian by way of preface, “So the queen is, she’s from this planet, her own planet, and it’s all women. No men. None.”

“Not even a fabulous gay one?” he asks.

“You can come, but you’d have to be celibate.”

Christian’s face falls. “Oh. Well, okay.”

After a full day in the workroom, the friends (frenemies?) all retire to a New York City lounge, where Korto takes the opportunity to file a few complaints about the aforementioned über-successful fashion designer and the judges’ alleged favoritism. Her hypothesis is that their familiarity with (and affection for) designers from more recent seasons has led them to eliminate “two OGs” thus far.

“They be like, ‘Okay, Rami, what rock did you climb from under? Okay, that’s great—Prajje!!! How you doin’, my brotha?’” she says. “Like, what the hell?” I’m not sure two data points is enough evidence from which to draw a scientific conclusion here, but it’s a theory we can keep an eye on, why not?

The episode trots along without much further bickering. Soon enough, dawn breaks on runway day, and the designers—dressed to the nines in the spirit of the occasion—welcome Carolina Herrera creative director Wes Gordon as the week’s guest judge.

Ahead, a few first impressions of the gowns pitched for Meghan Markle’s next movie premiere coronation day:

• Brittany and Anna: This blush-pink, crystal-adorned gown is charming and elegant, with little tufts at the hips that add a dash of drama—even if that drama is orthodox, and a bit shapeless. Brittany’s and Anna’s look is a good one, not a particularly daring one, nor does it scream, “I want a prince to see me in this!”
• Kara Saun and Laurence: There are a lot of individual pieces here that I love. The rings of fluffy white tulle around Kara Saun’s sheer skirt are a delightful touch, making the dress far more unique than it would be otherwise. In turn, Laurence’s dark cape makes the design feel like something a Disney villain might wear on her way to poison another apple. But together, I’m not convinced these elements make much sense together—at least not without the context of a very specific event.
• Kayne and Viktor: Let me start with this: That sculptural neckline is an absolute dream. The not-quite-purple, not-quite-scarlet color of Kayne and Viktor’s creation feels kingly without drifting into ren faire territory, and the trailing sleeves and high-slit skirt are delectable. What I can’t pinpoint is why Viktor’s metallic corset feels off. It’s a well-crafted piece on its own merits, but it feels unnecessary—even distracting—within the larger ensemble.
• Hester and Fabio: This design is so good. So. Good. Hester and Fabio’s striped gray gender-neutral gown gives the expensive impression of couture. It’s expertly tailored with a creative but wearable silhouette, like something we’d review on a runway in Paris. Yet it still seems accessible, inclusive, comfortable, sensible—without sacrificing an ounce of sex appeal.
• Rami and Bishme: Despite the simplicity in both color and adornment on Rami and Bishme’s one-shoulder black dress, I found my eye drawn to the small design details that make it a stand-out look: the movement of the mermaid skirt; the chic swoop of the cape from shoulder to back; the modern peek of midriff beneath sheer fabric. I find it more fitting for an Oscars after-party, perhaps, than Christmas at Sandringham, but that doesn’t necessarily detract points in my book.
• Prajje and Korto: By far the most vibrant creation of the night, Prajje and Korto’s gown features not just one look but two: the breathtaking floral overcoat and the sparkling gold-appliqué dress underneath. It’s gorgeous, truly. It commands attention; it feels like something a queen should wear. I do wish the colors of the coat and the gown underneath meshed a bit more organically, but it’s also possible my television isn’t picking up the hues with total accuracy.

Nina’s the first to proclaim there are “no bad looks” of the night, and it’s true. This is the kind of week that proves why these contestants are the so-called all-stars. That said, the judges are relatively quick to take their pick of hits and misses: They love Prajje and Korto’s gown, as well as Kara Saun and Laurence’s, but they’re less exuberant when it comes to Kayne and Viktor’s and Brittany and Anna’s.

After the expected deliberation, Prajje and Korto win for the power of their combined creativity and passion: Their look fit for “the queen of Wakanda, representing us, the people,” as Prajje put it, is well-deserving of the night’s blue ribbon. Between the two of them, Korto then earns the top spot of the week.

That leaves Kayne and Victor as the losing team, with Victor ultimately taking the fall for his leather corset, which the judges similarly found unnecessary and misplaced. As with all of the eliminations so far, I find the sudden severance of Viktor—the winner of last week’s unconventional materials challenge—too abrupt to feel appropriate. Or maybe I’m just terrible at saying goodbye. Either way, don’t be surprised if Bravo takes this lingering unease as evidence they’ll need another extension of the franchise. Perhaps we could call it Project Runway: All-Stars: The Reunion: The Series?

Culture Writer

Lauren Puckett-Pope is a staff culture writer at ELLE, where she primarily covers film, television and books. She was previously an associate editor at ELLE.