Thanks to a frumpy skirt and a bathing suit top, Sweet P Vaughn got her walking papers on “Project Runway All Stars” this week. The much-loved season four contender talked to reporters during a conference call Friday about defending her designs, what she’s doing now and which designer she hopes will win.
Even though Sweet P never seemed to be the target of scorn during her season, that didn’t mean she was itching to go back to the franchise. “I wasn’t going to do it, but they talked me into it,” she said. Despite her initial resistance, she has no regrets about signing on for a second stint. “I became really good friends with a couple of the people. It was fun.”
Even though her final design (and her first design) were panned by judges, Sweet P didn’t agree with their criticism. “I actually do stand by my pieces, but I guess I just didn’t want to argue with [the judges],” she said. “I didn’t even think I should have been in the bottom this week… and last week I used fabric, but Jerell used tarps. I definitely felt like mine was more creative.” Still, she added, “The critique wasn’t too harsh last night.”
Still, she admits that the judges’ criticism wasn’t always supportive. “I think it negates [creativity] a lot of times… They really judge it depending on what seems like easy drama. Some of the dresses on the runway last night were not ball gowns at all, but they looked sexy with lots of cleavage. I don’t think it’s going for creativity, but what’s dramatic.”
And as far as the judges’ claims that she didn’t design an actual ball gown, Sweet P thinks they may need to educate themselves. “If you look at the shape of a ball gown, it’s a fitted bodice and a ginormous [skirt]. I went home and thought, am I crazy? For a few of us – Kara, Kenley and I, we thought ball gowns and we did ball gowns. I thought Kenley’s was gorgeous and she didn’t get anything.” In fact, her favorite design of the challenge was in the bottom three with her — Kara’s. “Everybody Google ball gowns to see what they are.”
Sweet P may be gone, but she’s still rooting for some of the remaining designers to make it to the end. “I’m definitely rooting for, I think Mondo is great. I love his stuff,” she said. “I’m rooting for my friends; Austin, Kara, Kenley. I think Kenley and Austin have a good chance of winning. I think Michael’s really talented, I know he’s been criticized for not having gone to school, but he’s really [talented].”
She wasn’t a fan of every designer, however. “Elisa, I love her, but… none of us thought she was on par. I think maybe [the producers] were hoping for some drama from Mila, but I don’t think she’s going to give them much. I get along with Mila. She’s fine with me.”
Surprisingly, Sweet P isn’t returning to a job designing clothes. “I quit designing about a year ago,” she admits. “I went to make-up school, and I’ve been doing that for film and television for about a year.” And if reality TV calls on her again, she won’t necessarily hang up the phone “I said I would never do this again and I did it, so you never know.”