by Todd Betzold

 

Shock came over many viewers of last night's episode of Project Runway All Stars as they watched a catfight between Jerell and Michael, but the big shocker of the evening was despite a pretty good outfit, he was sent home way too early in many people's eyes. Today, he spoke to RealityWanted and reporters in a conference call about his experiences on Project Runway All Stars and what we can expect in the future from Rami.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your decision to return to Project Runway?
A. Rami: I decided to do it, because honestly I have been working on a lot of different things, different projects and I've been planting seeds for the eight months to a year prior to that and it was the perfect opportunity for me to forge everything...for me, it was honestly a business move and a way for me to showcase my work and obviously advertisement that no money could pay for in the end.

 

Q. You're very well known for your draping. Is there something though that went through your mind when you were creating last night's outfit? It was something that the judges felt was a little underwhelming.
A. Rami: Honestly, the inspiration for me...my story, unfortunately, got chopped in half in editing, but my inspiration was ...everybody had an inspiration for their story and my story for my news was a girl who just got proposed to and she is going to celebrate with her childhood best friends and she was going to Santa Rosa to go wine tasting, so the whole idea for this inspiration of my design was something that was cozy, that she was just going to throw on, like a wrap and go straight to the wine tasting, from one place to another in Santa Rosa and that to me was the outfit. I honestly feel that Georgina was the fairest judge, in my opinion and he opinion because I admire her work so much, above all. So, I'm very pleased with the things that she said because I honestly felt like she judged me fairly. And in terms of my outfit, originally the whole design was based around the jacket and the pants. There was a quarter of the top showing and it was just interesting to me how the main focus suddenly became the top. I'm not delusional, yeah the top could have better obviously...I don't think my outfit was the worse and I still stand by the design of the jacket and I'm still glad that in the editing that they decided to include what Georgina said about it because I worked hard...everybody is entitled to their own opinion and it's totally fine.

 

Q. We really thought you would end up in the Top 4 with the other three gentlemen that were standing there with you in the bottom. Can you talk a little bit about that bottom four and what you thought of them?
A. Rami: Honestly, I disagree with the critiques on the other designers as well, but it's just irony to me that suddenly the girls were on top and the boys were on bottom...maybe it just makes a great story. I think Cynthia's reviews were ridiculous...it just goes to show you that there whole tone was questionable, honestly. It just didn't sit well with a lot of people, including myself, but for me personally I'm at peace with whatever happened. It's a tv show...game show, nothing more to me. My career doesn't start and stop there. I'm very thankful for the opportunity and it's a great platform to showcase my work...I don't have to agree with everything that happens. I don't know...I think it was just a bit ironic I think if you pay attention to have everything was starting off and how suddenly it just switched to something else...with all the boys and all the girls it just becomes a little bit questionable, but listen you have to take it with a grain of salt and you just keep moving.

 

Q. Your bio says that you filmed a reality show. Can you tell us anything about it?

A. Rami: I'm currently filming a pilot. Unfortunately, I'd love to talk more about it, but I can't yet because it's still in development. I can talk about the designs I made for the Super Bowl for Madonna's dancers who opened the show.

 

Q. I'd love to hear about that.
A. Rami: Honestly, it made my year and I think it was a great, wonderful opportunity and a dream come true. Obviously she had a tremendous amount of dancers, so I designed for the six rolling ladies that lead the gladiators and Madonna onto the stage during both. And I have been working with the head stylist on that and it was just an amazing experience Once you have an oppurnity to work with Madonna, it's definitely a dream come true and it's something that is a validating experience as well. That's something that I'm really excited about.

 

Q. There was obviously big drama last night with the disagreement between Jerell and Michael about the similarities of their outfits. It was unprecedented that Joanna called everyone around and had you discuss it. What did you make of this whole thing,...should they have been more repercussions for that or did they make more of a bid idea of it or was it played up for tv.

A. Rami: I think it would possibly have been made a big deal out of it had two other people been involved. I think it all depends on who the subject is at hand, that's just my opinion. In their case, it was discussed and somehow it was...somehow in the end they were both complicated. Honestly, I'm past the whole let's talk about other designers' work and critique their work. For me, it's been done since August and I don't want to use that angle at all because that's not my place, but I do, from what I recall and what I said on the show that it's not really gossiping, it's just the reality of what we saw. I first saw Jerell's coat and then we saw something else on Michael's that was changed that was similar to Jerell's. Was I in Michael's head? Do I know what he was thinking? Absolutely not...I can only speak for what we saw. Did they make a big deal out of it? I don't think they did. Honestly, I feel like any show love situations like that...sometimes you drop a pin and it becomes a huge production and we totally understand that that's how reality tv shows work. I don't know...I have to say that I think the win was very deserving for Jerell.

 

Q. Is there anyone left on the show you are rooting for to win, since you are gone now?
A. Rami: Because of things I can't legally talk about, I just won't comment on that.

 

Q. How did the whole Project Runway experience feel this time around? You knew what you were getting into...the cameras and the hours. I just wanted to know going into it did you have plan of attack or how did you feel?
A. Rami: I think my passion is always genuine towards my work...I always put 150% into everything that I do. Something to take into perspective was the very, very short time that we were given for challenges...it felt like it was cut in half. I think there were certain things that happened that was out of the designers' power and control.

 

Q. How did you feel about having Joanna as a mentor?

A. Ramin: I didn't get to know Joanna very well, I'll be honest with you. It's not the kind of relationship...I have nothing negative to say about her. She was a very direct, stylish, sharply dressed woman, but it's definitely a different kind of dynamic in comparison to Tim Gunn. You definitely felt more of a bond with Tim Gunn and maybe that's not the angle they were playing this time around with Joanna. I really have nothing negative to say about her.

 

Q. Talk to me about the whole season that you were on and the different dynamic with these new judges.

A. Rami: The whole time it felt a greater distance between us and the judges. It felt like their was a much closer relationship, not close in terms of that we were close but they were producers more involved than judges. I'm just speaking of how I felt and how the whole experience felt. It definitely was a different experience then season. It definitely was a different experience from last second and maybe it is because it is a different kind of production group.

 

Q. You have been very good about not giving away the outcome of this season. Now that we at least know your outcome, does it feel little bit like a relief? Is it hard not to talk to anyone about it?

A. Rami: I don't like to talk to people about, but obviously we can't. Was it a relief? Absolutely. After getting out after like 3 or 4 weeks, I was just glad to be outside of that experience due to things that I a not allowed to talk bout,

 

Project Runway All Stars airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Lifetime.

 

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

 

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