by Todd Betzold

When you are dealing with a cast of all star designers, you have to be on you're A-game at all times. That didn't seem to be the case for Andrae Gonzalo this season on Project Runway All Stars. He struggled with the challenges and never seemed to find himself during the first four challenges. He thought of himself as an outsider and seemed to lack confidence, which in the end sent him home. Today he spoke to RealityWanted and other reporters in a conference call about his experiences on Project Runway All Stars.

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: On last night's episode you said you felt like an outsider. Why did you feel that way?
A. Andrae: I don't know exactly what it was. I didn't have any established relationships going into this. I never met any of them and I was the only one from my season. It is a lot like high school and folks define their groups and I got to know Uli and that was great. We are kind of the same generation, so that helped. By the time this episode rolled around, where I was in the workroom I was surrounded by people that didn't that talk to me. It was very strange. I am finding out they talked a lot about me, but not to me.

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: With such strong competition this season on All Stars, was there anyone that stood out to you and might be the winner this season in your eyes?
A. Andrae: I think it's so hard to tell. Often with this show, it is difficult whether the criterion for the winning solution is to create a great product or to create a great solution. So far solutions are not winning. I went home. My guess is whoever makes the best, most wearable product probably will win and frankly there are a few that can do that and it is a tossup.

Q. What made you want to return to Project Runway All Stars?
A. Andrae: It's great to come back and get this platform again. Whenever someone does shows like this, you get this boost and also to connect with people. I've lost with a lot of the folks since the show switched networks.

Q. What was your favorite challenge to participate in this season?
A. Andrae: This last challenge where I got eliminated was by far my favorite. It exemplified everything that I believe it means to be a designer. I always believe design is solving problems with aesthetic needs. This was a really exciting opportunity to do that and also connect with someone. It was great to be working with an image that was generated by a fan and also had a bit of their story involved.

Q. What was it like having Joanna Coles as a mentor?
A. Andrae: Joanna is a wonderful woman and very insightful and so charming. She has an editor's eye, which is so broad and comprehensive. That is what I think is so great about her. She can look at things with a lot of angles. You don't get to see it on the show, which is so hard, but we had such an exciting conversation about what my brilliantly, bonkers look would be in the newspaper. If it won, it would have been an article. The idea was something, if it would have won, could have been cut out of the newspaper and it would have been a pattern yourself. It was really interactive on so many levels and she understood that.

Q. It seemed like the judges struggled with your vision this season. Do you think if you could go back and tweak some of the looks they would have a different reaction or do you think the judges just didn't get you?
A. Andrae: One thing I have learned from this experience is maybe my ambitions are more extensive than that runway. For that to happen three times, that does say something. Maybe Project Runway is for a certain thing and maybe I am trying to do more with this than is possible given the time constraints. The only thing I would change if I had a little more time is the finishing gets better.

Q. Did you make any connections this time around that you keep in touch with?
A. Andrae: I never met Uli before and I was really charmed by her and Althea Harper. Really wonderful designers and great people, kind, thoughtful spirits. It was great to connect with them.

Q. What do you think of everyone's reaction to Laura Kathleen? Do you think it is warranted?
A. Andrae: Oh my goodness. A lot of people complain about editing, but they can only edit from what you give them. I am shocked, honestly, watching this just to see how negative she is. It's tough. She is a young person. She's just a young person, what do you do?

Q. Do you think you deserved to go home this week or was Joshua's look more deserving?
A. Andrae: It depends on what they want. I do not presume to understand these judges, however I liked them. I have always been a fan of Isaac Mizrahi and it's a shame I didn't connect with him more than I did. It was an interactive challenge. This was so interactive and I got a chance to do something that really connected with another person. In terms of that, no I don't think, but I am not the one making those decisions.

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

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

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