by Todd Betzold

 

After taking a week off for Thanksgiving, Project Runway All Stars was back last night and it was time for the designers to take on an androgyny challenge! They designed looks for both female and male models, both of which showed both feminine and masculine qualities. This was a struggle for many, since they design mainly feminine looks. The judges were not impressed with Kayne Gillaspie's looks and he was sent home. Today he spoke to RealityWanted and other reporters in a conference call about his experiences on Project Runway All Stars.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: For this last challenge, how difficult was it to do a look for a male and female model in that timeframe?
A. Kayne: I always bite off more than I can chew. I take advantage of my fast sewing skills. My past has allowed me to make a lot of garments for people. Each year, I would make about 400 custom pieces. It was a little harder since I took on so much with two tailored jackets. It was one of those things where I am pretty good at using every minute of time that I have. It was a little harder having a male model as well, since I don't do menswear. I am usually used to a little more curves than that, but I definitely loved the women's jacket more.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Do you have anything to say to your fans out there that have been supporting you?
A. Kayne: I have the best fans ever. A huge thank you to my fans for supporting me. Anyone that has interest in my career, I really, really appreciate. A huge, huge thanks and warm hug to all my fans.

 

 

 

Q. What made you want to return to Project Runway?
A. Kayne: For me, a lot has happened with my business and a lot has changed with my design focus and the lines that I design and I just wanted another outlet to show the world what Johnathan Kayne is up to. When I was on the show last time, there was no Twitter and Facebook wasn't an option unless you were in college, so a lot has happened even technology wise and I wanted to show the new technology world what Johnathan Kayne was about now.

 

Q. What was your favorite challenge?
A. Kayne: If we are talking about my favorite pieces that I made, ironic, my two jackets I made last night. I haven't made constructed suit jackets in a long time, so it was fun for me to do that and to do the matching of the patterns. There is a lot of things that go into the design that people don't see, like the construction and the matching of the prints or designs.

 

Q. We see on Twitter that you are interested in donating, if you win Project Runway All Stars Fan Favorite, to Second Harvest?
A. Kayne: The Fan Favorite has been going on since the beginning of the show and I had this thought over Thanksgiving. I have always been a huge supporter of donating time or service. My family heads up the Meals on Wheels Program for downtown Nashville for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't think any of my designer friends have made any type of pledge to donate it anywhere and people don't realize that the food banks can take one dollar and provide four meals, so that is four meals for hungry children or people. That would be 40,000 meals for 40,000 people and that is a huge impact.

 

Q. Do you think you should have gone home over Laura Kathleen or were the judges wrong?
A. Kayne: Are you kidding me? Absolutely not. When I signed back up for the show, you open yourself up for public praise or humility and I get that. When it came down to the clothes, standing there and listening to both the critiques. I really listened to the critiques and I was thinking I could go home, but Laura Kathleen's fabric choices were bad, her construction was bad and the design was bad and they said that about all of them. At least the judges raved about the construction of my jackets, but they just didn't like the color combo. It is what it is, but no.

 

Q. Do you have a prediction for the winner?
A. Kayne: I'm going to give you my favorites. My favorites would of course be Uli. We became close on our season and I've known her for a lot longer. Honestly, Joshua McKinley and I became great, great friends. We are working together on a collaborative that will launch in the Fall of 2013. I have hired him to be an additional designer with my company, but it will be under his brand name. A small, little cocktail and evening wear line. Anthony Ryan and I became good friends. He is a sweetheart and he is just a good Southern boy and I think that is why we hit it off so well. I made some good friends this season.

 

Q. What was it like having Joanna Coles as a mentor?
A. Kayne: I really enjoy Joanna Coles. I have a warm spot in my heart for Tim Gunn. He was amazing during my season. It was hard shoes to fill, but Joanna was so real and so down to Earth, especially for someone in an amazing position that she has. She has a lot of power. We had a couple glasses of wine at an event you maybe will see later in the show and it was a wonderful time to visit with her. She wasn't fake. She was very down-to-earth and complimentary about my work and just real.

 

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

 

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

 

Follow Todd on Twitter @TopicalTodd