It was the ultimate flex. For years, fans argued about which winner was truly the best of the best, and in 2019, Lifetime (and the producers at Bunim/Murray) finally decided to settle the score. They didn't just bring back favorites. They brought back winners. Specifically, seven American winners and seven international winners from versions of the show in Australia, Brazil, the UK, and beyond. This was Project Runway All Stars Season 7, and honestly, it remains the most high-stakes iteration of the franchise ever filmed.
Think about the ego in that room. You had Dmitry Sholokhov, a man who basically breathes tailoring and confidence, standing next to Michelle Lesniak, who is as unfiltered as she is talented. Then you throw in international heavyweights like Jasper Garvida from the UK and Juli Grbac from Australia. It wasn't just a sewing competition. It was a clash of global design philosophies.
Most reality TV "all star" seasons feel like a desperate grab for ratings using washed-up personalities. This was different. Every single person in that workroom had already proven they could win. They had nothing to prove, yet everything to lose. If you’re a winner and you go home first, that’s a legacy killer.
The Pressure of the All-Winners Format
The vibe of Project Runway All Stars Season 7 was immediately heavier than previous years. Usually, there’s a "happy to be here" energy in the first episode. Not this time. When Alyssa Milano introduced the cast, the air was thick. You could tell the American designers were sizing up the international ones, wondering if the "Project Runway" brand meant the same thing in Brazil as it did in New York.
It did.
The talent level was terrifying. We’re talking about designers who had already spent their prize money from previous seasons building real brands. To come back meant pausing their businesses and risking their reputations.
The judging panel stayed consistent with Alyssa Milano, Isaac Mizrahi, and Georgina Chapman. Anne Fulenwider returned as the mentor, stepping into the massive shoes left by Tim Gunn and Joanna Coles. While Anne was sometimes polarizing for her more "editorial" and less "maternal" approach, she was exactly what a room full of winners needed. They didn't need their hands held. They needed a reality check from someone who actually runs a fashion magazine.
Why the International Twist Actually Worked
People were skeptical. Would we care about a designer from Project Runway Canada if we never saw their original season? It turns out, yes. Sunny Fong was a revelation. His technical skill was so precise it made some of the US winners look like amateurs.
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This season proved that the "Project Runway" formula is universal. Good construction is good construction, regardless of what language you speak. It also highlighted some fascinating cultural differences in design. The international designers often brought a different "hand" to their work—more experimental, less focused on the commercial "New York" look that the US version often hammers into its contestants.
Take Jasper Garvida. His attention to detail was obsessive. Or Cynthia Hayashi from Brazil, who brought a vibrant energy that felt distinct from the gritty, moody aesthetic we often see from the Brooklyn-based designers. It forced the US winners—like Anthony Ryan Auld and Seth Aaron Henderson—to step outside their comfort zones. They couldn't just rely on what worked for them five years prior.
The Highs and Lows of the Competition
The challenges were... intense. They didn't waste time on "unconventional materials" using grocery store items in the first week. They went straight for the throat with high-fashion concepts.
One of the standouts was the "Buckle Up!" challenge, where they had to use seatbelts. It sounds gimmicky, but when you give seatbelts to people who have won the show before, you don't get a craft project. You get architectural masterpieces.
But it wasn't all perfect.
Honestly, some of the eliminations felt like a gut punch. Seeing Sunny Fong go home felt wrong to a lot of fans. There’s always that tension on Project Runway All Stars between what is "fashion-forward" and what Isaac Mizrahi personally wants to see a woman wear to a cocktail party. That tension reached a breaking point in Season 7.
Then there was the drama. It wasn't "Bad Girls Club" drama, but "Professional Excellence" drama. When you have Dmitry Sholokhov—who is arguably one of the most technically gifted designers in the show's history—facing off against the avant-garde sensibilities of others, sparks fly. Dmitry’s "one-way monkey" comments and his general disdain for anything poorly sewn provided the perfect amount of salt.
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The Final Three: A Masterclass in Identity
By the time we got to the finale, the wheat had been thoroughly sifted from the chaff. We were left with:
- Michelle Lesniak
- Dmitry Sholokhov
- Anthony Ryan Auld
It was a showdown of the titans. Michelle, the quirky, intellectual designer from Portland; Dmitry, the king of the sleek, expensive-looking silhouette; and Anthony Ryan, the comeback kid with a penchant for bold color and graphic shapes.
Their final collections weren't just clothes. They were statements of intent.
Anthony Ryan eventually took the win. Was it controversial? Maybe. Some felt Dmitry’s consistency deserved a second All Stars win (which would have been his third win overall). Others felt Michelle’s artistic growth was the real story of the season. But Anthony Ryan’s ability to modernize his aesthetic while keeping it accessible is what ultimately swayed the judges. He proved that his previous win wasn't a fluke.
What the Show Got Right (and Wrong)
Let's be real: the production value of Project Runway All Stars Season 7 was top-tier, but the pacing felt rushed at times. With 14 winners, the early episodes barely gave us enough time to see the garments on the rack, let alone the construction process.
One major win was the guest judge lineup. We saw icons like Debra Messing, Vanessa Williams, and even racing driver Danica Patrick. These weren't just random celebrities; they were people who actually had a perspective on the specific challenges they were judging.
The biggest "wrong" for many fans was the absence of the original Bravo vibe. This was the final season before the show moved back to Bravo and underwent a soft reboot with Christian Siriano. There’s a specific "Lifetime era" sheen to Season 7—lots of dramatic music, very polished lighting, and a certain stiffness to the hosting. It lacked the grit of the early seasons, but it made up for it with sheer talent.
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The Legacy of the Champions Season
Why should you care about this season years later? Because it was the end of an era. It was the last time we saw this specific judging panel and this specific format. It served as a definitive "check-in" on the state of the franchise.
It also launched (or re-launched) several careers. Anthony Ryan used the platform to further solidify his brand. Dmitry continues to be a fixture in the fashion world, proving that "perfection" never goes out of style.
More importantly, it showed that fashion is a global language. By bringing in designers from around the world, the show acknowledged that the US isn't the only center of the fashion universe. It gave viewers a glimpse into the industry’s reach.
Actionable Insights for Fashion Enthusiasts
If you’re watching Project Runway All Stars Season 7 today—whether you’re a designer or just a fan—there are real lessons to be learned from how these winners handled the pressure:
- Consistency vs. Evolution: Watch Dmitry. He knows his DNA and sticks to it. Then watch Michelle. She evolves. Both strategies work, but you have to pick one and commit. In a competitive environment, "halfway" gets you sent home.
- The Importance of Finish: In a "winners" season, the judges stop looking at the idea and start looking at the hemline. If you're building a brand, the "inside" of the garment matters as much as the outside.
- Global Inspiration: Don't just look at local trends. The international designers in Season 7 brought silhouettes that were years ahead of what was happening in the US market at the time. Look toward Brazil, Australia, and the UK for a fresh perspective on "commercial" wear.
- Managing Ego: The designers who struggled most were those who couldn't take a critique because they "already won." In any creative field, the moment you stop being a student is the moment your work starts to stagnate.
The sheer volume of talent in Project Runway All Stars Season 7 makes it essential viewing. It’s a masterclass in high-pressure design. Whether you agree with Anthony Ryan's win or not, you can't deny that the journey to that final runway was one of the most technically impressive runs in reality TV history. It wasn't just about the "edit" or the "drama." It was about the clothes. And in a show about fashion, that’s exactly how it should be.
Check out the season on streaming platforms if you want to see what happens when you put 14 sharks in a very small, very fashionable tank. Just don't expect it to be "nice." Expect it to be flawless.