It’s the epic crossover Bravo fans have been waiting for: Project Runway and Below Deck. Tonight, Project Runway All-Stars features all your favorite yachties in a whole new light. For the first time, they will be the clients whose desires are being catered to instead of the other way around! The designer’s challenge is simple, but tantalizing: to reinvent the formal yachting uniform to their clients’ specifications. The Project Runway All-Stars‘ stellar designers must collaborate with their assigned yachtie (among them Captain Jason Chambers, Captain Sandy Yawn, Daisy Kelliher, Gary King, or Mzi Dempers) for a stylish yet functional look. Ahead of tonight’s episode, Decider had the privilege of speaking with Below Deck Down Under chief stew Aesha Scott, who appears as a client and model, and with Luann & Sonja: Welcome To Crappie Lake star Luann de Lesseps, who appears as a guest judge alongside Below Deck alum Kate Chastain.
As fans may remember, de Lesseps is no stranger to Project Runway. She was one of the housewives who appeared on the show last season as part of the Real Housewives/Project Runway crossover episode. She was randomly paired with designer Shantall Lacayo (who went on to win Season 19) to create the ultimate reunion show look. “It was a great experience,” recalled de Lesseps fondly. “These designers work so hard. It was just so exciting for me to be a part of it and a part of the winning look.”
If the red suit de Lesseps wears in tonight’s episode, a Shantall Lacayo original design, looks familiar to fans, it should be no surprise. “I actually wore the suit at Bravo Con a few weeks earlier,” de Lesseps revealed. When the opportunity came up to be a guest judge on the next Bravo crossover episode, Lacayo was her first call. De Lesseps laughed, “I said, ‘Darling, I need the red outfit back.’ So she sent it to me.” As someone who has graced more than a few runways before, de Lesseps knows the importance of dressing for the occasion.
For some, walking a runway was a whole new experience. “I used to watch Project Runway in high school,” said Scott. She described her appearance on the show as “pretty surreal.” “I never in a million years thought that one day I would be on Project Runaway,” Scott continued. While she admitted that it was a “pinch me moment,” her goal was to “really strut my stuff walking down that runway.” Another highlight for Scott was making her grand entrance on a mega yacht alongside her fellow yachties while the designers watched in awe. “It was a surprise for them,” said Scott.
As they exited the boat, Scott remembered people’s faces going from “confused to intrigued to excited.” From the yachties’ perspective, Scott remembered, “We were scanning the crowd and thinking,’Oh, who would we want to be paired with?'” No spoilers, but Scott was very pleased with the designer who pulled the anchor with her name on it from mentor Christian Siriano‘s bag. Speaking of Siriano, de Lesseps had fond memories of running into the designer at Bravo Con: “He’s so confident. He’s one of the most successful winners in Project Runway history.”
Another person with confidence? de Lesseps’ fellow guest judge and Below Deck alum Kate Chastain. “She was just lovely and so knowledgable,” gushed de Lesseps. While de Lesseps fancies herself an expert on “fit” and whether the revamped uniform was “fashionable,” she considered Chastain to be an “expert on professional yacht wear” with “a great eye.” de Lesseps’ also complimented her fellow judges—Nina Garcia, Brandon Maxwell and Elaine Wentworth—for making her and Chastain feel welcome and truly listening to their critiques. “‘We got the yacht’ is one of the most famous lines on The Real Housewives of New York City,” noted de Lesseps. “I felt like that they really wanted to hear what I thought.”
Scott had nothing but praise for de Lesseps and Chastain as guest judges. “I really admire Kate. I’ve always admired her. She’s so quick-witted and so funny, but she’s also very honest if she doesn’t like something.” As for de Lesseps, Scott was a “little bit nervous standing in front of her,” but was “thrilled” when her outfit on the runway received a compliment from de Lesseps. “It was so exciting,” recalled Scott.
Before we hung up, de Lesseps did leave us with a great idea for the next Bravo crossover. “While I was sitting there, I thought how great would it be to have the OG cast of The Real Housewives Of New York City go on an episode of Below Deck,” said de Lesseps. “It would be fabulous,” reiterated de Lesseps, and we couldn’t agree more. As we all speculate about the next crossover, make sure to tune in to Bravo tonight at 9PM ET to watch this one as the yachties and designers navigate the choppy waters of fashion together on Project Runway.
Watch Project Runway All-Stars on Bravo Thursdays 9/8c and next day on Peacock.