Project Runway All Stars Premiere: Who's Out Already?

Best of the rest, including Austin Scarlett(!), compete for a prize package worth $500,000 in front of a new host and judges

If a bunch of designers compete on Project Runway but there's no Tim Gunn, are they really competing on Project Runway?

If they're repeat visionaries back for more...then yes!

Though not under Gunn's—or Heidi Klum's—watchful eye, 13 familiar faces reassembled tonight for Project Runway All Stars, which promises to be as full of cutthroat bitchery as any regular season.

So, how did the baker's dozen handle the added pressure of the all-star expectations, combined with the fact that none other than the über-intimidating Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, is now their mentor and they're competing for a prize package worth $500,000?

Well, considering their first challenge was to make a look from $100 worth of crap from the 99¢ Store...they did all right.

Tear-prone Michael Costello from season eight, whom everyone thought was incompetent despite him winning two challenges, was intimidated right off the bat when fellow season-eight alum April Johnston also bought up a bunch of mop heads.

His outlook improved, however, once he saw that Austin Scarlett had accidentally burned a hole through the front of his own gown with a glue gun.

Well, maybe the bitchery wasn't too cutthroat tonight...

First of all, there was a quickie runway show at the beginning of the episode so that the designers could show off one recent creation apiece.

The looks they chose later had to serve as inspirations for the 99¢ Store creation, but mainly, from a viewers' perspective, the "all-star twist" cut into pissy workroom time.

But the judges, as always, managed to get a few could jabs in there, as when Isaac Mizrahi called the back cutout of Sweet P's blowsy multicolored disaster "more of a chew-out," or when host Angela Lindvall wondered if Elisa Jimenez (the blessing spitter from season four) was "up to par" in general.

Dress-draping master Rami Kashou won the challenge with his tweed-reminiscent dress made of laundry bags, tinsel and umbrella lining.

But Elisa with her saliva-marked short-shorts was out, albeit without a German accent telling her so.

For this special season of the long-running competition, the part of Heidi is being played by supermodel Lindvall, while her right-hand judges are Mizrahi and Marchesa cofounder (and Mrs. Harvey Weinstein) Georgina Chapman. Neiman Marcus exec Ken Downing sat in as guest judge.