Project Runway All Stars Recap: All Eyes Were on Austin "King of Couture" Scarlett, Did He Choke?

Challenge this week was "A Night at the Opera," demanding a couture-like ball gown in just one day

Last week we got our first taste of the new Project Runway All Stars, and now that we're starting to settle with the fact that Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn will be absent, we can appreciate the crazy challenges these veterans are faced with.

Like, for example, designing and constructing a couture ball gown for a night at the opera with a budget of $350 and only one day to work.

Guest judges Mark Badgley and James Mischka explained to the designers that the challenge this week was "A Night at the Opera," and they would be looking for a "true couture touch" that is romantic, feminine and soft.

Lucky for Austin Scarlett, right?! This is his specialty. But with everyone anticipating what he would make, we started feeling a little anxious for the guy.

"Well, I'm wondering what you're going to do to surprise us all, because I know this is absolutely your favorite thing. You're brilliant at it, everybody's watching you," show mentor and Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief, Joanna Coles told him.

No pressure.

Michael Costello and April Johnston seem to be working with one brain, as Michael realized at Mood that April was also going to make a red ball gown (jeez, first the mop heads and now this!). Aggravated with her decision to choose the same color palette (how dare she), Michael opted for black last minute. But don't worry, it was far from your classic LBD.

Having just 24 hours for this challenge was not only difficult and crazy, but some felt it was disgraceful to high-end fashion.

"We're insulting the world of couture by even using that word to describe this challenge. We just gonna say 'really really really pumped up prom dresses,'" Anthony Williams explained.

Whether it turned out looking like a prom dress, bridal gown or an actual ball gown, the designers all finished on time for their primped models to strut the runway.

After showing their looks, Anthony, April, "Sweet P" Vaughn, Austin, Kara Janx, Michael received the highest and lowest scores. And it was pretty clear to distinguish which three were in each category.

The judges adored Anthony's use of white and the plunging neckline in his draped design, along with Michael's show-stopping black silhouette with a high-neck bodice full of feathers and stones, and of course, Austin's perfectly executed gold gown with black tulle.

They didn't care much for Sweet P and Kara's pattern dresses or April's red, ombre-dyed gown (time management, girl!). And although they appreciated her use of bold colors, sweet Sweet P and her gown were out.