'All Stars' Kini watch: Trading fabric and barbs

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Kini Zamora plots out his design.

'PROJECT RUNWAY' ALL STARS SEASON 5
Episode 7 recap: "Bait and Stitch"

Every week, the designers get their assignments before heading off to Mood to make their fabric selections. This week, they start at Mood so they know some twist is in play.

Host Alyssa Milano meets them and reminds them that they've been chided for poor fabric choices, so this week, producers have taken the fabric choice out of their hands. The designers pick envelopes that contain the type of fabric they must use to create an evening resort look.

Some of the choices are unusual for the task such as neoprene, and Hawaii designer Kini Zamora being assigned brocade to create a resort look.

When they arrive at the workroom, Alyssa is already waiting for them, so they know something bad is about to happen. They are told that they must switch fabric with another designer and none of them is happy. After all the selections are made, Kini and Sam Donovan are the only ones left to swap fabric and neither is happy.

Kini's dress, made with Sam Donovan's lace, has kept him in the competition for another week.

Of the two, Sam has the better deal because he hasn't given Kini much fabric to work with, the lace is sheer and there's nothing to build under it. In trading barbs, Kini says, "I can't hide the hideous." Sam's lace does look very cheap and when Kini voices his grievances to mentor Zanna Roberts Rossi, she tells him not to make excuses, "figure it out."

Kini manages to come up with a cocktail look and ends up safely in the middle.

Sam is named to the Top 3 for a dress that, in spite of the weight of brocade, appears to flow. Dom Streater is named the winner for a linen ensemble that included a beach towel-style stripe pattern that she pieced together with strips of blue and yellow fabric.

And Valerie Mayen is sent home for a jumpsuit with tacky porno-costume bodice.

Interesting how there have been so many jumpsuits on the runway this season, as well as turbans.

Sam's look created with Kini's brocade.

Dom's winning linen creation.

The walking "Creamsicle" jumpsuit that sent Valerie home.

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Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her coverage is in print on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.