In a watch party held at the Exdo Event Center, Guerra had gathered with a few hundred of his closest friends and supporters for the big event -- which seemed like a dead giveaway that the 33-year-old designer was going to beat out two other finalists. After all, who would rent a giant inflatable clown and an illuminated dance floor if he knew he was going to lose? So both spirits and hopes were high.
Guerra thanked his fans for their support, got a little emotional, naturally, and managed to get one final jab in at his design rival Austin Scarlett.
As for watching a show where he knew the outcome but couldn't give it away, Guerra said he had a few libations to loosen his nerves. "I had a drink to get through the episode," Mondo said from the stage last night. "I knew what was going to happen, but I was still like, 'Oh, lord. Lord. Do I still have to see Miss Starlett again?"
That, of course, was his jab at the ultra-fabulous Austin Scarlett, a Season 1 contestant on Project Runway who was a finalist on the All Stars edition of the series, along with Michael Costello.
"He's like my bestie. Oh, he's so cute. He's really cute. He's really super-cute. I have a crush on him," Mondo said of Costello before giving the mike back to the night's emcee, Chris Parente of KWGN.
Guerra later channeled Rick James-via-Dave Chapelle when he announced, "It's a celebration, bitches!" and got the audience ready for the after-party (complete with that illuminated, rainbow-colored dance floor) at Exdo.
What wasn't outlined at last night's watch party were the prizes, which were touted by the reality show's judges as the biggest in Project Runway history:
- An exclusive designer's boutique in select Neiman Marcus stores and on NeimanMarcus.com
- $100,000 in technology and office space from HP and Intel to help grow the winner's business
- $100,000 cash from L'Oreal Paris
- A feature spread in Marie Claire magazine, for which Mondo will serve as a guest editor for a year
- A sewing and embroidery studio provided by Brother International.
Mondo's collection will be available this fall at Neiman Marcus, he told the audience last night before praising Denver's fashion sensibilities.
"Everybody's about fashion in Denver," Mondo said. "And [outsiders] are like, 'Is that for real?' But, no, it is. It's really for real. So I want to stay [in Denver] long as I can."
That may not be too long, though, as Guerra told Westword this week that he hopes to have his own show, or perhaps return to Project Runway as a guest or a guest judge.
"I'm just going to spend some time in Denver -- holla, Denver! I grew in up in Aravada, Colorado so I'm really home-based here, so I want to stay in Denver as long as I can," he said last night.
Below are photos from the party, shot by Javid Rezvani for Westword.
Slide show: Mondo Guerra wins Project Runway All Stars Slide show: Mondo Guerra wins Project Runway All Stars Slide show: Mondo Guerra wins Project Runway All Stars Slide show: Mondo Guerra wins Project Runway All Stars Slide show: Mondo Guerra wins Project Runway All Stars Slide show: Mondo Guerra wins Project Runway All Stars
