AE: For the most part, you seemed to stay very calm and collected throughout the show, but how stressful was the experience? Was it difficult when you're there filming?
JS: Yeah. When people ask me that question, I say so honestly that it was funnest and the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. It was so challenging, but when it's something you're so passionate about it's good to be challenged. It was amazing, but it was hard as hell.
AE: What was the most surprising thing for you about being on the show?
JS: The hours. It was constant. When you see the show in these one hour weekly things, it comes across totally different than it actually is. It's really a concentrated experience. There is no down time. Once you finish one challenge, you start the next one. Literally, it's a half-hour to do this, a half-hour to do that. You have to buy everything while you're at Mood. And once you're done and you're safe for the next one, it all happens again. You don't know what time they're going to wake you up. It was just so constant. I like to think I'm a very creative person, and I can handle a lot, but your creativity is clear to the red. You have no choice but to trust your instinct and defend it with your life.
AE: What was your favorite challenge?
JS: I really liked the Astrology Challenge, because it was a point kind of around the middle when we were all exhausted. It was just good to have everybody come back and the workroom wasn't the same vibe. Everybody was cracking. It was refreshing. And it was the first time we actually had help, so that also lightened the load. I was very happy to work with Jennifer. I think she got a bad rap for being dowdy or whatever, but she's an extremely talented girl. I'm the kind of guy, I work really well with others, and she was a joy to work with, her as well as Stella. Amazing.
AE: What was your least favorite challenge?
JS:I would have to say the Drag Queen Challenge. It started off and seemed like it was going to be fun, but with your regular model they've got something invested in you and vice versa. They're not going to throw you under the bus. These drag queens, however... [laughs] They've gone through a lot. It takes a lot of strength to dress as a woman and own it. I've seen how the judges can just rip stuff apart and you just knew... well, you saw it. You saw Hedda Lettuce. It just all scheduled to be a nightmare experience.
AE: Was there anything juicy that happened off-camera that didn't make it onto the show?
JS: Everything happens on camera. We played a lot. I understand they have to boil it down to an hour show and all, but especially when Blayne and I were there, he and I were like fools. We started up this group because we couldn't sing copyrighted songs and there's no music. I think music is a huge part of the creative process, for me at least, so Blayne and I would make up these songs. We had a song called "Sabotage," and we were calling ourselves the Bapussycat Dolls, and we held auditions, and Kenley wasn't good enough to make the cut. It was just playing and stuff like that.
AE: Speaking of Kenley, it seemed that you, Korto, and Leanne were pretty close at the end, but that Kenley had alienated herself from most of the other designers. Was she really as disliked and obnoxious as she seemed?
JS: I think it was really difficult situation for all of us and different people handle that differently. It wasn't us. You make your bed and you lie in it, but I thought it was really big of her to come in with an apology. None of us were there for drama. We were there because we want to make beautiful clothes and we want to win. I thought it was very mature of her, and appreciated by all of us that she was the bigger person. I think also it being the kind of crockpot experience, then seeing yourself on TV. It's a totally different thing watching yourself, so she probably saw how she was coming across. I think it was really big of her to come in and apologize.
Jerell and Blayne, Terri
AE: Of the other designers, who were you closest to?
JS: Korto is like my sister. I love her. During the whole experience of going home to make our collections, she and I talked every night. We were both up around the clock trying to get this stuff done. I'm so incredibly close to her. I love Blayne. I still talk to Blayne and Joe, but we were all original roommates, so we bonded on that level. Love Stella so much. Those are the people I still talk to. Don't like Terri too much, but outside of that...
AE: Is there anyone that you thought got sent home too soon?
JS: Kelli. Actually, I felt really bad for everybody who didn't make it to at least the top ten. It was such a process to even get on the show, I mean a ridiculous process, that to put all that work in and then not get to show what you can do. The first challenges were really off. I mean, it's not like you can really get an idea of what you do from a graffiti challenge. Jerry was extremely talented but nobody got to see that.
Korto, Kenley, Leanne
AE: Who would be your pick to win?
JS:
May the best girl win! I was really impressed by all the collections. You get one thing from what a person is able to pull out in a few hours, but then when you actually have some time to sit and think, and work and work as you would usually work. I thought Leanne's collection was beautiful and architectural. And I thought Korto's collection really spoke to who she is, and it felt ethnic without being too much. It felt quite sophisticated. And there was a playful yet beautiful vibe to Kenley's. I was shocked. I was really expecting to see ten of the same thing, but I thought her wedding dress was gorgeous. There were some interesting things she did throughout the whole collection. So I guess all I can say is, "May the best dame win!"
