Joe Zee, Elle’s Creative Director, is going round two on his TV career with a new series, All on the Line, and the video preview is out.  In each of the eight one-hour shows, Joe helps an struggling designer try to turn their business around using a ‘tough love’ regimen.

The pilot features Leila Shams, whose collection has left her $60,000 in debt to her brother.  The host works to steer her clear of her love of “slutty fabrics.”  When Leila proclaims they’re “sexy,” Joe sets her straight: “The difference between slutty and sexy is three more inches on your dress.”

With that kind of talk, Joe may be the new Tim Gunn, but he’s quick to point out that this is no Project Runway. ”This show is no nonsense, it’s not a game.  It isn’t about elimination of contenstants”

Check out the preview for the Sundance Channel’s All on the Line here.

Hopefully those Stylista fans who may have missed an episode caught up with everything on the recap show last week.

Last night’s new episode was a welcome return to the Elle offices where Ashlie, Megan, Dyshaun, Johanna, and Kate prepared for their next challenge.

Assistant’s Challenge:

The remaining five Stylistas were given their assistant’s task: Prepare a room for a supermodel Maggie Rizer and her dogs for her visit to New York for a photo shoot. With $300 dollars in hand the model’s list of items requested the Stylistas set off to prepare the best suite. We honestly thought Kate who seemed to zoom past everyone else and get everything on the list would win. However, it was Dyshaun who chose to focus on quality not quantity when picking which items to get who Maggie Rizer chose as the winner. He was also smart enough to keep the food on the low table wrapped so her dogs wouldn’t eat it.

Editorial Challenge

Dyshaun chose the teams for the editorial challenge where the team would style, create, and direct a shoot for an Elle layout. In the same formula that everyone has used in previous episodes, Dyshaun tries to eliminate a strong competitor (Ashlie) by putting her with the weakest perceived competitor (Kate).

Honestly, based on the shoot and the chemistry within the team we were conviced Team One’s Ashlie and Kate would win with their 80’s inspired colorfest. Team Two, led by Dyshaun, seemed to keep it too basic with their shoot and layout and we assumed they would chastised for this by Anne and Joe.

Eliminations

After a heated argument where Dyshaun and Kate had a war of words over Kate’s refusal to help name a hairstlist for the layout credits(can you blame her?), it was time for eliminations. We must say were all on pins and needles wondering who would rule in the boardroom.

Ultimately, although Anne and Joe wish that Team Two would have taken more chances they felt the layout was very “Elle” and was cohesive. Ashlie’s decision to have multiple pictures on a page, as well as the overworked concept, was criticized and Team Two won the challenge. Ashlie and Kate faced eliminations. Depsite, Kate’s plea that Team Two never checked in with their hair and makeup team during the shoot she was not saved from being eliminated and was told by Anne she was not the “right fit” .

Kate left on a good note, thanking Anne and Joe for all she learned and happily carrying her banker’s box into the office. We’re not certain but we can bet she won’t miss Dyshaun.

SeenON! : What was it like to watch the show last night?

Danielle: I was watching it last night with a pillow over my face, so I was hearing it more as opposed to watching it.

SO!: What was the most difficult part to watch?

D: Inside the Elle closet. They made it a lot more dramatic than it was. But I knew they would try and do that. What you didn’t see was that after Malinda gave us the challenge we ate lunch. I got really sick and my stomach hurt worse than it ever has. It is also hot in the office and we can’t open the window because of the sound. So I was in pain and hot and I was supposed to find something in the Elle closet. It was stressful.

SO!: We thought it was interesting that you confronted Ashlie and Johanna about how you felt about body image.

D: I was extremely fed up.It might have been unfair how I did it, but I needed them to know how I felt. Johanna was the one who made me feel the worse always walking around the house talking about how one’s body should be like a coat hanger.

SO!: Given that Johanna was the leader and it appeared you and Kate split most the work, many people were surprised you went home and not Johanna.

I thought it was going to be me and Kate [up for eliminations].When I realized it was me and Johanna I knew I was going home. Kate gives good television, and Johanna is your visual representation of what Elle is.

If you base it on the challenges; I mean I won three challenges in a row. I definitely think I earned Anne and Joe’s respect. I don’t feel like [Anne] wanted me to go home. But there are many things that go into deciding who goes home.

SO!: Who from the cast do you still talk to?

Well everyone moved to the city but Kate. I live here and grew up here. Everyone invaded my city. I love Kate. She has been the most supportive to me with everything that has happened after the show. I do not speak to Johanna, and Megan and I can be civil.

SO!:How did you learn about Stylista?

D: Well I’ve always been a writer. I was in school for writing. I wanted to work in magazines. But I had to leave school. I was at a fashion after party with an ex boyfriend and someone approached me and told me about the show. I had to jump through hoops to get on the show. They were many interviews and other things we had to do. I had to break out of my comfort zone immediately. if I had heard about this on the radio or seen it on the TV I may not have tried out.

SO!: What’s your advice for people trying to break into the business

D:I would tell people to try and get an internship. I would also tell them to use common sense because a lot of people in the industry don’t use common sense. Also if you get the chance to do the reality show, I say do it. I don’t regret going on the show. I would do it a million times over.

We open last night’s episode right where we left off on Episode 3 with Ashlie and others balling their eyes out at Cologne’s elimination. Back at the house the sadness and shock don’t subside and the Stylista’s prepare for the next challenge.

Assistant’s Challenge

The following morning Devin receives a call from Brett asking she and all the Stylista’s to meet her at Department store Henri Bendel where they will be personal shopping for Anne. While most are excited about this challenge there is also a feeling of terror at having to pick out an outfit that Anne will find both suitable and stylish.

The Stylista’s rush around the store on a tight $1,000 budget trying to put together Anne’s look and then meet Brett on the street with their outfit for Anne’s inspection. Just like the breakfast challenge we marvel at the unknowing mistakes some of the Stylista’s make in picking out pieces for Anne. How was Ashlie to know that Anne loves color but not orange which she says is unflattering on her? To make matters worse Brett announces two Stylistas will go home.

Anne picked Devin’s sapphire colored tie-neck blouse and cream pants as the winner of the assistant challenge making her the Stylista responsible for picking the teams for the editorial challenge.

Editorial Challenge

Brett announces that the Stylistas will be split into teams of two where they will style a fashion spread with a look from designer Tory Burch. Devin picks team one as Danielle, Ashlie, Kate, and Megan seriously denying she chose the members based on their friction. Then she chose her own team choosing to work with Dyshaun, William, and Johanna. Immediately there is friction as team one tries to plan their layout. They all four have different ideas and Kate continues to threaten that she will be heard or she will say something at eliminations.Team two seems to agree and it appears as though with their cohesiveness and their and team work that they will take home the win.

In the prop store Ashlie, Danielle, and Kate lean towards a retro feel as Megan seems to feel like they should go in another direction. Kate picks a retro TV she loves and thinks it will be perfect for the shoot. Team two decides on a minimalist aesthetic which seems risky but depending on the team works it could actually be fashion-forward. Team one continues to argue as they build the set and even as the model comes unto their set to pose. Megan retreats and barely participates. Meanwhile, team two seems to be working smoothly with mannequins lined along a back wall with their model as the focal point in the room.

Eliminations

It’s no surprise that Tory Burch herself is the guest judge and the Stylistas seem delighted to have her. Although Tory admits she was not inspired by a retro feeling when she designed the beaded tunic she likes Team One’s layout. Anne and Joe agree but feel similar to Megan as far as taking a theme and being too literal. As Megan proceeds to tell the judges they worked as a team and she went with the concept, Kate intercedes and tells them this is untrue. Additionally Danielle admits that she helped plan but basically abandoned their photo shoot. Tory was confused by Team Twos concept and found the mannequins strange. Anne and Joe did not like it either however Joe did commend them for taking a risk and being fashion forward.

Although Team Two took a risk with their layout it feel flat and they lost to Team One. It was down to Dyshaun, Devin, and William as the bottom three. Ultimately William was eliminated for not showing his point-of-view and Devin for her lack of leadership and point-of-view. We leave the group as Dyshaun is welcomed with open arms and the eliminated two pack their boxes.

Watch the trailer for next week when the Stylistas will have to dress to the nines and network. Can you say drama?

We said goodbye to Jason this week on Stylista after admiring his street chic style ( even if Joe Zee warned of his Michael Jackson gloves) and following his harrowing anxiety attack. For those who took a liking to Jason, dont fret, this is not the last you will see of this Stylista. He has appaeared in Pink’s “So What” video, is modeling, and is currently working on his men’s and women’s collections and accessories and a frgrance line. We got a chance to speak to him and get his thoughts about his time on the show, his elimination, and what’s next. We totally heart him and we know you will too!

SeenON! : What did you expect to get out of the show before you arrived?

Jason : Anne Slowey and Joe Zee are such influential people in fashion I knew I would learn so much from them. I knew I would be able to take what I learned and use it in everyday life and for other projects that I am working on. I thought I would learn a lot and I definitely did.

SO! : What was the hardest challenge?

J: Honestly, the Chinatown challenge. I didn’t think were going to have a challenge like that. I was just talking to my friend Jackie about this. We go to Chinatown all the time in California for fun and we had talked about having a [similar] challenge, and then it happened. I love Chinese and Japanese culture. I can tell you the people there [Chinatown] were definitely not expecting us. I think they thought we were from Dateline and there to get them in trouble for something. Johanna knew how to speak Chinese and that really helped us. Without her we probably wouldn’t have had a page at all, we’d probably just be running around Chinatown from place, to place to place. I’d say the hardest thing about the challenge was definitely the language barrier.

SO! : Out of the two challenges what was your favorite group to work with?

J: The group from the H&M challenge. With the Chinatown challenge it was more of Megan trying to direct us on what to do. I think that [the H&M] challenge was more interesting and more fun with the fashion show. Devin and everyone were more pleasant to work with.

SO! : What was it like to watch the episode last night?

J: It was crazy. I didn’t want to see it. I was at an event for Project Ovc. My friends DVR’ed the episode. Once the event was over I watched it. I was embarrassed to see it and was holding my hands over my eyes and peeking through them. I mean I hardly ever cry and when I watched the episode I was crying every other minute. It was a scary time. It was scary for me to watch. [At the time] Ashlie and Danielle were at the house telling me “You need to go you need to persevere.” It was also Ashlie and Danielle that helped me with what I was going to say to Anne. If I wasn’t there they were going to stand up for me and say it on my behalf.

SO!:We were impressed that you still wanted to go present in front of Anne and the judges while you were having your anxiety attack

J: Thank You. Yeah, I was blacking out. You can even see that on the show. I don’t even remember what was happening. I didn’t even know that Ashlie and Danielle were there or what they were saying to me until they told me now. My main focus was to let Anne and & Joe Zee know what I did and show them that I could handle the job. I want to inspire people and to influence them and let them know no matter what happens or what they go through they can do anything.

SO!: Do You Still Speak to Anyone From the Cast?

J: I moved from California to New York and I just ran into Dyshaun the other day. I also talk to Cologne, Danielle, Ashlie, and Kate here and there.

SO! : But not Megan?

J: I don’t think anyone has talked to Megan. What most people didn’t see on the show was that there were two deaths that happened very close to each other in my family and I wanted to go to church and she went with me and held my arm and everything. On the steps outside we sat and talked and had the most amazing conversation about life and death and how to deal with it, and move on. I remember thinking to myself ‘Wow, this is Megan?’ I think people want to say “You’re the Omarosa of Stylista” There needs to be drama on the show, so people are going to continue to act like that. I think that Megan is a good person and even though she said she wanted to [get me eliminated] I don’t hold that against her. I wish her well.

OTHER MUSINGS

On how he picks friends

I don’t do the backstabbing and lying stuff. And I don’t want people in my life like that. I talk to Danielle everyday… everyday. I also talk to Ashlie. Those are good people. People I want in my life

About his feelings for Ashlie and Danielle

The World is going to love them. They already do. They are one of a kind genuinely good people.

His advice on following your dreams

My advice to everyone is that you can anything. Don’t ever stop. No matter what your sexual preference is, your race, your size, or whether you’re male or female. I also don’t think people should think of fashion in a negative way, like everyone is like Miranda Priestly. Because they’re not. Never give up we all can achieve great things.

So you’ve already told us in our Stylista Poll that you all fear Anne Slowey over Joe Zee and find her more intimidating. The better question is….Which Stylista do you find most intimidating. Tonight you are about to find out which Stylista fears their own team mate and how far that stress and tension will go. You thought there were waterworks last episode (see above). YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET. Check out this sneak peek:

Don’t forget to tune in tonight and let us know what you thought about the episode – and stay tuned for another Stylista Poll tomorrow!

Last night we were introduced to the eleven stylistas Arnaldo,Ashlie, Cologne, Danielle, Devin, Dyshaun, Jason, Johanna,Kate, Megan, and William who are vying to the the next Junior Editor at Elle.This first episode had everything we dream of: cattiness, anguish, and fashion.

Despite their best effort on each stylistas part to create a healthy and stylish breakfast, it was fashion assistant Ashlie who won the assistant’s challenge by preparing Anne Slowey, clad in sky-high pumps and a YSL necklace, a simple and chic breakfast tray. Later that day Joe Zee, Elle’s Creative Director, was called in to teach the group about style the ” Elle way.”

Due to Ashlie’s win Brett Ramey, Elle’s Photo Director announces that she will get to pick the teams for the editorial challenge where each team will be let loose in H&M to put together cohesive looks, put on a fashion show for Anne and Elle staffers, and then create a contributors page describing those looks. Brett, cleverly puts the bug in her ear to “strategize” about her picks to give her team an advantage. Once we saw that Ashlie placed each of the stylistas with the poorest remarks from Joe Zee together we knew the next segment was going to be fun. We also know judging from the look on Megan’s face that she is NOT thrilled about the team she’s been placed on by Ashlie. Can anyone say tension.

The following day each team picks their looks from H&M. Some groups such as team two had a bit of a power struggle as Megan took the lead totally disregarding most of what Arnaldo and Danielle said. Even group three had the issue of whiny Kate who complained about the looks not being “her.”

Back at Elle (okay the fake Elle), each group got a chance to work it in the fashion show and present Anne with their stellar style. Then it was off to the office where each group worked together to make their contributors page. Again, team two struggled as Megan convinced her team it was to be 30 words per group not per person. Once in the boardroom where the stylistas presented their pages to Anne it was clear not only that Megan got the assignment wrong but others like group three missed the mark with their bright yellow page.

Ultimately, it was group one Ashlie, Cologne, Johanna, and Dyshaun that took home the win with their ‘The Belles of Elle‘ layout. Watch clips and read more about the stylistas here.

Stay tuned next week for more power struggles and …(gasp!) even an ambulance!