Wendy Pepper narrowly missed out on Project Runway‘s season 1 title in 2004, and during the show’s upcoming All Stars installment, the quirky designer has her eyes squarely on the prize.
Greeting her fellow all-star contestants — including Andrae Gonzalo (season 2) and Uli Herzner (season 3) — on the Oct. 25 premiere, Pepper is toasted to by Joshua McKinley, who wants to honor Pepper for her contributions on the series. (Pepper famously placed third during her 2004 stint behind Kara Saun and winner Jay McCaroll.)
“It’s only appropriate to give a toast to those who have come before you,” season 9’s runner-up McKinley says in an exclusive preview clip, raising a mock glass in salute. “From one bitch to the other, [cheers to] Wendy Pepper!”
Touched by her costar’s gesture, Pepper, 48, quickly realizes having McKinley on her side will help her game play. “I was totally taken aback,” Pepper muses. “Given that I’ve come here to completely mow all these people down, that was really moving.”
Project Runway All Stars premieres Thurs., Oct. 25 at 9 p.m. (EST) on Lifetime.
