In the illustrious world of fashion design, It’s easy to forget the amount of work that goes into one collection, season and label. Reality TV buffs love nothing more than to see the struggles in fashion through glossy, unrealistic channels of bitchy-behavior and senseless editing. Alas, a new series, All On The Line, a non-fiction show on the Sundance Channel that will feature struggling designers fighting to save their dream by business guidance, criticism from legends like Linda Fargo, Norma Kamali and Georgina Chapman, all in the attempts in recreating themselves as designers.

The designers will be taking direction from Joe Zee, fashion-maverick and creative director of Elle Magazine. Joe Zee will act as an advisor throughout the eight part series and will address each designer and their professional roadblocks. The show won’t feature recent design graduates like others have in the past. All On The Line's cast will be “label giants” who have held “executive positions”.

Joe also adds that this will not be a competition. “There are no judges, it’s not a competition. At the end of the show, we present the collection to a panel. A very important buyer, we’ve done it with Neiman Marcus we will do it with Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, amazing buyers, amazing fashion directors and tastemakers who will come in and decide whether they’re going to buy the collection or not for their store.”

I am confident that All On The Line will be a refreshing and sensible exhibit of fashion design through television. The series will debut Tuesday, March 29th 10pm et/pt on the Sundance Channel. 

I speak with Joe Zee on the joys and frustrations of making a series like All On The Line.