The Joe Fresh challenge is-announced to the designers in Project Runway Canada's fourth episode.Crave
We’re approaching the midway point of Project Runway Canada, which means the challenges are only going to get more, well, challenging. Now that we’ve weeded out a few designers who didn’t quite measure up technically, we’re entering a long haul that’s bound to trip up even the frontrunners.
This week’s episode partnered with Joe Fresh for a two-in-one challenge: The designers were tasked with building a look around an existing basic from the brand’s repertoire that then must transform into a second look mid-runway. For fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race, this move is known as the “ruveal”: a mid-strut outfit change or dramatic wig toss that reveals a second (or even third) wig or look underneath. It gives the judges a little razzle dazzle, and highlights how inventive (or not) the designers can be with pieces they’ve been randomly assigned.
“Vests are very Aladdin‚” says Little Feather Migwans, who can’t seem to wrap her head around the basic black version she’s been assigned. “Live, laugh, leopard is my motto,” says Leeland Mitchell, who is tickled to have been given a silk leopard-printed midi skirt.
The designers begin concocting their plans, and I’m impressed by how detailed some of their visions are. Maya Ginzburg dreams up a digital nomad who goes directly from working from home to the beach, in a jumpsuit that transforms into a bathing suit and sheer cover-up worn with a striped Joe Fresh button-down. We’ll get to the judges’ feedback later, but I see a real advantage in this type of hyper-specific worldbuilding, which feels increasingly necessary to make it as a designer these days. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, Ginzburg has a crystal-clear sense of the kind of customer she’s designing for.
Project Runway Canada host Coco Rocha.Crave
Cat Préfontaine, who was in the bottom last week, also crafts a clever narrative: a fashion marketer who spends her days in a corporate office and heads straight to a Western festival after work. The look starts out as black pants and a cropped blazer worn on top of a white Joe Fresh shirt, with both pieces concealing a leather fringe that’s revealed when the exterior pockets snap off. It helps that Préfontaine is also that girl – after working with horses in Virginia a few summers ago, the designer says she’s finally found herself.
It’s onto the runway, where model and TV personality Lauren Chan joins as guest judge. The catwalk transitions range from wow to womp womp. Préfontaine’s reveal is a success, as is Charles Lu’s look, which starts out as an expertly executed graphic beige jacket and skirt with oversized pockets and transitions into a simpler black version that seamlessly blends with the striped shirt he’s been assigned.
Migwans’s design is less impressive: Her purple and turquoise cape worn over the Joe Fresh vest transitions into an overly simplistic waist-tied shirt. The judges hate Ginzburg’s look, a reaction that the designers firmly dispute from backstage. Meanwhile, Mitchell, who professed to love leopard print, hid his skirt underneath a jumpsuit in a big faux pas that mentor Aurora James predicted earlier in the episode.
Rome Ramsay, who was completely thrown off by his assigned striped sweater, was barely able to complete his blue-to-black skirt, which was underwhelming and poorly executed. I hate seeing a promising designer like Ramsay flop, but luckily he’s safe for another week.
Préfontaine is crowned the winner, bringing to mind the classic Drake mantra, “Started from the bottom now we’re here.” Sadly, it’s Migwans’s turn to go. From here, the competition is only going to heat up. Let’s hope the cream continues to rise to the top.