Biddell, Project Runway Canada Winner | Biddell’s leather jacket on the runway at L’Oreal Fashion Week
8:45pm I arrive at Tattoo Rock to watch Project Runway Canada with Toronto’s fashionistas, including PRC judge Shawn Hewson of Bustle, Fashion Design Council of Canada head Robin Kay, NOW Fashion Editor Andrew Sardone, designer Philip Sparks, jewellery designer Susie Love, and fashion illustrator and blogger Danielle Meder
9:05 Iman announces that the final three (Biddell, Lucian, and Marie-Genevieve) will keep the models they have, and will have three months to create a 10-look womenswear collection with $8500.
9:08 Brian visits the designers in their hometowns a few weeks later. Lucian has most of his collection done and his mom is helping him with some of the sewing. Aww!
9:12 MG is visited by Brian, and she says it was weird to get back to her life after PRC. She explains her collection and talks about how her parents hated the fact that she was in fashion because they thought it wasn’t practical.
9:15 Biddell says he’s been enjoying the summer instead of working on his collection. Brian tells him to kick it up.
9:23 The designers are back in Toronto four days before L’Oreal Fashion Week and Lucian greets Biddell at the Rosemount, saying, “Hey, it’s the devil.” Despite that, there is a silent agreement not to fight.
9:27 The designers have shipped over their pieces, and everyone’s curious about everyone else’s line. MG says at this point, the clothes are made, so there’s no going back anyway.
9:28 Biddell says the designers are just 20-something kids playing around with the opportunity of a lifetime…he feels like he’s going to throw up. His collection didn’t exist until about a week ago.
9:37 The designers choose the rest of their models. Unsurprisingly, Biddell and Lucian fight over models.
10:06 Biddell says Brian was a real mentor to him, and that he’s one of the few people in the world who gets Biddell’s clothing, and makes it better.
10:07 MG comments that it’s so strange that you can work on something for so long, and all of a sudden, it will be over in 10 minutes of a show. She starts tearing up.
10:11 On the way to Fashion Week, Biddell says thinking about being on the runway with the judges again makes him want to throw up. I think we’re seeing a theme here.
10:15 Biddell is wearing a shirt that says, “Addicted to Biddell.”
10:20 Iman opens the show. Lucian is first, and he dedicates the collection to his parents. His collection is full of Lucian-style fancy, crochet, and wild spring colours.
10:24 MG tells the audience that her collection is inspired by architecture, and we see cool urban colours and asymmetry in her work.
10:27 Biddell yells, “What’s up, Torontooooo?!” to the crowd. He states that he’s been inspired by Saturday morning cartoons. He’s got a lot of crazy dresses with hoods, street style looks, and bold, futuristic colours.
10:36 Judgment. Iman says the judges were all blown away by the collections, and the designers all “measured up.” Then the judges tell MG that her collection was not cohesive, or even really her.
10:40 Rita couldn’t follow Biddell’s show, but Shawn comments that it was ingenious. Rita says Biddell is still young, and he doesn’t know who he is as a designer yet. Biddell fires back that he doesn’t think he’ll ever know who he is as a designer. Around me, the crowd oohs at his gall.
10:43 Rita is moved to tears talking about Lucian’s collection—she says it was positive and his beautiful gift to the world. Iman, meanwhile, thinks the collection looks like Dior.
10:45 Deliberation. Rita says discipline is very important in awarding the prize. Iman comments that Lucian’s been in the fashion world longer than Biddell, and it hasn’t happened for him yet. The question is whether Lucian is a better designer than Biddell. Shawn votes for Biddell. Rita votes for Lucian. Iman is left to make the decision.
10:51 Iman cuts MG, but says she will go far in fashion. MG is okay with this, as evidenced by her T-shirt, which says, “MG is dead.”
10:56 Lucian is cut, and Biddell wins! Iman says he is a visionary, and his clothes speak a new language.
10:58 Lucian walks into the waiting room to hugs and tears. Ashley, Biddell’s model, is shocked and runs out to hug Biddell.
10:59 Iman tells Biddell that now that he’s won, she expects him to stay focused, and “fly. Fly.”
Congrats, Biddell, and thanks to everyone who has watched and commented with me! What do you all think of the outcome?
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