From a Slice media release:
12 Designers. 11 Cuts. 1 Runway.
- Project Runway Canada Premieres with 90-minute Special Monday, Oct. 8 at 10pm ET/PT only on Slice(TM)
Slice(TM) will launch the inaugural season of Project Runway Canada on Monday, October 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Hosted by international fashion icon and legendary supermodel, Iman, the highly-anticipated Canadian version of the Emmy-nominated U.S. series gives 12 talented and hungry fashion designers from across the country the opportunity of a lifetime – a chance to break into the notoriously exclusive fashion industry. To earn this honour, they must compete in a series of challenges that will determine who has what it takes to be the next “It” designer. Faced with demanding tasks and the daily grind of living together, the designers’ wits, character, and creativity are put to the test over 11 episodes. Project Runway Canada begins with a 90-minute special episode, introducing the 12 designer hopefuls on Monday, October 8 at 10pm ET/PT. The series will air weekly in that timeslot only on Slice(TM).
Iman and the designers. Photo courtesy Slice.
Iman heads a panel of expert industry insiders who will judge the talent
and skills of the budding designers. Respected fashion designer Brian Bailey serves as Mentor, providing constructive criticism of their designs along the way. Judges Rita Silvan, Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Canada, and Shawn Hewson, co-founder of leading Canadian sportswear label Bustle Clothing, along with rotating guest judges, join Iman on the runway to eliminate the designers who simply don’t measure up. One designer is eliminated each week, until the field is whittled down to only three finalists, who will each design collections to show in front of the global fashion community at Toronto’s L’Oreal Fashion Week.
“We are thrilled to finally introduce the twelve designers who will compete in the inaugural season of Project Runway Canada. The winning formula behind this series is the combination of incredible talent, humour, heart and the drama that arises when big personalities compete against each other. We have no doubt that our viewers will be riveted from the first few minutes of our premiere special, right through to the crowning of the first-ever Project Runway Canada winner,” says Vanessa Case, Vice President, Content, Slice(TM).
“After searching through hundreds of applications and portfolios, we have uncovered 12 of the most gifted up-and-coming fashion designers in the country,” says John Brunton, Executive Producer and President and CEO of Insight Productions. “We can’t wait to introduce these designers, and are certain their talent and personalities will excite and inspire all of Canada.”
Ultimately only one designer will claim their rightful place in the spotlight, winning the top prize, including $100,000 to begin their own fashion line, a professional portfolio photo shoot provided by L’Oréal Paris, a retail mentorship with Winners and a cover and feature spread showing their winning collection in ELLE Canada.
The Project Runway Canada Designers are:
- Evan Biddell, 23, from Saskatoon, SK
- Lincoln Cheung, 26, from Montreal, QC
- Marie Genevieve Cyr, 25, from Montreal, QC
- Sofia Duncan, 34, from Ottawa, ON
- Megan Fisher, 25, from Calgary, AB
- Kendra Francis, 35, from Toronto, ON
- Darin Hartmann, 43, from Bashaw, AB
- Michael Hatley, 25, from Toronto, ON
- Lucian Matis, 27, from Toronto, ON
- Carlie Wong, 23, from Vancouver, BC
- Shernett Swaby, 30, from Toronto, ON
- Stephen Wong, 38, from Toronto, ON
Twelve models join the designers on their journey toward fashion’s Promised Land. For each challenge, the designers select a model who will wear what they create in a runway show. Like the designers, the models face weekly eliminations.
Slice(TM) will present a special Thanksgiving Day marathon featuring back-to-back episodes of the entire critically acclaimed third season of Project Runway U.S. from 9am ET to 9pm ET to get viewers primed for the launch of the Canadian version of the series. Project Runway Canada will officially begin at 10 p.m. ET with the launch of the first episode.
