Project Runway Crowns First Ever Trans Winner
Image: Image: Project Runway Still
The iconic fashion design reality show, Project Runway, has crowned their season 21 winner in a historic victory.
With three queer contestants making it all the way to the finale it was trans woman Veejay Floresca who took home the crown.
Her win makes her the first transgender contestant to win the series.
A historic win for Project Runway
For over twenty years Project Runway has been a mainstay in the reality television world.
Each season eager fashion designers compete for the honour of winning the competition, the exposure the win brings for their careers and of course the cash prize.
Season twenty one saw Heidi Klum return to the program after departing the program in 2017, along with the addition of Drag Race star Utica competing on the new series, all eyes were on the competition.
Utica, who competed under the name Ethan Mundt, caught plenty of attention after winning the first episode of the season. However despite winning again in the final episode before the finale Ethan fell short landing as runner up.
Joining Mundt and Veejay in the final three was Jesus Estrada who was competing alongside his brother Antonio. The brothers caused plenty of controversy for their continued conflict with Veejay throughout the season. In the end, despite holding the best track record of the season Jesus also fell short of the crown.
In the end it was trans woman Veejay Floresca who took home the crown and the $200,000. Even though Veejay walked away with only one win throughout the competition, statistically placing her the lowest of the final three, the judges saw the creativity and talent in her work. It wasn’t Floresca’s first foray into the franchise, she originally appeared in the first season of Project Runway Philippines before moving to the US in 2012 where she continued to apply for every season of the show. She also competed on another fashion program, Dress My Tour.
“It’s a big celebration for my community. It’s a big celebration for people who feel different. It’s a big hope to people who feel that they can achieve something because they’re trans or because they’re gay. And I want people to be inspired of my story, that it is possible” she told The Hollywood Reporter following her iconic win as the first trans woman to take home the crown.
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