Project Runway Canada Episode 8: The remaining contestants prove themselves finale-worthy | Canada Voices

This week, Project Runway Canada opens with a history lesson: A montage of judge Jeanne Beker’s trail-blazing reporting on Fashion Television in the 1980s through the 2000s, which revolutionized runway coverage by bringing the glamour of a then-cloistered industry into the homes of Canadians and onto a global stage.

The contestants get misty-eyed watching clips of Beker as she’s shown alongside many of the greats, including Isaac Mizrahi and Zac Posen. They head into the next room to find Beker back in that same role, ready to interview them about their journeys throughout the season.

She then reveals the challenge that will decide which three of them will move on to the finale: The designers must create a look that justifies their spot, no holds barred. Aside from the two-day time limit, the contestants have complete freedom to show off their visions.

Curtis Matysek leans into what they know and love: Corsetry that tells a story. Part The Pirates of Penzance, part David Bowie, the gender-fluid look features a tightly laced bodice worn over a sheer, puffed blouse, wide-leg gaucho pants and a little hat to boot. Matysek chooses to showcase the look on a male model, as a nod to their own non-binary identity.

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Leeland Mitchell opts for a throwback to Fran Drescher’s gloriously over-the-top costumes on nineties sitcom The Nanny: A sequined zebra skirt suit trimmed in red faux fur with a detachable bottom, should its wearer opt to go pantless. There’s also a matching beret and heart-shaped purse, because Mitchell can’t help but overdeliver.

As someone who feels right at home in this style milieu, the look made me kick my feet with glee. That said, mentor Aurora James wasn’t wrong when she noted that it felt a bit dated – though maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Vintage has never been more popular, and James herself nods to the enduring appeal of camp when she appears in a red mini skirt suit from Moschino Cheap and Chic’s iconic question mark range later in the episode.

On that note, it’s worth pausing to discuss James’s outfits this season. Even though her role on the show is fairly superfluous, save for the odd “Only one hour left, designers!” comment, she’s more than earned her keep, swanning around the workroom in excellent looks from the world’s top talent, like a deconstructed patchwork dress by Thom Browne and a column number featuring petal appliqué by Simone Rocha. When life gives you limited airtime, give it your entire closet.

Foster Siyawareva is determined to show the judges that he can do sexy after last week’s low-scoring conservative look, taking a big swing with an oversized undulating skirt made from slippery sheer crinoline. The material gives him a run for his money, forcing multiple redesigns along the way (one after his model tripped over the skirt during a fitting). Luckily, the final look – paired with a white, mock-crocodile motocross-inspired top – shows none of the stress, only the glory.

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Charles Lu goes for luxe streetwear with an ambitious look that transforms fleece into an oversized hoodie and peplum skirt – an approach that quickly makes things complicated. The couture shapes he’s aiming for are antithetical to the sweatpant-friendly material, forcing him to bond each piece of fabric so it holds its structured shape.

Lu’s drive pays off, though, and the judges are blown away by his beautiful couture-inspired shapes. He wins the challenge and becomes the first designer to earn a spot in the finale, confirming what he and his many fans already knew: Lu’s mastery of construction will take him far. Matysek is in, too, leaving one spot open to be revealed on next week’s episode.

Will it be Mitchell, who has earned his stripes with his years in the industry and his own brick-and-mortar store in Toronto? Or will it go to Siyawareva, a relative newcomer with a sharp vision and something to prove?