Project Runway Canada Season 2 Episode 1 (S02E01) Review

by Terri Potratz | January 28, 2009 at 01:32 pm

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The first episode of Project Runway Canada Season 2, "Fashion is a Battlefield," aired last night to reality-starved audiences across the country.

Fourteen designers arrive at a mansion in Ottawa, Ontario, and we get some brief introductions to Kim Cathers, Genevieve Graham, Jessica Biffi, Brandon R. Dwyer, Margarita Voultsos, Jeff MacKinnon, Jason Meyers, Baylor Orlando, Sunny Fong, Adejoke Taiwo, Jaclyn Murray, Christie Clayton, Camille Prins and Danio Frangella. We learn that Jaclyn is very competitive, and Danio battled cancer for 7 years before developing skin ulcers on his legs.

Kim pops the champagne after everyone meets and we learn from interview vignettes that she reworks vintage clothing and likes to push people's buttons. She confidently vows that she's going to win this competition. "Obviously." Christie wants to prove to the show and to Canada that she's an awesome designer. Everyone cheers their champagne and Kim declares, "You're all gonna die!"

Everyone is brought to the Canadian War Museum for their first challenge, and meet Iman and Brian Bailey for the first time. Appropriate gushing by the designers ensues. The designers are reminded of what's at stake and the prizes on the line, before they are instructed to select fabrics from a wall. All are camouflage prints, either nature or military inspired, and the designers only have 3 minutes to cut their fabrics. "It was literally a battlefield," says Danio.

The designers are brought to the workroom for the first time, and receive photos and measurements of their models. Genevieve notes in an interview that creative control is a priority for her, and she expects the show will give her the recognition she needs to further establish her line. Jeffrey, 41, says that he's very good at what he does but nobody knows who he is. Jaclyn begins to talk about her anxiety, and ends up fleeing the workroom to get some air. Christie goes looking for her and finds her outside sobbing; Jaclyn admits she's having an anxiety attack and Christie tries to talk her through it. Brian then comes out and tries to comfort Jaclyn. Back upstairs, Christie tells Genevieve that Jaclyn is having a "total fucking nervous breakdown."

An ambulance arrives to attend to Jaclyn and she is taken away; Brian tells the designers that she has decided to leave the competition. Kim lets out a small smirk and Christie laments that it's unfortunate because Jaclyn was cool, then wonders who else will break.

Danio's design looks good and a few of the other designers note that he's got a lot of skill. The next morning Danio admits that the ulcers on his legs are causing him a great deal of pain. We're back in the workroom on the day of the first runway show and the designers are getting a feel for the talents and shortcomings of their opponents. Brandon says that Christie's design is amateur; Kim thinks that many of the designs she's seeing are "quite heinous" and admits that while Camille may have a good idea, her skill level is not on par with everyone else.

Probably one of the best lines of the episode comes up when Brian Bailey asks Adejoke what another word for risky is. "Scandalous?" she asks. Brian shakes his head. "What's the next word after that?" Adejoke replies, "...Oh like slutty?" Brian yells "No!" immediately and Adejoke finally gets the word he was looking for: sexy.

Danio drops out of the competition due to his medical issues and Brian notifies the designers that even though two have dropped out of the competition, one will still be eliminated after the runway presentation. Nobody is safe. The designers are introduced to their models for the first time and fittings begin.

The L'Oreal makeup and hair team receive instructions from the designers, and the runway show begins at the War Museum before a large audience. Joe Zee is the guest judge among Rita Silvan, Shawn Hewson and Iman.

Camille thinks her model was amazing, but she model literally looked like she was covered in dirt. Christie's dress was colourful and had a bright blue lightning bolt shoulder strap. Sunny sent out an interesting blazer with an oversized hood. Margarita's model had a "jerky horse trot," and Adejoke felt relief when she saw her model on the runway. Brandon's model worked a black mini dress with bustle. Jason had an Amazonian dress with a removable portion, and when the model completed her walk she hid under the free piece of fabric. Like Frodo did in Lord of the Rings when he used his invisibility cloak. If only Jason's creation had this same feature...

Kim sent out a camo print apron dress with epaulets, patch pockets and a multi-layered ruffle skirt, and when she saw it on the runway she was "stoked." Jeff paired a tiered sleeve blouse with a brown pencil skirt. Genevieve created a short dress with pleat details, while Jessica's model "worked it [the runway] like it owed her money."

Sunny, Christie, Kim, Adejoke, Jason and Camille had the highest and the lowest scores and had to explain their designs to the judges. Christie's model is an "intergalactic space warrior and she just came from Saturn and she has a gun that shoots lasers of love." Rita calls it "gimmicky." Kim's inspiration was "1950's feminine revolutionary," and the judges liked the premise but thought there were too many details. Adejoke wanted to create a sexy silhouette, the "outfit is her armour," and the judges love it. Sunny wanted to make military sexy, and Rita is very impressed with the tailoring of the hooded blazer. Jason emphasizes that he wanted the model not to be seen, and Iman explains that when the model hid under the fabric it didn't help him at all. Camille has a machete wielding woman model, and Iman agrees that the dress was indeed butchered.

Kim is safe right away and leaves the runway. Adejoke wins the challenge and has immunity for next episode, and Sunny is also safe. Christie is criticized for her design but it still safe. Between Jason and Camille, it is Camille that goes home for a messy and disconnected design.

Next episode, the designers will create a design for actress Elisha Cuthbert.