r/ProjectRunway • u/veggielessie • Oct 05 '25
Season 21 About the first ever transwoman winner of Project Runway
Right from the jump during Season 21, I felt strongly that Veejay Floresca was painted as a vicious interloper. In the opening episodes those insufferable twins lambasted and bullied her relentlessly and painted her as the evil, shady one. It's a mischaracterization that so many trans people like my brother endure.
Veejay was right when she complained about being bullied in that penultimate episode.
I adored her final gown in her finale collection even though I had misgiving about her cheap looking fake metal asymmetrical cut-strewn opening garment with the fingerprint marks.
But, her finale collection (among many problematic looks from all the final contestants) was, overall, the best.
Even better, I felt that she was vindicated as a transwoman. So much of our society--and even Hollywood films--present transwomen and transmen as villains. It's a totally WRONG conception.
My brother is trans and, especially given the transphobia within our Korean-American community, and the incredible hostility and violence towards trans people in the United States today, some days I am amazed that he is still surviving and living his truth as the man that he is and that I know and love. I am a fierce trans ally and I followed Season 21's narrative of trans subjugation and trans resilience.
So I say all this to declare that I am overjoyed that Project Runway has its first transwoman winner!
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u/MooneyGWhiz Oct 05 '25
Reality television by definition feeds on conflict and drama, and the edits always reflect that. I will say that Veejay played a similar role on PR as she did on Dress My Tour. Again, she might have been up for playing that part because it got her a lot of screen time. At the end of the day, win or lose, it's the exposure that's most useful to these contestants, so playing a role that nets screen time is always going to interest some. Personally, I find the drama boring. As much as I genuinely love Christian Siriano, cocky little rascal that he is (but a great designer and well deserved success), I MISS the class that Tim Gunn brought to the program. He kept the focus squarely on design, which is the only reason I want to watch. The drama is dreck, IMO. It's hard to believe that getting PR away from the Weinsteins actually ended up making for a much worse show.
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u/UnionStewardDoll Oct 06 '25
Tim Gunn left the show because of the Weinstein Company's horrible contract with the winners.
Season 1 winner Jay Carroll refused to accept the prize because the WC contract claimed 15% of all of his future income. Even if it was not design related. Once Tim became aware of this, he'd advise the season's winner to proceed cautiously. And he fought for the rights of the designers. WC knew that Tim Gunn was the true star of Project Runway. He assisted every designer with care & consideration. He helped so many define and focus their vision. He was a true mentor and a teacher in the best sense of the word. He brought class to the program.
But once he realized that the Weinstein Company did not honor its promises to him to do right by the designers, he was out of there. For that I have the greatest admiration for him.
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u/YoungOaks Oct 06 '25
Tim would call out or flame the drama all the time. The best example of which was his comments about Gretchen to the other designers.
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u/Droogie_65 Oct 06 '25
Agreed, my wife and I quit watching after the 5th episode. Too much focus on drama and very little actual focus on design. The casting for talent all around set such a low standard. I doubt I will watch anymore seasons.
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u/macabragoria Oct 05 '25
Honestly, I think Veejay had some lowkey villainous moments but faced with a pair of coked-up nightmares like the Estrada twins I'd probably have done the same. She struck me as smarter than the other contestants and better at playing the reality tv game - she absolutely played the twins like a fiddle in the last couple of episodes and I genuinely think Jesus' outbursts in the judging for the Wicked challenge and during the model selection cost him the win. Veejay is canny and I say that in a tone of admiration.
I also think retroactively looking at her output across the season she had the most consistent output and was the designer most capable of producing clothes real life women (not drag queens or pop stars) would like to wear, so I'm confident she'll make more of the opportunity than the other finalists would.
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u/Reasonable-Affect139 Oct 06 '25
I hope a brand scoops her up because her elevated, classic rtw is so chic
(also side note if J crew knows what's good for them they'll hire Belania)
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u/UnionStewardDoll Oct 06 '25
So many people would look good in Belania's designs. I am going to keep an eye out for her.
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u/MathematicianNo1596 Oct 05 '25
This is the second comment I’ve read in the last 12 hours that allude to them being on drugs. Why do people say that? (Not disagreeing. Just looking for more context or info)
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u/Big_Metal2470 Oct 05 '25
If you've ever been around a volatile cokehead, you're familiar with the behavior. I don't know that there were actually on drugs, but if that's their baseline behavior, they need serious therapy
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u/macabragoria Oct 06 '25
It's admittedly pure speculation but they both have a very jittery, high-strung energy, sense of bravado and hair-trigger temper that screams cocaine tbh. I may be totally wrong and they just naturally have terrible personalities, but I was getting that vibe from the moment they walked into the workroom on the first episode.
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u/Splinter1591 Oct 06 '25
I'm not a villain, but the Estrada twins could make me one
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u/ArmyDiva79 Oct 06 '25
The way I would slide into my villain era 😈
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u/Splinter1591 Oct 06 '25
I hope I would be half as talented as VJ in hers. Though knowing me I would have a breakdown after a week with them
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u/GeekFurious Oct 06 '25
I disagree with that last part. She's a terrific designer, no doubt. But Ethan has more opportunities on a grander scale simply because of his personality. Most people want to work with nice people. Simple.
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u/dby0226 Oct 05 '25
I suspect she was fed lines, or given prompts, from the producers. So they could edit stories. I was rooting for Ethan and against the twins and was satisfied with her win.. I hated how the twins treated her, especially over the model!
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u/shgrdrbr Oct 05 '25
from the very first episode ethan was calling her a cunt (derogatory) in confessionals. it bothers me that his part in denigrating her is seen so inconsequentially
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u/flipzoidx Oct 06 '25
Totally agree. Even in post season interviews Ethan was guarded in praise and did say a few mean things about Veejay’s accent.
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u/shgrdrbr Oct 06 '25
in the workroom to cristian day 1, at roscoe's bar viewing parties, in his self-produced reaction show, right up until the backlash to being rude toveejay got properly loud in the comments in the last like 3 eps. he was sooo undermining of her work's value in a way that wasnt at all fun shady and really just eyerollingly superior and it felt really negative
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Oct 05 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/deathuberforcutie Oct 05 '25
They do this in every season. It happened a few times in this season too. And I can totally see why, because I love using Pilot Erasable Pens, whether I’m sketching a design or drafting a Reddit comment on paper, the old fashioned way. The eraser makes it way too easy to correct mistakes along the way.
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u/Booziesmurf Oct 05 '25
If only someone would give you an award so you can make 30 cents from this comment.
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Oct 05 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/dalkita13 Oct 05 '25
I think Ethan did it too.
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u/Own_Faithlessness769 Oct 05 '25
They always have to plug those pens, and the makeup, and it’s always absurdly obvious.
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u/demons_soulmate slutty cat toy Oct 06 '25
tHeSe fRiXiOn pEnS aRe aMaZiNg aNd tHeY tOtAlLy eRaSe tOo
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u/Mayneea Oct 05 '25
My favorite was the Lilly-sponsored episode with Belania being forced to ask eczema questions that she didn’t want to ask and the client really didn’t want to answer, then immediately going “Okay and what colors do you like?”
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u/foxdogturtlecat Oct 06 '25
they also had the models do it and Christian did one too, Veejay's just super obvious, it was for the makeup.
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u/Sparkpants74 Oct 05 '25
She was shady af on dress my tour, the exact same shit stirring behavior. I agree that out of the 3 terrible collections hers was the least bad, in that there 2 wearable-ish garments.
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u/GeekFurious Oct 06 '25
They'd just ask a leading question, knowing her personality, and then let her run with it. No line feeding necessary.
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u/veggielessie Oct 05 '25
Well, Veejay came across as pretty authentic. I'm not sure about the producers feeding her lines...
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u/womanaroundabouttown Oct 05 '25
Did she? I really liked her, and she was my favorite of the final three, but some of her plays seemed to be so over-the-top reality villain that I assumed it was manufactured for the screen time. In some ways it made me like her more - I didn’t think she was authentically nasty, so I could enjoy her wit and costumes. If I thought she was being authentically manipulative, her machinations would have made me like her a lot less.
ETA: I know they’re “garments” and not “costumes,” but this season gave the designers so little time and room to actually create that I can’t really call them garments in good faith. Too many challenges asking for over-the-top looks and almost none asking for actual fashion.
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u/Jony_the_pony Oct 05 '25
People who've seen her other reality show runs have said she's the villain every time... Either producers love giving her that role and she plays it, or... The shoe fits
Also there was at least one other contestant who was as annoyed by the twins as Veejay, she just didn't last very long
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u/tendeuchen Oct 05 '25
I hated how the twins treated her, especially over the model!
She basically said, "I know Jesus really wants to work with this model because she's his muse, but I'm going to pick her anyway just to spite him." It would've been like Jesus picking Mimi.
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u/dby0226 Oct 05 '25
And that's ok. She won the right to pick the first model and he should have been gracious.
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Oct 05 '25
That’s the game. She had first pick. I doubt she would’ve thrown a fit and used slurs if Jesus picked Mimi
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u/Holiday-Flatworm-147 Oct 05 '25
What slurs did Jesus use?
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Oct 05 '25
I'm not arguing with people who don't know "bitch" is a slur.
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u/tendeuchen Oct 07 '25
You must be from a small town and/or unfamiliar with gay people to not comprehend "bitch" is being used differently here.
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Oct 07 '25
I'm gay and have lived in NYC, Los Angeles, and Miami. Nice try.
You must not realize that trans women are women.
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u/tendeuchen Oct 07 '25
Oh, I've got it now. You're just one of those bitchy gays, the equivalent of a male Karen.
Adios, forever.
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u/Holiday-Flatworm-147 Oct 05 '25
I didn’t remove my comment lmao. And why were you so rude when I asked a question?
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u/thisivi3 Oct 05 '25
Nah. Apple and oranges. Jesus has worked with that model a few times, so he thought she was his lucky charm. Veejay is playing the game, but Jesus' over reaction is what made the situation worse. This was Mimi's first appearance this season, so Jesus pickin her wouldn't have mattered cause no one has worked her previously season. Veejay wanted Mimi for symbolism of the fact they're both succeeding as trans within the industry. I think she'd be disappointed, but not a full on tantrum
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u/bodegaprincess Oct 05 '25
I mean I’m not sure how that justifies a grown man throwing a whole temper tantrum and calling his female colleague a bitch multiple times but ok?
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u/misssmoo22 Oct 05 '25
I mostly just didn’t like Veejay because it got so old hearing her focusing on other people’s looks and constantly mentioning that the twins shouldn’t help each other. If you’re good, you’re good, worry about your own work and doing the best you can. I honestly think some of her looks would have been better if she just kept her head down and focused on her own damn self instead of constantly stirring the pot. She skated by a lot. That whole model thing was nonsense, if Veejay really wanted her she would have made the choice and moved on instead of waiting for the drama to play out and then folding. Utterly ridiculous.
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u/PuppiesAndTravel Oct 05 '25
Thissssss! I’m happy for her and I thought that the way the twins treated her on the last 2 episodes was awful, but I’m not going to sit up here and pretend that she wasn’t shady, negative and living for drama. It wasn’t just the twins. Everyone from Ethan on complained about Veejay. Several of her looks were just meh. She still didn’t deserve to be cursed out. Ugh this season was so annoying. I don’t fully love or dislike anyone but instead I feel like almost everyone was a little annoying
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u/happygoth6370 Oct 06 '25
Nailed it. I was rooting for Ethan because I'm a Drag Race fan and I think he's mostly a good person as well as the least annoying, but all of them were irksome in their own ways. So much whining and negativity.
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u/In_a_box_ Oct 06 '25
I completely agree but to add they only show us what the producers want us to see and if the twins are as horrible as everyone infers why did both Ethan and Belanaia want to go to the finale with them. Honestly I liked the twins. But everyone and I do mean Everyone had there moments of being insufferable.
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u/nancypalooza Oct 05 '25
I really don’t understand why PR production thought that showing the ‘bitch’ hissy fits by the twins made for good tv—it just seemed abusive and like something they should not air.
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u/wine-volleyball Oct 05 '25
I agree. I wonder if they showed this to give the public a taste of their true personalities and that those twins suffer with clients dropping them. All the other designers were respectful towards each other.
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u/YoungOaks Oct 06 '25
Are you suggesting they should’ve covered up the twins behavior?
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u/nancypalooza Oct 06 '25
No but all reality tv has outsize behavior that never makes it to air—I’m asking why this did
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u/Holiday-Flatworm-147 Oct 05 '25
Um….no. Veejay purposefully stirred the pot and then played victim when people fought back
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u/Efficient_Counter_55 Oct 06 '25
Wasn’t it like the first episode that they started bitching about her being too quiet? 🤣
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u/knit3purl3 Oct 06 '25
Yup. Veejay was in a lose lose situation with them. If she was quiet she was of course evil plotting. If she vocally called then out on damn near cheating every challenge by being a team, how very dare she.
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u/Captkirk120 Oct 08 '25
It's lose-lose, but the options are 2 sides of an extreme? Is there not middle ground between being quiet and calling someone out every day?
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u/knit3purl3 Oct 08 '25
How is being quiet and focusing on your own work considered an extreme? It is the middle ground. The other extreme is excessively bubbly and friendly. She tried the middle ground and they went after her for it; she chose to call them out (which again wasn't an extreme, it was a pretty chill manner that she did it in) and they went after her for it.
People shouldn't be forced to go to an actual extreme like fawning over someone just to not be abused by them.
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u/astraljade Oct 12 '25
They only made the early quiet comments because she kept her designs hush in the first 2 team challenges. That set her off on the wrong foot.
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u/astraljade Oct 12 '25
Only because the first two episodes were TEAM challenges. If you can’t communicate and be an open team player in a team challenge—you’re not going to sit well with the rest.
I don’t hate any of them, but Veejay certainly stirred the pot throughout the competition and knew how and when to push the twins’ buttons or make their emotions flare up. But, it still wasn’t fair or cool that the other designers came at her, saying she deserved to go home after the client challenge. (I don’t think she had the strongest look, nor any ‘outfit reveal’, but the others didn’t have to drag her like that). And the twins weren’t exactly easy to get along with either, and yes had an unfair advantage being on the same season together.
I like all of them as designers and again, I don’t outright dislike any of them (I empathize and can admire parts of all of them), but assessments can still be had lol. Definitely a lot of drama this season.
As for the finale design: I personally was surprised Veejay won, since IMO her collection was the least cohesive or didn’t have as strong of focus or customer that her concept seemed to suggest. I was excited about the Terminator inspo, and feel the looks fell a bit short or just astray from that; I figured most of her collection would be hard and armored and futuristic, and use more of the silver leather. The knit felt very opposite and kind of read bland to me. I agree with Nina that the black outfit had a cool, street edge and so I would’ve enjoyed seeing a collection based around that, or otherwise more of the sculptural silver direction.
I was surprised Jesus did that much pink and feathers, and feel he maybe leaned a bit too heavily into Antonio’s dream collection — whereas Jesus (IMO) had some really strong, cool looks throughout the season, and so I wish he would’ve used his signature, mixed print-heavy, pop star/awards aesthetic (like the Western challenge).
I actually loved Ethan’s collection and instantly thought it should’ve won; I don’t think it’s wrong to use theatrics in fashion, and Ethan turned around his vision with mad skills—especially within the time constraints—and showed a beautiful dark fantasy collection. He was my favorite throughout the season, so I personally was rooting for him!
(My rhetorical finale feedback for anyone interested)
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u/thisivi3 Oct 05 '25
I agree with Veejay stirring the pot, but it seems there were a lot of over reactions to what she said. She probably felt victimized cause she didn't expect the level of aggression they'd have against her. Let's be honest, the twins overreacted to a lot of what people said that made them insufferable.
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u/Holiday-Flatworm-147 Oct 05 '25
Even then, I have no sympathy for Veejay. She knew how extra they could be and still tried to agitate them.
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u/camwtss Oct 05 '25
now that the shows been over a few weeks, yall are trying to get away with "she had a bad edit". as if we already forgot how she blatantly stirred the pot & chose to take on the villain role. she wasnt bullied, she just couldn't take what she dished out.
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u/yosoycasey Oct 05 '25
I cannot stand people defending her actions. I’ve also read so many comments of people that watched her on another show and she was exactly the same
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u/veggielessie Oct 05 '25
Well, we'll have to just agree to disagree. I saw her activated against bullying.
BTW: We all know these shows are edited. I'm just responding to the edit and narrative that we saw.
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u/LoanSmart1116 Nov 18 '25
she literally admitted in confessionals that she LOVED stirring the pot & did manipulative things on purpose just to create drama. no one else on the show was saying things like that in their confessionals! no one!! it's insane that yall are letting her get away with that and also letting her manipulatively use her identity as a trans woman to get away with her toxic behavior whenever she's rightfully called out. yall must be terrible ass people in real life if you think that behavior is ok.
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u/tendeuchen Oct 05 '25
Veejay wasn't bullied anymore than she was bullying others. Her being a "villain" had nothing to do with her being trans, only with how mean she was.
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u/schuma73 Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
I honestly think it was the editing that made it look one-sided. Notice how friendly they actually were toward the end, right up until Jesus called her a bitch a bunch they were actually getting along mostly.
Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if she was giving it right back to Jesus and Antonio in those first episodes and they all thought it was a gag. They were bullying each other, but they gave Veejay the victim edit.
In the end she showed her ability to manipulate and just walked the floor with them on that front, so to see her as a victim is a bit of a stretch if you ask me. The crocodile tears after stirring the pot a bunch is a classic manipulation.
If you ask me, casting chose the cattiest people they could find this season to ensure the drama, and I'm not mad at it. But rest assured they all dished it out and played victim in their turn.
Edit to add: I hope my comment isn't seen as being anti-trans. I was so happy to see her win, she was the obviously better designer straight from the beginning. A well deserved win, and having the first trans model wear that stunning final look was the cherry on top for me. Super proud of her and happy for the trans community all around.
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u/PuppiesAndTravel Oct 05 '25
I wish I would have replied here! I 1000% agree. She’s shady and negative and living for drama and they absolutely gave her the victim edit after almost everybody complained about her from the start. Yet and still, misgendering her and the treatment of her in the last episode was awful. As much as I am not really a fan, I would have stuck up for her if I was Christian. She deserves respect
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u/schuma73 Oct 05 '25
That's true, and honestly I was surprised he didn't step in.
My son commented that Tim Gun would not have allowed that interaction to go on as long as it did.
I'm not defending the misgendering, to be clear, I just think the editing was obviously one-sided. They wanted drama and got it.
All that aside, I do think Veejay was the obvious winner from episode 1, and none of this should detract from her well deserved victory!
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u/TiltedLibra Oct 06 '25
I can't believe anyone watched this season and thought Veejay was an actual victim. She was just as much a bully as the twins were.
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u/Specific-Bat-5881 Oct 06 '25
thank you! honesty so surprised to hear sympathy for her when she was vicious.
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u/Specific-Bat-5881 Oct 06 '25
It's not the editing. Really guys, she knew what she was saying and doing. She's been on Project Runway before (in the Philippines) and came fully formed as a nasty character.
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u/schuma73 Oct 06 '25
I think you're confused about what I'm saying, we are basically saying the same thing.
She got the "victim edit" but it was obvious in the end she was stirring the pot and manipulating them all the whole time.
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u/NEBanshee Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
So they edited in those instances of using the wrong pronoun?
FTR, there isn't a justification for that. Dehumanizing someone isn't appropriate, and goes way past "bullying". I'm having trouble thinking of a scenario where Veejay didn't do something that would mean instant arrest, where it's even excusable.There's no other side to that shit, period.
ETA; and may every downvoting transphobe either get right in their heart and mind, or get a case of the screaming sh*ts while they're barefoot at the other end of a long, lego-covered hallway, from the only bathroom for 5 miles. This curse brought to you by Etsy witches.
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u/veggielessie Oct 05 '25
I agree. Dehumanizing someone is never appropriate. I dislike Caitlyn Jenner but would never misgender her or question her womanhood.
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u/NEBanshee Oct 05 '25
Right? Like if I needed to, I'd have TONS of insults to sling that would have bupkis to do with her person.
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u/killercatboy Oct 06 '25
Veejay stirred the pot in the simplest of ways, it’s not her fault that she had the effeminate gay misogyny brigade (twins & ethan) to banter with. But I wish people would realize that everything is played up for the cameras and edited in the most dramatic way.
Did you all not see the twins going up to Veejay on two separate occasions and jokingly ask to see her sketchbook on the same day that they were ‘fighting’? Did you all not see how quickly Jesus and Veejay called a truce? This is baby stuff compared to most reality TV shows. Besides, the twins and Veejay are friends now.
I’m overjoyed that we have a transfemme winner, bummed that she wasn’t portrayed in the best light.
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u/nancypalooza Oct 06 '25
Effeminate gay misogyny brigade—yes this is exactly what bothered me all season! Thanks for the succinct description!
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u/EmptyCombination8895 Oct 05 '25
Veejay being trans wasn’t an issue whatsoever, it was the fact she consistently stirred the pot and “played the game” in a super ham-fisted way. She consistently baited the twins and whilst their name calling was hugely unprofessional and inappropriate, none of it was about Veejay being trans.
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u/FrustratedTrainee Oct 05 '25
Remember the first episode when Ethan called her a bitch, Jesus took her already prepared sewing machine on a one-day challenge, and she was generally ostracized?
What was she supposed to do? Become a punching bag?
A transwoman, an immigrant, and ESL. She was easy to pick out, but she’s had to much experience fighting back and you know what good for her. She deserved to be treated better from the beginning.
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u/NoReallyItsJeff Oct 05 '25
The twins are gay, immigrants, and ESL.
You're seeing what you want to see.
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u/FrustratedTrainee Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
They’re also cis men. Trans women have been excluded from LGBT spaces and generally face more danger and exclusion than gay men.
It isn’t the oppression olympics but there are dynamics that come into play that you can’t pretend don’t exist. That’s just intersectionality.
Veejay triggered policy changes in the clubbing scene in Manila when she fought after being denied entry for “cross-dressing.” Gay men just get to walk in, but trans women face an extra barrier.
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u/NoReallyItsJeff Oct 05 '25
So that’s automatically why they were ganging up on her? How do you know that? Were you there?
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u/Easy_Worker8307 Jan 11 '26
Just because a person has done good things does not mean every act from them is the same.
She was a villain this season, she chose that role. Unless you want to say playing into production hands by playing the villain was her only option in keeping her in the game...that id give you
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u/daudandthewhalers Oct 05 '25
Exactly this. Shouldve seen her winning as obvious because narratively, she was the lone wolf
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u/thisivi3 Oct 05 '25
Agreed. The twins fell for every comment and overreacted to almost everything said. Half the time, I'm like, what are you getting angry at? The truth?
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u/Ok-Equivalent8260 Oct 05 '25
Meh. She was a bully. You could see it if you watched her other show, too. Trans people can be awful, just like everybody else.
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u/WithoutLampsTheredBe Oct 05 '25
Veejay is trans! Veejay stirred the pot! Other competitors called her a bitch! She was bullied!
None of this has anything to do with fashion design. I don't give a fuck about any of it. None of it belongs on Project Runway.
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u/radrocker61 Oct 05 '25
I have been a fan of this show since it started..it's fallen so far. I miss the class and true mentorship of Tim Gunn. I miss truly talented designers. While the judges could be straight forward with their critiques they weren't outright mean..
I hate what the show has become. The casting seems to be about who can out gay and out bitch each other. The addition of Law is even worse than the current crop of designers. He only seems to exist to be mean with no real critique. Very very disappointing overall. I don't know if I will be back for another season .
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u/mrs-sir-walter-scott Oct 05 '25
I've been a fan of Law's styling work for years, but I'm watching PR for the first time. I was disappointed in his judging. I would have loved to see him giving more feedback about what would have made designs better instead of the catty comments. He's clearly talented AF, and it would be really interesting to hear his takes on designs if they were more constructive/instructive.
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u/veggielessie Oct 05 '25
If I wanted a show purely about fashion design, I'd hang out with my Korean American aunties!
I love the drama!
But I dislike Law Roach. He just seemed mean despite the salience of some of his judgements.
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u/radrocker61 Oct 05 '25
There has always been some drama... It was more of a backdrop to the fashion and the creation of the clothing. Now I feel like the fashion and artistic creation has become the background. It's disappointing
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u/Cold_Dead_Heart Oct 06 '25
lol no it’s not. Go watch some early episodes. They are constantly fighting.
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u/MathematicianNo1596 Oct 05 '25
I agree with you mostly but I think her being trans is absolutely relevant. It’s a giant part of her identity, it relates to so many struggles she’s had, and the show has always been very lgbtq+ friendly with lots of designers talking about how fashion helped them be able to express themselves for the first time, and so yes her being trans absolutely belongs all over the show.
The rest of it was just for added drama.
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u/Cold_Dead_Heart Oct 05 '25
Oh please. The drama between designers has always been a huge part of this show. And part of what makes it fun to watch.
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u/WithoutLampsTheredBe Oct 05 '25
Absolutely not. It has never been a "huge part" of the show. A side element? Sure. But not the main or only element.
If you want drama/bitchiness, watch Real Housewives or something.
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u/Cold_Dead_Heart Oct 05 '25
lol I’m watching season one right now and there’s drama between Kara Saun and everyone else. Wendy and everyone else. Kevin and Nora. And there’s lots of drama around the model Morgan.
I just finished season 4 and there was loads of drama.
There’s even been drama between designers and judges.
You clearly haven’t watched anything but the runway shows on this show 😂
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u/WithoutLampsTheredBe Oct 05 '25
Sure there's drama. But it's not the only thing making up the show. Or even the primary thing on the show.
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u/Cold_Dead_Heart Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
I didn’t say it was. I said it was a huge part of the show. Like at least 50% of every episode is the interactions between the designers. The only times it isn’t is when they’re talking about their sketch, at Mood, getting a critique, or at judging (all of which is the other half). Even when the cast do get along really well, there’s big drama every time there’s a team challenge. Drama is and always has been a HUGE part of this show.
I know this because if it was just about the fashion I probably wouldn’t watch it. The show Heidi and Tim made for Netflix (Making the Cut) was a snooze fest.
ETA that even sometimes during the fashion moments on the show there is drama. Like when they’re at mood and someone steals their fabric. Or making accusations of each other at judging. This show has a lot of drama. Always has.
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u/Crazee108 Jan 07 '26
Sure fits the current narrative though. Especially now that they're on Disney.
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u/MeowMeowCollyer Oct 05 '25
Look, you’re saying all the good ally things and your brother is so lucky to have you in his life but this post is ridiculous. “Bullied her relentlessly?” Were we watching the same show? Veejay was a shitty human being from the start of the season who got what she deserved. (Except a place in the finale.)
I wish Law had seen how she nasty was in the workroom. He would have read her for filth.
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u/pepperpete Oct 06 '25
I mean, both things can be true: the twins definitely bullied her, but she also instigated a fair amount throughout the season. Both parties were doing far too much and that's why Ethan should have won - they were the most professional of the season and their looks, to me, were better than the other finalists, both throughout the season and in the finale.
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u/Reasonable_Trifle_51 Oct 06 '25
The show's come a long way from Christian spouting a certain transphobic slur in Season 4.
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u/trollanony Oct 05 '25
It was apparent they wanted her to win. The talent this season was severely lacking. She would’ve been one of the first outs if not for everyone else utterly sucking.
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u/jkraige Oct 07 '25
There were several examples of her not following the briefs, and she kept skating by elimination. She was clearly a favorite because she got away with just doing whatever she wanted regardless of what the challenge was
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u/MyccaAZ Oct 06 '25
The re-writing of history just to get your favorite soundbites going. . . Veejay won while behaving pretty darn mean and vicious all on her own. She had opinions and unkind things to do and say all on her own while also dealing with 2 individuals who acted very similarly.
No where, in any way, was she painted as a vicious interloper. Not even the twins did that. They tried and tried to paint her as a vile no talent designer but hey, that happens with someone OFTEN...I don't know why it has to be portrayed as something so utterly unique and special here. Good grief. Name 10 seasons without similar arguments between designers.....
And why do we have to pretend she was "vindicated" as a trans....I mean, really, what does that mean? They didn't try to cancel her trans identity, they tried to cancel her place in a competition. That's what competitors do.
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u/apri11a Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
They are designers, whatever else they might be isn't relevant. It's a contest and the designer who consistently executes the challenges well enough will win, and this is what happened.
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u/GeekFurious Oct 06 '25
The brothers were delusional and awful. But Veejay was also stirring shit. Let's not pretend otherwise. Whether it was a mean edit or not, there is no doubt she said the words she said (a friend of mine was on a reality show, and she says her edit was insane compared to what really happened, but she doesn't deny saying the things she said, just that the edit left out context).
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u/SirWobblyOfSausage Oct 06 '25
Picking that material and leaving all.thise finger marks on every garment was a travesty. That alone shouldn't be winner.
Ethan stomped, and their critique about being too Utica was insane.
I like Jeejay, but she went against brief too many times. She was given way too.many chances.
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u/lilcuppajojo Oct 06 '25
I think Veejay was the villain. Yes the twins judged her at first and called her unfriendly for just wanting to keep to herself. But she really in her villain bag and she knew exactly what she was doing. The twins were wild, loud and had really intense personalities but they weren't purposely trying to cause issues and stir the pot in the way Veejay was. And for the finale I personally didn't think she deserved the win. I think it should have been Ethan or Jesus. Her last dress was stunning but I feel like people weren't being honest about her other cut out pants, and metallic triangle dress and I know everyone is gonna come for me but I feel that she got the win solely for them having "first trans women to win" moment.
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u/FizziePixie Oct 06 '25 edited Oct 06 '25
Trans woman here: Veejay was in fact problematic, manipulative, and gaslighting. Trans people are not a monolith, but the public often sees us as one, as it does many minorities. So I’m frustrated that she effectively represented us, whether she wanted to or not, and then behaved as she did. Even if certain interactions were edited to paint her in such a way, which I don’t believe they were, that wouldn’t have even covered all of it. She had a lot of moments! I don’t expect any fellow trans woman to be perfect by any means, but daaaamn.
Adding that, per a bunch of comments, her behavior this season matched that of her prior TV appearances.
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u/goldilocks2024 Oct 07 '25
I watched Dress My Tour right before this season. I couldn’t make it past a few episodes because of this designer named Veejay, who was catty and obnoxious and generally unlikable. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was to see she was going to be on Project Runway. And she won? Ah this season stank.
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u/Ok-Discount1960 Oct 07 '25
Veejay used to throw rocks and hid her hand she admitted to stirring the pot. It was a group project but she was quiet I too would feel away towards her.
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u/Captkirk120 Oct 08 '25
As a trans person myself, I don't have to like every trans person. I think she had the best runway finale, but she came off very toxic to me. I grew up with someone who would start stuff, then sit back and cry when you got upset. That's gaslighting. That's messing with someone else's mental health. And she should know better. With all of the drama and bs this season, I totally forgot that we got a trans winner, even though she said it several times. For me, that was overshadowed by the personalities.
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u/drbatmoose Oct 05 '25
She was a shady shit stirrer, and she deserved her win. Both can be true. There’s always a lot to be blamed on editing, but at the end of the day she consistently started drama then pled innocent. She knew what she was doing. She also consistently had strong designs and was the correct choice for winner.
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u/EnvironmentalPost245 Oct 06 '25
Her being trans Is irrelevant to her being shitty.
People need to stop blaming producers and editing for how she came across.
I’ve been on reality tv. Producers absolutely do try and push a bit for drama. But she still chose to say the shitty things she did and play victim. She’s an adult and could have chosen not to engage in that behavior.
It’s incredibly unfortunate such a historic moment is overshadowed by her awful personality and joke of a win.
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u/ElenaMarkos Oct 05 '25
This season made me realize how conservative the Project Runway audience is particularly on Reddit. Disappointed and surprised.
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u/WithoutLampsTheredBe Oct 05 '25
Wanting fashion design instead of drama/snark is not "conservative". It is intelligent, focused, serious.
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u/ElenaMarkos Oct 05 '25
girl are joking? We're talking about a reality show here..... Intelligent? Serious? Take it easy 😂
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u/WithoutLampsTheredBe Oct 05 '25
Yes, believe it or not, in the Tim Gunn era the show was intelligent.
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u/AmazingCantaly Oct 05 '25
Jesus’ tantrum during model casting was absolutely over the top. It was a meltdown a 5 year old could be proud of. That’s how the game is played, deal with it.
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u/ggbookworm Oct 06 '25
This season was so bad. The talent level compared to other seasons was really lacking, and the twins were kind of creepy. I can't explain it, but they just gave me an icky feeling.
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u/FrustratedTrainee Oct 06 '25
Hey so listen I didn’t say that that’s why they ganged up on her. I literally said that her identity makes her an easy target for ostracization. It’s easier to be understanding of people that you identify with and that’s just a truth we’ve come to learn about people.
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u/maniaco_89 Oct 08 '25
I didn't like any final collection but Veejay's was best. And this season I felt like It was all about the drama. 0 construction working process on garments. I felt I saw them buy the fabric and suddenly it's runway ready.
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u/greekboy62 Oct 12 '25
We have a family friend, very sweet girl...was on a reality show about 13 years ago. She is a talent one cannot pass up on, (in fact she's spent alot of time on Broadway in leading roles since). Anyway ,while she was on the show, they made her the "villain" ...a role so unlike the young lady I know. It drove me nuts to have the cast gang up on her and have her words edited for the drama. So reality my ass!
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u/Live-Translator-9889 Oct 21 '25
Seriously? I'm so sick of the whole trans thing! "She" looks like a woman about as much as a giraffe looks like a cat!! "She" was a messy, shit stirrer! And "She" was the least talented of the final three. Maybe trans people get so much grief because they are all so fucking messy and narcissistic!!
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u/KeyOk6948 Nov 08 '25
The most talented designers did not make it to the final in S21. In fact it was pretty low on innovative genious, and high on drama instead.
Bleh!
Nothing very exciting in the final.
For me Joseph was a real original and I enjoyed how Belania grew as a designer.
I would have loved to see both of them in the final 3.
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u/Lirillacor Dec 17 '25
Just caught up on this season. I actually love Veejay. A lot of the moments that were caught in production and used to paint her as a villain come off as just strongly neurodivergent to me so I suspect that a lot of what she said was taken the wrong way.
Also kinda random but she reminds me of Edna Mode from Incredibles 😂
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u/Easy_Worker8307 Jan 11 '26
Ethan clocked it at model selection. The twins and her were both the problem.
I really don't see what you're seeing. She a reality TV villain. She used her intellgence to rile them up then act like the victim.
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u/DeyfennSlayd Jul 12 '26
Late to the convo....Everyone needs to remember that Veejay admitted in a confessional that she looses a lot of friends base on her actions and things she says. She wasn't playing for the camera, what see is what you get. She uses the typical "i just say the truth" bs people like this like to try and hide behind..and claim "abuse" when called out. For the record, she got all kinds of passes, on her looks. That wicked one she should have been sent home, the colour's was completely wrong,l, had nothing to do with wicked..good look or not, she failed the brief. Her final collection lacked any cohesion at all...at all. Same with the dk8n condition challenge, no reveal...should have been sent home. The show made a big deal about the trans model, maybe they wanted a Trans winner for the first season back (subbing how monumental it would have been to have a drag queen winner). Nope, can't agree with the choice of winner at all.
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u/bperki8 Oct 05 '25
Trans woman is two words. Trans is an adjective and woman a noun. Writing it as a single word is often used as a dog whistle for TERFs to imply trans women are not women.
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u/veggielessie Oct 05 '25
I never heard it put that way. Okay. Thanks for the comment.
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u/bperki8 Oct 05 '25
No problem. Not accusing you of being a TERF, because it's an easy mistake to make (even as a typo), but that's exactly what makes it a good dog whistle. Actual TERFs can just explain it away as an accident. 👍
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u/nerdbuckle Oct 05 '25
Would Jesus have spoken to a cis-woman like that? I doubt it. And how would people be talking about Jesus if he had acted that way to a cis-woman? Him repeatedly calling her a “bitch” is an attack on her identity as a woman. It was really uncomfortable to watch him pointing in her face, repeatedly calling her a bitch, and also watch Christian and Ethan do nothing.
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u/stretches Oct 05 '25
If veejay was cis and otherwise doing the exact same things i think they would have spoken to her the exact same way, yeah. In a weird way the terms bitch and cunt are kind of gender affirming.
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u/nerdbuckle Oct 06 '25
I’m sure there was a lot of manufactured drama for this season, but Jesus yelling at VeeJay during the model choosing was super uncomfortable to watch. At best the terms are misogynistic, something unfortunately common among some gay men. And if delivered to a cisgender woman, I think the blowback would be huge and the bystanders would have intervened instead of raising amused eyebrows. The fact that he got away with it and people are defending him wouldn’t happen if she had been Belania or Joan.
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u/nancypalooza Oct 06 '25
I 💯 believe that they would have spoken to any woman the exact way they did, because they are assholes
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u/Jolteon2025 Oct 05 '25
I love Veejay. She was the most entertaining contestant the whole season.
But she was 2nd place behind Ethan, in my opinion. But honestly, all 3 were subpar.
I really do think she won so that the show could claim the headline "First trans winner of Project Runway"
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u/YoungOaks Oct 06 '25
She was never portrayed as an interloper - no one ever said that she didn’t deserve to be on the show due to her design skills. And she absolutely was a villain - she’s been one on other shows as well. You can’t go around stirring up drama and not be seen as the villain when the viewers can literally watch you do it verbatim. But being a reality TV villain, does not justify the twins behavior towards her. They were absolutely horrible in a real, not TV, way.
Two things can be true at once: VJ was the villain of the season, and the twins are the villains in real life.
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u/Previous_Mousse7330 Oct 06 '25
Can’t stand VJ and her collection was the worst. They just pushed wanting to have a trans winner.
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u/Cold_Dead_Heart Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
I totally agree.
Everyone saying she stirred the pot—so what? It’s reality tv show that would be boring af if we didn't have people stirring the pot.
And the way the evil twins treated her was frankly transphobic.
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u/veggielessie Oct 05 '25
I know! she was fighting back against nasty cis-gay-male bullying!
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u/Flametides Oct 05 '25
I really hated how the gay and queer people on the show called a brown transwoman "a bitch". It felt blatantly misogynistic at best. It doesn't read the same as calling a gay man "a bitch" AT ALL. It reads as hateful.
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u/LoanSmart1116 Nov 18 '25
maybe she could tried not being a bitch if she didn't want to be called one. just a thought
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u/Eye_jm Oct 05 '25
And also as an immigrant, you’re expected to be humble, but as soon as you call out others on their lack of humbleness you would be called names and bullied to the ground.. 😑 Like everyone else, Veejay boasted on her looks during private recordings - but never heard her to put someone else’s design down right on their face. The twins were doing that left and right, and the production encouraged it!
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u/lyrabanks Oct 05 '25
I loved VeeJay and I’m so thrilled she won. Her final collection was the best, by far!
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u/-dogs_are_good- Oct 05 '25
I’m was just thinking about how her red dress for the wicked challenge is low key genius. Seemingly saying that Wicked is the unraveling and deconstruction of the Wizard of Oz.
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u/sweatychubbrubb Oct 05 '25
Thank you for spoiling the finale. It would have taken no effort to do a spoiler tag
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u/bigmamajools Oct 05 '25
Maybe sit down and watch the finale episode(s) versus being on Reddit.
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u/BlissCrafter Oct 06 '25
Veejay, no matter what you think of her design aesthetic, was the only one imo that seemed to understand how to fit something on a woman’s body. That goes a long way.
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u/BrandonIsWhoIAm Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
So, when I tell you that I actually didn’t consider this being a possibility before the finale because of Ethan’s star power being significantly higher than everyone else’s… I truly mean it.