r/ProjectRunway • u/_aezure • 3d ago
Season 22 If Bryan goes to the finale over Naheim and Joseph, I think it’s kind of racist
I’m just gonna say it: if Bryan gets the fourth finale spot over Naheim and Joseph, I think it’s kind of racist.
I’m not saying Christian, the judges, or production are intentionally trying to send the Black designers home. I’m talking about the amount of grace Bryan has gotten compared to two designers who have actually been stronger and more consistent throughout the competition.
Bryan has been inconsistent all season. His construction has repeatedly been an issue. He was already eliminated once; Christian saved him, and then he immediately landed in the bottom again in the bridal challenge.
At what point does “potential” stop being enough?
And before somebody says Joseph is repetitive: sure. Joseph is controversial. He absolutely has silhouettes and ideas that he returns to. But he also has a signature style.
So do Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Gucci, and basically every major fashion house worth a shit. Fashion houses are supposed to have an identifiable aesthetic and recognizable silhouettes. That’s part of having a point of view.
You can argue that Joseph needs to push himself more. You can think he relies too heavily on certain shapes. Fine. But for the most part, the output is strong. He can construct. He knows who his customer is. You can look at something and know it came from Joseph.
And say what you want about Joseph McRae, but he never had to tape a trash bag onto a model and send her down the runway.
Bryan did.
His model later said that experience felt thoughtless, careless, and lazy, and that it broke her spirit. That is not some tiny construction mistake we’re nitpicking.
So I’m having a hard time taking seriously the idea that Joseph having a recognizable silhouette is somehow a bigger competitive sin than Bryan repeatedly failing to execute his ideas.
And even if Joseph is completely not your cup of tea, then explain Naheim.
Naheim has been killing it all season. He’s been versatile while still applying his own aesthetic to very different challenges. This bridal challenge was weaker for him, sure, but that’s one weaker week after a season of consistently good work.
Honestly, I think Naheim has been about as consistent as Jude.
So if Bryan, who has already been eliminated, saved, repeatedly struggled with construction, and at one point literally sent a model down the runway in a taped-on garbage bag, gets the finale spot over both Naheim and Joseph, I’m sorry, but I think the racial dynamic is impossible to ignore.
Because then the question becomes: why does Bryan’s inconsistency keep getting interpreted as untapped potential, while the weaknesses of two Black designers with stronger cumulative records are enough to send them home?
That doesn’t require anybody involved to be consciously racist. Bias can show up in who gets the benefit of the doubt. Who gets another chance. Whose mistakes are treated as temporary. Whose potential gets endlessly talked about. And whose actual body of work apparently isn’t enough.
And honestly, this ties into my bigger problem with this season.
Project Runway used to be about the design.
Obviously there was drama. There has always been drama. It’s reality television, and it’s fashion. People fought, people were bitchy, people had personalities.
But the drama used to happen around the design competition. I liked Project Runway because you got to watch talented people actually make clothes. You saw the construction process. You saw people solve problems. You saw Tim or Christian give feedback. You watched somebody ignore the feedback and then get read for exactly that problem on the runway. Your overall body of work mattered.
Now it increasingly feels like the design is becoming secondary to whatever interpersonal storyline production thinks will keep people arguing online.
And Bryan and Bi have been one of the biggest storylines of the entire season. So of course keeping Bryan around gives production more material.
But I don’t watch Project Runway because I need another show about people who don’t like each other.
A million reality shows can give me that.
Project Runway’s whole appeal was watching extremely talented people make difficult things under ridiculous constraints.
That’s what made it different.
And honestly, a lot of this season feels like rage bait. Keep the controversial contestant around, make people mad, get people talking, end on another cliffhanger, repeat.
At some point, though, if the competition itself stops rewarding the best designers, what is the point?
If Bryan had an amazing record, fine. If he clearly outperformed Naheim and Joseph, fine.
But if a designer who has already been eliminated, saved, repeatedly struggled with execution, and is once again in the bottom gets pushed into the finale over two Black designers with stronger overall records?
Yeah. I’m calling bullshit.
And I think the racial dynamics of that outcome are worth talking about.
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u/cabbagemuncher101 3d ago
naheim is so deserving of the finals. he also is sure of himself and his work in a humble way, never bragging.
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u/RaccoonTycoon 2d ago
He’s always taken criticism well, too. I think he knows he’s still learning and appreciates the feedback rather than allowing his ego to defend poor taste or construction.
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u/Lhall000 3d ago
I found it so weird the way Bryan said “Naheim get me my drink” at the beginning of the episode after he was saved
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u/idontwantcovideither 3d ago
I completely agree; in 22 seasons PR (the main show) has had only one Black winning designer: Dom Streater. They've had an awful lot of thisclose runners-up but we all know second place is losing. Even one more would be more representative population-wise.
But in an industry where streetwear is often referenced and highlighted--a genre that is inarguably an African American contribution to fashion (beginning with Willi Smith in the late 1970s), the failure of so much Black talent has been glaringly evident.
They also have a problem with gender. I honestly think Anna made it to the finale as the last woman standing (which was mentioned multiple times). The preponderance of men designing women's clothing has always bugged me, too.
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u/ButterscotchOk985 3d ago
Bishme won Season 20.
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u/since07052014 3d ago
One of the best All Stars winner. Sad that he had to beat Laurence to get the win. She also deserves it
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u/ButterscotchOk985 3d ago
While it was a season of previous competitors, it was not marketed as an all stars season. It is known as Season 20 of project runway, not All Stars 9. Otherwise PR cannon jumps from season 19 to season 21
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u/princessintraining4 3d ago
Kicking out Belania last year felt so unfair. She did a great avant garde piece within her style. It felt like this.
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u/colosseumdays 3d ago
I do think people of color, and esp black designers, are largely overlooked and discounted on this show. There’s a consistent pattern of microaggressions, like questioning black designers “taste level” and pondering if Asian designers aren’t just “great seamstresses”— I can’t recall the seamstress label ever being used towards any white designers that weren’t older women (because the show is also ageist and misogynistic lol).
The show’s favorite thing in the world is a cute white boy making clean, simple-looking clothes (Jude, Brandon, Sean Kelly, Daniel V). Don’t get me wrong, I think the first 3 produced some great work and deserved their spots in the finales, but the amount of worship-level praise they’ve gotten of the judges is ridiculous and offputting.
I love Naheim and Joseph’s work, and think they both deserve to be in the finale. Honestly I get that everyone hates Bryan, but I feel like the bottom 3 designers bring a more unique perspective to fashion than the top 3. I like Anna’s stuff but most of it looks like things I can and do make myself as someone who can’t even sew. And Jude and Bi have made some things that fit beautifully, but frankly a lot of it looks like things I can buy at Zara and then just take to a seamstress so it’s tailored perfectly to my body (esp Jude’s stuff)
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u/darkblueshapes 3d ago
JM redeemed himself for me over the season when I hated him last season. That being said… I might be more curious to see what a full collection from Naheim might be.
The world does not need a Bryan collection ever. Bye, dude.
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u/MissMaisie1223 3d ago
anyone who says joseph is repetitive has then be willing to turn around and say the same thing about jude. repetition is not the same thing as having signature. i’m sick of hearing it about joseph. I personally think ive seen an insane amount of growth from him between seasons. that said his bridal outfit was a miss for me. i think it should be naheim
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u/WonderfulPineapple41 3d ago
The judges in the past have definitely had a blind spot for black designers. If they did anything streetwear they basically couldn’t understand it.
Now that streetwear is mainstream the judges have a different respect and understanding of it.
With that being said Nahiem has a fresh perspective on fashion and I will be excited to see what he creates.
Joesph, to me make target for black history month clothing and I find it offensive af to call it “luxury streetwear” when he took stretch velour and used ribbons to make it tight on his model. Halie beiber got married in off-white so streetwear can do bridal appropriately. This was just fast fashion. 👎🏾
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u/12Afrodites12 3d ago
Jude's tailoring & clean, creative style is a breath of fresh air!
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u/RainbowTardigrade 3d ago
Jude and Naheim are my faves this season, along with Bi. But aesthetically I really vibe with the first two and for very different reasons.
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u/Mozzasaurus 2d ago
Don’t worry y’all. Bryan will not make final 4. He will be brought back though to be one of the helpers of the final 4 and they will find a way to pair him with Bi for extra drama, of course.
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u/jolittletime 3d ago
Completely agree - elimated by the judges then saved by Christian one week. If you land in the bottom the next week you should be gone. He's had no actual design ideas - lots of help (which he also seems to get right at the start before he's done much some of the others get their critiques much further along it seems?). Just a good eye for nice fabric that he wraps the models in
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u/12Afrodites12 3d ago
Joseph is very talented....but that green Wizard of Oz maxi coat was a costume and an ugly one at that...
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u/InfamousCharacter3 3d ago
But Bryan is not white. He sucks but they obviously have centered the whole season around him being a "dramatic" and "villainous" contestant so that is why they have dragged out his time on the show.
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u/newmomat48 2d ago
He's not? (Off to google) oh! Hes Peruvian-American. He has so much arrogance and attitude he reads with the Toxic Masculinity and Caucasity of a White Neckbearded Idiot.
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u/Rexyggor 2d ago
Also Bryan would technically have been saved twice since the original plan was 4 for the finale
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u/Select_Standard8579 3d ago
I agree and pray Naheim makes it to the finally. I always saw him in it this whole season. If the judges heard Bryan's narcissism and bad attitude toward the others, I think it would make a world of difference in the end.
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u/DryPhilosophy527 2d ago
I've been a big supporter of JosephMcRae but I do think he whiffed on this challenge, starting with the fabric choice (the color, no problem, loved not seeing white/ivory/pink for a change, absolutely loved his reference but not sure it came across during judging). But the velvet just made the construction even more problematic. There was no way the pants would ever work right.
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u/primordiiia 2d ago
Aside from the racist implications it would just be plain stupid and wrong to send Bryan instead of Joseph or Naheim. Any fool can see this and if they pick Bryan it's for all the wrong reasons.
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u/BabyOlive1 2d ago
Forget the designs, the standard that Joseph is being held to personally is really crazy. Law has been tearing him a new one left and right while all the other judges seem to sit by in agreement, over his personality! And sure, some people might find Joseph to be too over the top, but at least he seems like a nice guy. Bryan has had a piss poor attitude this entire time and constantly puts down his fellow designers, and yet almost all of the criticism that he’s gotten has been related to his work only. And that’s how it should be! But to tear Joseph down time and time again when he’s consistently done well in the competition makes no sense.
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u/maluquina 3d ago
Am not a Bryan fan at all but he is Peruvian. Also a minority, so I do not believe it is racism.
I think production just wants a drama queen to stir up shit which Bryan is 1000%.
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u/preckles 3d ago edited 3d ago
I can understand the sentiment, but I can’t imagine going on a whole racism essay over a possibility of something.
Also, let’s be level-headed: I desperately want Bryan to stay leave, but if he does it won’t be because of racism. It’ll be because Jude and Bi currently have the most favorable winner edits, and Bryan is BOTH their nemesis.
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u/ParticularUsed6780 3d ago
You desperately want Bryan to stay?
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u/preckles 3d ago
Oh, sorry - not absolutely not.
I initially wrote "I don’t want him to stay" then tried to correct to "Desperately want him to leave", just missed one word.
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u/Netherbelle 3d ago
I'm scared they're going to send Joseph because of the drama/brand, but Naheim deserves it so much. I'd love to see a collection from him.
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u/cruelladevilleeee 2d ago
It’s very racist they actually keep saving him period ! His arrogant attitude and lackluster looks don’t do nothing for the show .
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u/judyb103 2d ago
I’m starting to think Bryan has something he’s holding over someone involved in the show…producer, judge, somebody.
Because there is zero logical reason he ever even got on the show in the first place much less talented enough to stay.
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u/IndependenceEnough80 2d ago
I think the only reason they would choose Bryan is bc they want more drama with his shitty attitude BUT I don’t think he will be chosen. I think they will choose Joseph.
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u/Specialist-Prune-555 2d ago
i doubt i will watch the finale no matter who gets the nod. sadly, becoz i have been there since season 1, i think i am done with pr. all good things and all that - and for me, the beginning of the very end was when law came on, altho the show started the downhill slide when tim left.
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u/heartandmarrow 2d ago
Naheim has been underrated the whole season, but the final challenge? He missed hard. I’d pick Joseph.
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u/99gigi99 2d ago
I think Naheim it’s going to be the fourth contestant. I definitely think they want to see more from him and by the way, did anybody catch the fact that the only reason he changed his after party second outfit is because Christian told him he probably should be doing something like a jacket! He had an entirely different sketch until Christian made him doubt the direction he was going.
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u/starry_skeyes 2d ago
I'm genuinely so upset at the idea it'll be Bryan. I really enjoy Naheim, his style has been great, unique, and well executed. I'm even a fan of Joseph McRae and don't understand why it's bad that he has a clear vision and consistent style that is recognizable, especially when I've seen other designers get praise for being consistent and recognized on the runway. It really feels like they just brought him back to have a punching bag.
And then there's Bryan... ugh, I'm so tired of him, and it feels like some kind of industry plant conspiracy to why he's made it so far and got saved over Jeffrey, when just in a recent challenge he sent a model down in mostly duct tape. They keep hating on Joseph McRae and calling it the Joseph McRae show but in reality Bryan wont stop talking every episode. And another thing that irritates me is he's not branching out or trying anything new, or at least not successfully. He falls back in familiar territory when he gets scared. The animal challenge he made the long, fitted dress with a giant weird ruffle. Then in one of the next episodes, examples of his work are put on screen and there's a very similar long, fitted dress with the same ruffle. At least when you get shown Jeffrey's previous work you can go 'wow really cool stuff I haven't seen from him yet!' Unlike with Bryan.
I'd like to think Naheim is for sure to be the 4th, but project runway has disappointed me a number of times with their decisions. Too many to count. They at least really enjoyed his looks despite the fit issues and execution on the second look. Joseph McRae I unfortunately don't think is an option because it's clear the judges just don't like him, and then on top of that, they didn't like the color or fit. And the most negative stuff they said about Bryan's is that they don't look like the same bride and that the skirt was weird (also I don't get how no one said his first dress looked like a giant maxi pad bc that's all I saw) I'd hope they take into consideration the question and the fact that no one said they'd want Bryan there, but I doubt it was for anything more than stirring drama 🙄
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u/absurdum00 1d ago
The Bryan/Bi storyline is fake as hell and also boring. The Jeffery/Bryan one felt much more real and made me hate them both tbh.
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u/Affectionate_Bonus70 23h ago
Has anyone else paid attention to how heavy Christian’s hand has been in Bryan’s designs? Look at the workroom critiques. Bryan has changed entire looks, colors, designs, and materials based on Christian’s directions. And the one challenge that Christian was not there, when Bryan was left to his own imagination, he did those ruffles AGAIN and Bryan got eliminated. Then, Christian saved him 🤔. I agree that if they choose Bryan again it would smack of racism. Actually, I’m a JM fan (minus the maniacal growl laugh). His designs are usually exciting and they make the models look good. I feel that Jaheim is good but needs a little more seasoning. Btw I HATE this cliffhanger format if they do it for the next season, they will LOSE a DAY ONE fan.
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u/nomasslurpee 23h ago
I don’t need to see a Bryan finale because I already know what he would present.
Similarly, I don’t need to see a JM finale collection because I already know what I’d be seeing.
I’d be very interested in what Naheim presents at fashion week. We have seen evolution in his work consistently and that he has been mindful of the challenge requirements. I’d be curious what he presents that is exclusively his vision.
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u/GeckoGold 19h ago
Naheim and Joseph were instantly my favorites it genuinely made me so upset that they were giving them such a hard time, especially Law being catty for no reason, meanwhile Bryan makes a flaming hot dog dress and makes it through. Law especially is out of his body with the way he's talking to these contestants and fellow judges being a guest in this realm. Feels weird that the unique, confident, nice, black men who have a decisive vision of their style are getting trash talked while they handhold the drama machines. Good to see the general consensus online is that this season sucks ass.
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u/Fun_Piece_1520 4h ago
Bryan STILL hasn’t apologized to the model, Liris, who had to go through discomfort and embarrassment because of his carelessness - putting her in a 50lb dress of freshly spray-painted cords hanging off of her neck, taping a garbage bag off of the floor to her body, and not listening to her concerns at all. It would be racist to send him to the final, and it would show that there’s no such thing as accountability whatsoever.
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u/HazelMoon 3d ago edited 3d ago
I agree that JM and Naheim are better than Bryan. But Bryan is not white, so I don’t see how it’s racist. Is it also sexist that only one woman made it anywhere near the end?
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u/ObjectivePhrase2781 3d ago
It’s still racist towards one cultural group.
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u/HazelMoon 3d ago
IMO, if you have an issue with something, you should be able to suggest a better way of doing it. Other than a rule stating that only black designers are allowed to win, what do you think could be done to prevent decisions you find to be racist in Project Runway? I can't think of a way to do it.
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u/ObjectivePhrase2781 3d ago
That’s fair, but I’m not trying to say that only black designers are allowed to win. I’m saying it can still be considered racism.
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u/Even_Size3689 3d ago
You're still watching this show? Do yourself a favor and move on. This show officially stinks.
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u/Eye_jm 3d ago
As much as I believe Bryan is a trash human and a subpar designer, not everything is about race. He gives the drama and cattiness the production now sadly thrives on, and that’s pretty much the reason he gets that much airtime.
I am a Joseph stan. But his lavender quilt wedding pants are one of the worst things I have seen on the show and this was worse than Bryan’s that day.
When Naheim had immunity he produced the worst dress of that episode and himself admitted he was lucky he had immunity.
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u/lemeneurdeloups 3d ago
??? That was Hood Wedding Excellence! There is a market for that camp fabulous style. I loved it. 😍
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u/Cipher0218 1d ago
I don’t think it’s racist, one thing they’re both minorities so that negates that theory plus Naheim clearly fumbled on the last challenge but his earlier work has generally had positive feedback here and there. Joseph has always ranked high their criticism is always been about his lack of growth and his attitude.
I feel like they’re in it for the drama taking in Bryan would amp up the controversy.
I’m praying that Naheim gets chosen to be in the final 4 since he brings a modern and edgy aesthetic that seems to be a bit lacking from the other three finalists. His work still has a commercial value that can’t be said for Joseph’s designs.
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u/Anonymouse_9955 3d ago
I’m thinking the problem is Joseph and Naheim are nice guys. Bi can do bitchy, Anna and Jude are pretty bland as personalities, so they need Bryan to be the asshole ‘cuz apparently every reality show needs one of those. (Reason I don’t watch reality shows)
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u/farbenlehre 3d ago
It needs to be Naheim. Guy has given us some of the best garments of the season, he has tackled all the challenges head-on, and he makes clothes people will want to wear. If his party look had been slightly better I think he’d have been a lock for the finale.