Project Runway Contestant Quits amongst drama filled episode
A designer chooses to leave the competition in the second episode of Season 19 of Project Runway.
The challenge for this episode was streetwear. Models were not assigned to the designers, instead they all had to rush to a table with model cards and pick who they wanted, there were female, male, and non-binary models available.
Haitain designer Prajje wanted a black model as he planned on designing a look inspired and paying tribute to his home country, but by the time he got to pick a model there was only a white male model available. Prajje expressed his frustration at having to put his design on a white man. Designer Meg, a white woman, tried to show empathy but came off tone deaf comparing her not seeing plus size women in media growing up to Prajje not seeing "people like him" growing up.
In an off set interview Prajje said "often times (when) you find people in support of our issues, as black people, it kind of comes off as if they know what our troubles are and they are our saving grace. And that's usually a big misunderstanding in the community and how support comes." Describing the conversation with Meg, "I am getting uncomfortable a little bit, I say 'okay, I'm done with it,' I think that should have been the end. But she's going, and going and going."
When mentor Christian Siriano enters the workroom, he tells designer Prajje to ask another designer to switch models with him, Christian then asks another designer to switch models with Prajje and the other designer obliges so Prajje now has a black model to work with.
Meanwhile designer Meg tells Christian that she wants to put "there's only one race, and that's mankind" on the back of her garment.
Later on Asian designer Kenneth realizes he would would prefer putting his design on an Asian model, and asks Meg if she will switch models with him.
To Meg's frustration, this is hours and hours later than the first model switch and she has done much more work with a specific model in mind compared to the first designer who agreed to do a model switch. Later on the rest of the contestants agreed that she could have just politely said no, but she did not say that.
In her off set interview she says "it's so important to me to respect and acknowledge the fact that he wanted to design for his own culture. I wouldn't look like a woman of my word if I said no I don't want to switch."
But on set she was being very rude and aggressive about the situation.
Kenneth tells Meg "if you don't feel comfortable, we don't have to do this."
Meg says-
"He wants my model, don't sugar coat it."
"I think it's fucking bullshit that you're doing this now."
"I respect the race thing. I will do it just for that factor."
"Stop talking."
"Apparently, I can only design for white people."
They switch models and continue with their fittings.
Meg's new model is visibly nervous around her and says "just don't yell at me like that, yeah?" To which Meg replies, "the woman can't say how she feels, she has to be a bitch?"
Meg asks Prajje, "was I really that mean?"
Prajje replies, "Girl, that was fake as fuck. I lost so much respect for you for that."
When Kenneth doesn't defend Meg, she tells him "Seriously? I told you the reason why I would do it is because the race thing was important...and I just got called fake as fuck and you said nothing. Fuck you dude, fuck you, fuck you.";
Prajje and Meg continued to argue until she asked for her mic to be taken off, walked off set, and did not return to the show except to film her off set interview segments.
In her interview Meg says, "I believe I did the right thing, sticking up for myself."
After the runway show, the judges sent nobody home since Meg had already left.
Source-my own screencaps and write up
The challenge for this episode was streetwear. Models were not assigned to the designers, instead they all had to rush to a table with model cards and pick who they wanted, there were female, male, and non-binary models available.
Haitain designer Prajje wanted a black model as he planned on designing a look inspired and paying tribute to his home country, but by the time he got to pick a model there was only a white male model available. Prajje expressed his frustration at having to put his design on a white man. Designer Meg, a white woman, tried to show empathy but came off tone deaf comparing her not seeing plus size women in media growing up to Prajje not seeing "people like him" growing up.
In an off set interview Prajje said "often times (when) you find people in support of our issues, as black people, it kind of comes off as if they know what our troubles are and they are our saving grace. And that's usually a big misunderstanding in the community and how support comes." Describing the conversation with Meg, "I am getting uncomfortable a little bit, I say 'okay, I'm done with it,' I think that should have been the end. But she's going, and going and going."
When mentor Christian Siriano enters the workroom, he tells designer Prajje to ask another designer to switch models with him, Christian then asks another designer to switch models with Prajje and the other designer obliges so Prajje now has a black model to work with.
Meanwhile designer Meg tells Christian that she wants to put "there's only one race, and that's mankind" on the back of her garment.
Later on Asian designer Kenneth realizes he would would prefer putting his design on an Asian model, and asks Meg if she will switch models with him.
To Meg's frustration, this is hours and hours later than the first model switch and she has done much more work with a specific model in mind compared to the first designer who agreed to do a model switch. Later on the rest of the contestants agreed that she could have just politely said no, but she did not say that.
In her off set interview she says "it's so important to me to respect and acknowledge the fact that he wanted to design for his own culture. I wouldn't look like a woman of my word if I said no I don't want to switch."
But on set she was being very rude and aggressive about the situation.
Kenneth tells Meg "if you don't feel comfortable, we don't have to do this."
Meg says-
"He wants my model, don't sugar coat it."
"I think it's fucking bullshit that you're doing this now."
"I respect the race thing. I will do it just for that factor."
"Stop talking."
"Apparently, I can only design for white people."
They switch models and continue with their fittings.
Meg's new model is visibly nervous around her and says "just don't yell at me like that, yeah?" To which Meg replies, "the woman can't say how she feels, she has to be a bitch?"
Meg asks Prajje, "was I really that mean?"
Prajje replies, "Girl, that was fake as fuck. I lost so much respect for you for that."
When Kenneth doesn't defend Meg, she tells him "Seriously? I told you the reason why I would do it is because the race thing was important...and I just got called fake as fuck and you said nothing. Fuck you dude, fuck you, fuck you.";
Prajje and Meg continued to argue until she asked for her mic to be taken off, walked off set, and did not return to the show except to film her off set interview segments.
In her interview Meg says, "I believe I did the right thing, sticking up for myself."
After the runway show, the judges sent nobody home since Meg had already left.
Source-my own screencaps and write up