Last night’s Project Runway Canada episode proved that if you want to be a clothing designer, it pays to know the fashion world’s history.
The designers were put in teams of three and asked to create a couture mini-collection inspired by the design spirit of an iconic fashion brand. The first two groups picked Valentino and Versace while Barrie, Ont., designer Brandon R. Dwyer’s group chose Yves Saint Laurent, a French designer considered one of the 20th century’s most influential figures in fashion for his gender-bending, innovative outfits.
Dwyer, 23, quickly told his group he had no idea who Laurent was, starting a downward spiral that culminated in show host Iman telling Dwyer that his frilly shirt and deliberately mismatched pants “desecrated Mr. Saint Laurent.”
Panel judge and Elle Canada editor-in-chief Rita Silvan chose slightly more diplomatic words.
“If you don’t know much about Yves Saint Laurent, how can you be a fashion designer?” Silvan asked.
With that Dwyer was sent home and he still strongly believes the faux pas was the main reason he got cut.
“I think not knowing YSL was a huge factor because Iman had a huge spaz when I mentioned it. I felt there were garments that were a lot weaker than mine,” Dwyer said.
Since leaving the show, Dwyer has taken some time to read up on the legendary designer.
“As soon as I got home I checked out all his collections. He’s someone who made a huge impact in the fashion industry,” Dwyer said.
Trying to design an outfit in the style of a designer he’d never heard of before was definitely challenging for Dwyer. “It was hard to concentrate on the actual garment, so that made the challenge really difficult,” he said.
Now that Dwyer is off the show he’ll focus on his eponymous clothing line — Brandon R Dwyer — and go back to making the types of clothes he likes design. “The stuff I did for the show is not necessarily anything I’d do in real life. My stuff is very avant-garde,” Dwyer said.
When to watch
• Project Runway Canada airs Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET on Global.
