Tuktoyaktuk designer Taalrumiq is reflecting on her experience on Project Runway Canada, describing the opportunity as one she had “nothing to lose” by pursuing.
The third season of the reality show premiered on November 14 on streaming service Crave, returning after more than 15 years off the air.
A Canadian version of a concept that has run for more than 20 seasons in the United States, the show is billed as following aspiring designers who try “to prove to a panel of industry icons that they deserve their big break in fashion – and the title of Canada’s next great designer.”
Although Taalrumiq’s time on the show came to an end with her elimination on Friday, she said the overall experience remains one of the highlights of her career.
When the call for designers for Project Runway Canada went out, she initially wasn’t sure if she would apply despite closely following the franchise for years.
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“Every designer imagines what it would be like, what they would do on the show, and I was encouraged to submit my application,” she told Cabin Radio.
“I’m very proud of myself for trying. Even having the courage to put myself out there was an achievement in itself. And then to my great surprise, I received a call back and an offer to be on the show.
“I cried, because I knew in that moment: this is so much bigger than me.”
Taalrumiq’s husband and children supported her throughout the application and filming, but she couldn’t share the news publicly until the cast was announced. Once that happened, messages of support from family and community poured in.
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She said while her participation in the show was personally significant, it carried broader meaning as an example of Inuvialuit representation on national television.
Once filming began, she said the reality of the competition quickly set in. She described the show’s environment as high-energy, with strict time constraints, busy production schedules and cameras capturing nearly every movement.
In the first episode, designers were tasked with a denim upcycling challenge to reimagine the “Canadian tuxedo.” She said the theme aligned well with her own design practice, which often involves upcycling and working with available materials.
Under the pressure of the challenge and amid moments of self-doubt, she relied on familiar techniques and cultural teachings.
Her final outfit – a cocktail dress with a hooded capelet – featured traditional details in the hood, fringe and stitchings. Taalrumiq incorporated a traditional design she learned by studying garments passed down from her great Nanak, or grandmother, after whom she is named.
Taalrumiq said she felt grateful to be part of a production that showcased talented designers from across the country.
She was one of 12 participants alongside Naimo Awale, Delayne Dixon, Maya Ginzburg, Charles Lu, Curtis Matysek, Little Feather Migwans, Leeland Mitchell, Catherine Préfontaine, Rome Ramsay, Naomi Shindak, and Foster Siyawareva.
Little Feather is a designer Taalrumiq already knew from earlier fashion residencies in Banff. She said having someone familiar on set provided an added layer of support, and both designers understood the significance of having Indigenous representation in a contemporary fashion competition.
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“This is unlike anything I had ever experienced,” Taalrumiq said.
“It was exciting, you know? You’re on a real production, a real set. There’s cameras everywhere, and so it just made me very aware of how I’m presenting myself. I was a bit nervous.
“I didn’t want to say or do anything crazy, but you get over that and then you get down to work.”
Taalrumiq is now in her second year of a master’s degree in fine arts at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, where her research focuses on ancestral Inuvialuit fashion. She is working toward a major creative project and plans to graduate in 2026.
In addition to her studies, she has several art and design projects lined up and encourages people to follow her social media to keep up with her upcoming work.
“My designs are for everyone. And everyone can feel beautiful in the things that I create,” she said.
“If I can do this, then you can definitely do it. I just want to encourage everyone, especially our youth, that anything is possible.
“Start working toward your goals, be ready for the opportunities, and you never know where it’s going to take you.”
