Season 21 of Project Runway has finally come to a close after ten very dramatic weeks. In the finale episode, the top three contestants had five days to create a final collection that encapsulated who they were as designers, putting on a show in front of family, friends, the judges, and the rest of the season’s cast members.

The top three finalists on the reality show came down to Jesus Estrada (after his brother was eliminated in the previous episode), Ethan Mundt (who previously competed on Rupaul’s Drag Race), and Veejay Floresca, a former competitor on Project Runway: Philippines who wanted to challenge herself by participating in the US version. Now that all the final looks have gone down the runway, which of the three talented designers was the one to take it all?

Veejay Floresca Is The Show’s First Trans Winner

This season of Project Runway was a particularly tense one. Those who followed this year’s competition will know that the judges, by their own admission, may have given their harshest feedback yet, and there was also drama between multiple contestants. Some of the contestants who feuded the most were twins Jesus and Antonio Estrada and rival designer Veejay Floresca.

Throughout the competition, Veejay was often seen as the “dark horse” in the competition, quiet in the workroom but a very fierce seamstress and designer. She drew criticism from some of her competitors for refusing to share sketches of her designs, preferring to keep them to herself until the clothing was finished.

The judges were routinely impressed by Veejay’s immaculate construction and creativity. They often encouraged her to be “louder” with her runway designs, and for her finale collection, she pulled inspiration from Terminator and used a color palate of flashy silver and black, drawing their attention. They commended Veejay on pushing the boundaries with her looks while still maintaining her sense of self.

The designer, who is originally from The Phillippines, managed to squeak ahead of the other two finalists, whose work was deemed either too theatrical or too straightforward. Though many viewers thought it would be either Ethan Mundt or Jesus Estrada’s trophy to take home, in the end, the judges designed to crown Veejay as the winner of Season 21. This officially solidified Veejay as the show’s first-ever trans winner.

Veejay Got Emotional After Her Win

When Veejay was announced as the winner of the season, she immediately broke down into tears. The runner-up contestants, Ethan and Jesus, stood on either side of her and gave her a hug as she cried. Veejay told the judges that, while she didn’t want to be overly dramatic, the victory truly touched her.

Veejay addressed the judges, elaborating on why winning the competition meant so much to her:

To the cameras, Veejay shared that she saw her win not just as her personal victory, but also as a victory for the entire trans community:

Via: Bravo

Veejay got to share her win with her mother and aunt, both of whom had come to see the final runway show. According to the producers behind the show, Project Runway is currently casting for future seasons.

Release Date

December 1, 2004

Network

Lifetime, Bravo

Directors

Rich Kim, Ariel Boles

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  Diane von Fürstenberg

  Self – Judge

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  Heidi Klum

  Self – Guest Judge

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  Selma Blair

  Self – Audition Judge

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  Roberto Cavalli

  Self – Co-Host / Mentor

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