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An Asian American Trans Designer Has Taken the Project Runway Crown

AD Staff
Sep 26
1 min read

Season 21 of Project Runway just wrapped, and the ending was everything that you’ve come to expect from the long-running reality show competition: fashionable, intense, and joyful. Now you can add the word historic to the list as well. Filipino American Veejay Floresca just became the first trans person ever to win the series.

Her Terminator-inspired collection wasn’t just gorgeous; it was also personal. As she explained in an ELLE interview after her win, “Every stitch was part of my journey. This wasn’t just about clothes. This was about showing who I am.”

When Christian Siriano announced Floresca as the winner, the entire room exploded. Floresca put her hand to her chest, totally overwhelmed, and through tears said, “I’m just so grateful. This is a dream come true.”

A trans Asian American woman taking the crown is a substantial win for representation, and Floresca knows how important that is today. "I’m an immigrant, I’m a trans woman, a trans woman of color, and people need to see that we are not enemies,” she explained. "We are just normal people with dreams and aspirations, and I hope that my story can change people’s perspective. For anyone struggling, I hope that you hear my story and know: You’ve got this.”

Honestly, it felt like more than a reality show finale. It was an important reminder of how powerful it is when someone steps into the spotlight completely themselves and shines. That’s exactly what Veejay Floresca did. And she did it in style.

Photo Disney/Heidi Gutman

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An Asian American Trans Designer Has Taken the Project Runway Crown

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