Project Runway Canada scopes out Ryerson

Posted on Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Written by Vanessa Santilli

The fashion school is abuzz with excitement over the prospect that Project Runway Canada could be making its highly-anticipated debut at Ryerson.

Last week, screen tests were shot at Ryerson, professor John Freeman, Co-Chair of the School of Fashion said.
“They interviewed some candidates for the mentor role and shot them interacting with students,” he said.

Project Runway Canada, based on its US-counterpart of the same name, is a network television show that features aspiring fashion designers as they compete for the chance to be named Canada’s next “it” designer.

Administration is currently negotiating with the show about shooting at Ryerson.

“My impression is that the big stumbling block is space,” says Freeman. “They need more space for the runway," he said.

The other stumbling block is that the grand finale will be shot in October, which Freeman says might conflict with class schedules.

If Ryerson nabs the deal, filming would take place during the summer months, from May 28 to July 19, with the previously mentioned season finale to be shot in October, said Janet Mowat, Ryerson’s manager of public affairs.
Mowat said that having Project Runway Canada shot at Ryerson would be tremendous exposure for the School of Fashion.

“We’re known as the leading School of Fashion in Canada. Having the show filmed here would be a terrific opportunity to showcase it,” she said.

Cindy Chan, a first-year Radio and Television Arts (RTA) student, has been putting up posters promoting Fashion Runway Canada in the Rogers Communications Centre (RCC).
Chan said she is very excited about having the Canadian version of one of her favourite shows filmed on campus.
“It’d be fun to watch because everything would be so familiar to you,” she said.

One of the producers of Project Runway Canada is a graduate of the RTA program.

Freeman said that in addition to the producer’s loyalty to Ryerson, the school is being considered as “there is no other fashion school in Canada with the reputation that Ryerson has.”