An Inuvialuk fashion designer expressed that her participation in Project Runway Canada was a significant moment in her career, providing a platform to showcase her cultural heritage. Taalrumiq, hailing from Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., and belonging to the Inuvialuk and Gwich’in communities, currently residing in Vancouver, faced elimination in a team challenge on the recent episode of the show.
The Canadian version of the renowned fashion competition, which premiered on Crave in mid-November, offers designers the chance to win $100,000 and a feature in Elle Canada magazine. The panel of judges includes Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha, fashion journalist Jeanne Beker, and fashion designer Spencer Badu.
Taalrumiq continues to design clothing inspired by her Inuvialuit roots under her label, Taalrumiq, emphasizing that sewing is a fundamental aspect of her culture passed down through generations and essential for survival in Arctic conditions. She learned the craft as a child, influenced by her mother’s work and her late grandmother’s sewing room.
In her designs, Taalrumiq incorporates cultural elements reflecting her heritage. Her debut denim look on the show featured red accents inspired by ptarmigan plumage and a hood reminiscent of traditional Inuvialuit elder attire. Another Indigenous designer, Little Feather Migwans from M’chigeeng First Nation and Wiikwemikong Unceded Territory, Manitoulin Island, is also competing on the show, bringing authentic representation to contemporary fashion spaces.
Taalrumiq and Migwans, who knew each other before the show, shared a bond of understanding and support during their time on Project Runway Canada. Despite Taalrumiq’s elimination, she expressed gratitude for the experience and looks forward to completing her master of fine arts at Emily Carr University, focusing on ancestral Inuvialuit fashion. She expressed her support for Migwans as the competition continues.