By: Lucille Nolasco

The Filipino community has another reason to celebrate these days – Noel ‘Nodja’ De Leon. The popular fashion designer who hails from Taytay, Rizal, recently tied for first place with Brynn Wiedman in the Winnipeg leg of Project Runway Canada. For every Saturdays last March, Nodja competed with 12 other fashion designers to create unique and stylish apparels, within a limited budget. The judges were apparently impressed with Nodja’s innovative and very feminine designs that featured unusual materials like doilies, placemats and yes, curtains. Another kababayan, Alex Espinosa took third place honors.

Days after winning, Nodja was back at work in the wardrobe department of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and attending to regular and new clients on his spare time. He is considering joining the national contest this spring. Congratulations, Nodja and good luck!

Project Runway Canada is an exciting new reality series that gives viewers a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective into the creative process of fashion design. Twelve talented and hungry fashion designers are given the opportunity of a lifetime – a chance to break in to the notoriously exclusive fashion industry. To earn this honour they must compete in a series of challenges that will determine who has what it takes to be the next “it” designer.


Photos by Gerry Gilana