Under The Needle: Inside Canada’s Most Intense Fashion Showdown With Designer Naimo Awale

Every Friday, the stakes rise and the designs get sharper. With Project Runway Canada bringing a new wave of creativity to screens across the country, we’re diving behind the seams with the designers who dared to put everything on the line. VITA‘s exclusive interview series with the talented contestants explores the pressure, the process, and the passion behind the collections—revealing what really happens when talent meets a ticking clock. —Noa Nichol

Looking back at your time on Project Runway Canada, what moment or challenge best represents who you are as a designer — and why?

Looking back, the moment that best represents who I am as a designer was the futuristic group challenge. It pushed me far outside my comfort zone — not just creatively, but emotionally. I may stumble, but I don’t stop. I design from the heart, even under pressure, and that’s something no challenge can take away from me.

The pressure in the workroom can bring out big breakthroughs or big lessons. What did the competition reveal about your creative process that you didn’t know before stepping onto the show?

The competition revealed that my creativity actually deepens under pressure — even when my confidence is shaken. Before the show, I thought I needed calm, time, and control to create my best work. In the workroom, I learned that even in chaos, I can still find clarity.

Every designer leaves with a signature moment. What do you hope viewers remember you for — whether it was a look, a risk you took, or something more personal?
I hope viewers remember me for my heart and my honesty. I wasn’t the loudest in the room, and I didn’t come in playing a character — I showed up as myself. An introverted designer who designs for women who want to feel confident, seen, and beautiful.

If there’s a signature moment, it’s my willingness to keep going even when my confidence was tested. Being in the bottom more than once could have broken me, but instead it showed my resilience and quiet strength.

Runway aside, the show brings together so many different personalities and perspectives. How did the relationships you formed—whether supportive or competitive—shape your experience?

The relationships on the show were limited for me, but meaningful. I form genuine friendships, and that connection helped ground me in such a high-pressure environment. Even having one person who understood me, supported me, and saw me beyond the competition made a big difference. Beyond that, the experience taught me to stay focused on my own lane. I learned how to navigate different personalities without getting distracted or discouraged, and how to protect my energy.

Now that you’ve left the competition, what’s next? Is there a project, collection, or direction you’re excited to pursue that was inspired by your time on the show?

I want to expand my brand beyond the runway — more collections, more visibility, and a stronger presence internationally. Maybe not literal world domination, but creative domination in my own way: building a brand that reaches everyone, everywhere, breaks size barriers, and leaves a lasting mark. The show clarified my direction and reminded me why I started designing in the first place — to create pieces that make women feel powerful, confident, and seen.