Reality TV greatness is almost upon us.
Drag artist Utica Queen, best known for placing sixth on Season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, is making the leap to another reality competition: sewing competition Project Runway. Utica will compete under her legal name, Ethan Mundt, on the series’ upcoming 21st season, marking the first time a contestant has competed on both shows.
For the uninitiated, Utica is one of the fiercest seamstresses to ever compete on Drag Race. For her season’s sewing challenge, she created a gown from sleeping bags that fans still cite as one of the show’s all-time great looks. (Was she robbed of the win that episode? You tell us, America.)
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That’s not to mention all the other show stopping looks she’s since designed for herself and other drag artists both on and off of Drag Race. How will her couture skills transfer to Project Runway, where designers are often asked to create more ready-to-wear garments? We’ll have to wait and find out — but we have faith that Utica’s up to the challenge.
On Instagram, Utica celebrated the announcement of her casting, including her official promo photo for Project Runway, which features a cropped blazer and a short black dress. “Still pinching myself!! Walking into the Project Runway workroom felt like stepping into a dream, but even more surreal was walking in wearing something that carries the spirit of Drag with me,” she wrote.
“This moment marks the first ever Drag Race crossover onto Project Runway, and that’s not lost on me,” Utica continued. “It’s more than a look, it’s a symbol. A symbol of how far our art form has come, of how the worlds of fashion and drag continue to grow, influence, and uplift each other.”
“To the Drag community: thank you for teaching me how to turn fabric into fantasy, and for being the fiercest, most fearless family I could ever ask for. To the fashion world: thank you for opening your arms and your runways to queens like me.”
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“This is for every artist who dares to blur the lines, stitch the seams between worlds, and wear their truth like armor. Here’s to more crossovers, more magic, and more moments that make history. With all my love, welcome to the runway,” she concluded.
Season 21 of Project Runway will also feature the return of Heidi Klum as host and judge after she left the series back in 2018. Nina Garcia and Law Roach will round out the judging panel, with Christian Siriano serving as the designers’ workroom mentor.
The new season premieres Thursday, July 31, at 9 p.m. on Freeform, with episodes streaming soon after on Hulu and Disney+. Check out the first trailer below.
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