In a recent episode of the reality competition show Project Runway, plus-size model Liris Crosse expressed her discontent regarding the outfit she was presented with. During the seventh episode of the show’s 22nd season, titled “Battle of the Seasons,” Crosse was dressed by designer Bryan Barrientos in a dress made from a dirty garbage bag. The incident left her describing her spirit as “broken.”
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The episode involved an unconventional materials challenge, which saw designers from the current season competing against those from the previous one. Crosse, aged 47, modelled for Barrientos, who originally opted to create a dress using bubble wrap. However, he changed direction after receiving guidance from mentor Christian Siriano, who suggested a technology-themed design. Ultimately, Barrientos settled on using heavy electrical cords, coupled with the garbage bag, to craft the dress, causing concern for Crosse.
Reflecting on the decision-making process, Crosse revealed in a YouTube video that she had encouraged Barrientos to creatively adapt when he was struggling to find materials. “I was like, ‘Just look around. Let’s see what you can find,’” she recalled. The model noted that, although Barrientos later assured her that the final piece would transform into something more appealing, the outcome remained largely unchanged when she returned for fitting the following day.
Unfortunately, Crosse felt increasingly dissatisfied. After a brief period in hair and makeup, she returned to find Barrientos had changed little about the garment. When asked if she would walk down the runway wearing only her bra and underwear, adorned with wires hanging off her, she firmly declined. Subsequently, Barrientos resulted in taping the garbage bag around her body. “It just felt thoughtless,” Crosse recounted. “It felt careless. It felt lazy. My spirit, in that moment, was broken.”
The model further disclosed that the garbage bag was retrieved from the floor, highlighting a lack of attention to detail. “I had no clue that was the garbage bag he had on the ground when he was spray painting some of the cords,” Crosse stated, indicating the unfair circumstances surrounding the dress. “He was like, ‘We don’t have much time. What am I going to do?’ This is when the whole taping thing started.”
The discomfort of the fitting sparked a shift in Crosse’s demeanour as she grappled with the predicament of stepping onto the stage in such attire. Although Barrientos did eventually cut her out of the taped garment after Siriano deemed it unacceptable, Crosse noted that she was uncertain whether Barrientos managed to make any improvements. At the completion of the episode, the judges were generally critical of the ensemble.
Long-time judge Nina Garcia stated, “I appreciate that it was all done by hand, but all of [the designers] used their hands and their craft. And your model didn’t really look happy,” directly referencing Crosse’s uncomfortable experience. Guest judge Iman added that Crosse appeared “miserable” in the garment, shedding light on the emotional impact the process had on her.
The episode concluded on an unclear note regarding Barrientos’s fate, though he is believed to possess immunity from elimination due to a prior victory. Crosse mentioned in her video that she had not been contacted by Barrientos following the filming, emphasising the lack of follow-up after an upsetting situation.
Liris Crosse, notable for being the first plus-size model to win the modelling segment of the show, also authored the book “Make the World Your Runway: Top Model Secrets for Everyday Confidence and Success” in 2019. In the wake of the heated exchange surrounding the episode, PEOPLE magazine reached out to both Crosse and Barrientos, as well as the production team behind Project Runway, but did not receive a response immediately.
As Project Runway continues to air on Freeform every Thursday, fans are left to ponder the repercussions of this latest episode and the ongoing conversations it has ignited around representation and care in the fashion industry. The episode is available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+ the following day.