Manitoulin Island designer competes on ‘Project Runway Canada’

An Anishinaabe fashion designer from Manitoulin Island, Little Feather Migwans, recently competed on "Project Runway Canada."

A fashion designer from Manitoulin Island, Ont., had her work featured on the national runway.

Little Feather Migwans, otherwise known as Tashina Migwans Odjig, was recently a contestant on "Project Runway Canada."

“It just felt unreal, like, am I really doing this? Is this really happening?” she said while reflecting on the experience in an interview with CTV News.

The Anishinaabe designer grew up in the heart of Manitoulin Island in M’Chigeeng First Nation and Wiikweemikoong Unceded Territory.

Little Feather said she always liked the idea of creating designs and giving gifts.

“I liked swimming and track and field things, but ever since I was in kindergarten, I saw my mom sew my kindergarten dress,” she said.

“Since then, once I tried on that dress that she made, I realized, you know, that’s what I want to do. I want to make things and make people feel good.”

Little Feather has been sewing for 10 years and made fashion her career five years ago.

She credits much of her inspiration to her Anishinaabe culture and incorporates the language into her designs.

“I wanted to promote the Anishinaabe language because my grandmother was a native language teacher and my auntie was a native language teacher,” said Little Feather.

“I always wanted to follow my family and, you know, promote the Indigenous language.”

She said she had watched Project Runway Canada while she was in fashion school studying at George Brown, where designers compete for a $100,000 prize and a feature in Elle Magazine. Little Feather eventually decided to apply at the persistence of a friend and said she was shocked that she had been picked.

“Stepping on set, it was like, this is how it is on a TV show,” she said.

“It is very unreal — but it also was very stressful. It’s just so stressful because it’s a competition, and it’s not only a competition. It’s like the whole world is going to see you and your work and everything you do.”

Despite the challenges and time crunch, Little Feather told CTV News she battled with imposter syndrome.

“I felt a lot of doubt, you know, I felt like everyone in that room was so talented,” she said.

“I felt like, you know, maybe this isn’t for me, and, like, how did I get here? But, after getting to know each designer, everyone felt that way, and it’s a natural feeling.”

Little Feather was eliminated during the Dec. 5 show.

She said she walked away from the experience with a newfound confidence, realizing she just needed to believe in herself.

“I learned to never give up. Keep doing your craft, go in rooms that nobody dares to go. Go down roads people don’t dare to go,” Little Feather said.

She said she’d love to one day create a design for Canadian actress Tantoo Cardinal and musician Aysanabee.

In the interim, Little Feather said she is working on getting her website up and running to reach more people. Long-term, she said she is hoping to go back to school in New York, Los Angeles or Vancouver.

“I hope to go back to school, because, you know, that’s not it for me,” she said.

“I plan to come back to Project Runway. Mark my words here, I’m going to go back and I’m going to be ready.”