Darren Kennedy has promised viewers are in for an ’emotional roller coaster’ on new BBC One series You Are What You Wear.
The fashion expert, 39, is one of five stylists who will transform how contestants feel about themselves on the inside by reinventing their wardrobes.
Darren told MailOnline he became teary-eyed himself on the series, which is hosted by Rylan Clark, as participants poured their hearts out over their insecurities.
Show: Darren Kennedy has promised viewers are in for an ’emotional roller coaster’ on new BBC One series You Are What You Wear
He said: ‘It’s an emotional roller coaster. There’s always a reason why someone has lost their identity.
‘Some people have gone through divorces. Some people have had weight gain or loss. One guy was very petite and was wearing kids’ clothes. There’s the full gamut.
‘I did [cry], yeah. I also laughed a lot as well. There was one woman who struggled with her weight and never felt she was worth anything and lost her sense of value.
‘That’s very deep, when you hear something like that. There were lots of moments where you would well up. But so many lovely moments as well.’
Style: Darren, 39, is one of five stylists who will transform how contestants feel about themselves on the inside by reinventing their wardrobes (pictured with host Rylan Clark)
The show’s participants, called customers, are invited into the ‘department store of dreams’ where they meet Rylan and open up about their insecurities while the team of experts watches on from behind the scenes.
In the first episode, viewers meet Chris, a 6ft 5in salesman who only wears black and is looking to bring some colour into his wardrobe and Manny from Leeds, who at 5ft 3in, has been wearing children’s size clothes for years.
Darren said: ‘A client arrives in to a department store of their dreams. They meet Rylan in the mirror room and look at themselves, it’s quite revealing. A lot of people who come into us haven’t looked in the mirror for quite sometime.
‘You get so invested with these people. Some of the stories and things they’ve been through, I’d be a big empathiser, that’s part of who I am.
‘Part of my role as a stylist is to try and put myself in the other person’s shoes. You feel for them, you feel with them. Ultimately, it is uplifting though. It is a tearjerker, but it is uplifting.’
Premise: The show’s participants, called customers, are invited into the ‘department store of dreams’ where they meet Rylan and open up about their insecurities
The series was originally due to hit screens in March but was one of many programmes delayed to the coronavirus pandemic.
Darren explained: ‘We filmed it back in September in Manchester, it was slated to air in March and then the pandemic hit.
‘We got postponed which was a good decision. There’s definitely an appetite for something fun and fresh now.’
You Are What You Wear is the BBC’s first fashion show since What Not to Wear with Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine ended in 2007.
Joining Rylan and Darren on the series are fashion designer Joey Bevan, style blogger Kat Farmer and stylists Lucie Clifford and Nana Acheampong.
Darren said: ‘There’s always a reason why someone has lost their identity. ‘Some people have gone through divorces. Some people have had weight gain or loss’
Rylan and Darren bonded during filming, with the Irish star revealing Rylan entertained him with an uncanny impersonation of Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle.
He said: ‘Rylan is great, he’s a great guy and a real pro. He’s a grafter. We had great fun, we’re both Girls Aloud fans and he does a great impression of Nadine Coyle. He had me in stitches.’
While the show will pull on viewers heartstrings, Darren has promised it is ultimately uplifting viewing.
He said: ‘It’s all very relatable. We’re showing how you create a sustainable wardrobe.
‘There’s been too much focus in the past on what’s negative and we’re the opposite of at. It’s embracing the positive.’
You Are What You Wear airs on BBC One at 8pm on Thursday.
Debut: You Are What You Wear airs on BBC One at 8pm on Thursday