When it comes to reality makeover shows, Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine are the experts. The British fashion divas who have travelled from Norway to Australia with their show, now add India to their list, with a new series called Trinny & Susannah’s Makeover Mission India. They have selected 19 Indians (men and women) from in and around Delhi and Mumbai, over the course of 16 days. “We get a glimpse of all the issues that prevail in the countryside vs towns. So the point of the show is, through the medicine of clothing, we give women a new level of confidence,” Woodall explains.
What is her opinion on Indian women? “They find it very difficult to express how they really feel. They’d rather say ‘yes’ even if they mean ‘no’. They don’t want to be rude,” Woodall smiles, adding that “after the show, they were able to express themselves more confidently. And that was great.” But the expert comes down strongly on Indian men. “Indian men need to buck up and make an effort for the women,” she exclaims.
Woodall finds Indian clothing beautiful “in the traditional sense, with all the colours and textile.” But it would be nice to see more colours when it comes to Western wear, she adds, pointing out that this will be explored on the show. She also believes that Western clothing can work very well for women who are on the heavier side. “Western clothing can be far more flattering to the body. You can cover what you need to cover and show what you need to show. When you are overweight, it’s important to try every type of clothing,” says Woodall, who shopped for jewellery and clothes during her stay in India. “I love everything Indian. I’m like a magpie of sorts,” she concludes.
Trinny & Susannah’s Makeover Mission India airs on TLC at 9 pm .