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THE FITTING ROOM

The Fitting Room episode 4 - Lisa Crowe Image Name: The Fitting Room episode 4 - Lisa Crowe
The Fitting Room episode 4 - Jason Killeen Image Name: The Fitting Room episode 4 - Jason Killeen
The Fitting Room episode 4 - Alannah Murray Image Name: The Fitting Room episode 4 - Alannah Murray

Clothes are how we express our inner selves to the outside world – but what if a non-standard body, identity or personality makes it impossible to buy clothes that really fit, flatter or flaunt a unique style?

RTE 2’s exciting new series “The Fitting Room”, presented by Paddy Smyth, is on a mission to prove fashion can be fun and accessible for everyone – celebrating difference and ripping open the seams of what makes us individual.

In each programme a trio of extraordinarily talented Irish designers and stylists (Ruedi Maguire, Zoë Carol Wong and Ciara O’Doherty) will invite members of the public into the creative hub, to help solve their clothing conundrums by creating bespoke outfits that will help how they look on the outside match how they feel on the inside.

This ground breaking series will turn what we think and know about style and identity on its head.

The Fitting Room is a 6-part series, and will air on Mondays at 9:30pm on RTÉ2.

Episode 4

This episode’s three participants in The Fitting Room are: Alannah Murray from Cavan, Lisa Crowe from Dublin and Jason Killeen also from Dublin.

The oldest of 6 kids, Alannah Murray developed a rare medical condition called Dermatomyositis, aged 5. Within weeks she went from being an active child to being carried everywhere.  By the age of 10 she was in a wheelchair full time. When diagnosed, doctors suggested Alannah’s life expectancy would be 20 years and her parents have been told to be prepared to say goodbye at least 3 times. She’s proved the medics wrong though saying “it’s nice, I love to overachieve”. Alannah wants to be the same as any other 21-year old girl.  She lives and breathes fashion and for her degree in film studies did her final dissertation on the fashion industry.  She follows the world’s fashion weeks and eagerly awaits the style paraded on the red carpet at the Met Ball every year.  

Lisa Crowe was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2015 and had a double mastectomy in August the same year. She underwent six months of chemotherapy followed by five weeks of radiotherapy and is still on medication. Lisa chose not to have reconstructive surgery. “I had an ample bosom, I breast-fed both my boys so for me they had served their purpose. I don’t have a perfect body, but then again I never had one to begin with. Lisa is a very positive person and very happy to show her scars and talk about her journey. She works full time as a PA as well as finding the time to do yoga and GAA.

Jason Killeen is 6 foot 10 inches tall and is currently the development officer for Basketball Ireland. Jason caught the eye of visiting coaches when he was a teenager co-captaining the Ireland U16 team. He was offered a place at Notre Dame Academy in the US to finish the last two years of secondary school. He finds that tight fitting clothing (a look he likes) are always too short, and items that are the correct length are inevitably too baggy. He also loves a good pair of shoes, but with size 14 feet, it’s difficult to find them on the high street.