Forget Paxton's Closet, Darren Barnet Wants To Raid Devi's On Never Have I Ever

Darren Barnet is one to watch. Not only he is one-third of Netflix’s hottest high school love triangle — shoutout to Never Have I Ever fans — but he’s also the newest face of Victoria Secret’s PINK Gender Free collection, making him the first-ever male celebrity ambassador for the brand. To celebrate his historic role, he tells Elite Daily about the partnership, what he’d steal from his NHIE love interest’s closet, and why his gender-free aesthetic isn’t only the future of fashion, it’s also the aesthetic that turns the most heads (in the best ways).

“It really meshes well with my own personal style,” Barnet says of the latest PINK Gender Free drop. “Obviously, when I first heard about PINK and Victoria's Secret, I was like, 'What am I going to be wearing?'” It’s not a bad question. Victoria’s Secret is traditionally known for its ultra-feminine bras and panties while PINK, usually associated with more athletic styles, is known for its sleep- and loungewear.

PINK’s Gender Free line stays true to the brand’s athleisure vibes while featuring pieces that are all about comfort. Included in the launch are dad shorts ($39, PINK) high waist joggers ($30, PINK), crewneck sweatshirts ($49, PINK), and hooded pullovers ($49, PINK). The vibe is half athletic wear and half hippie; very Harry Styles if he were a jock — and it works for Barnet. “I'm always lounging around or going out in this exact type of style,” he shares.

All the items come in the kind of soft, dreamy colorways — tie-dyes and dip dyes are prominently featured, as are softly washed-out shades of sand — you might associate with SoCal and summer boardwalk shops. And the feel, according to Barnet, is just as dreamy. “They're like the softest thing I've ever worn,” he says.

This partnership is a natural fit for the 30-year-old actor, who prioritizes comfort and has a gender-free approach to fashion in his own right. “It's always a compliment when I go out and a girl sees me in something and she's like, ‘Oh my God, I would wear that,’” he says, “so the whole Gender Free line is that much more attractive to me because it's something for everyone.”

The Love Hard star’s absolute favorite piece from the collection: the crewneck sweatshirt. “The patterns on them are amazing and I like how they fit,” he says. “They're somewhat oversized and really cozy. I've worn them already out to some events and I've gotten a lot of compliments on them.” Compliments and oversized comfort? Win-win.

Shop a curated selection of Barnet’s new faves from the PINK Gender Free collection below.

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One of the biggest draws to gender-free fashion, in general, is how easy it is to wear comfortable clothing that isn’t too fitted. There’s something alluring about being able to toss on an easy ‘fit and just go. Barnet agrees, saying, “I like to be understated with fashion. Cuffed jeans and Chuck Taylors and a T-shirt are usually what you see me in.”

Sneakers are one gender-free fashion item that has a special place in Barnet’s heart, both in his daily life and on the set of Never Have I Ever. When asked what article of clothing he would steal from the series’ leading lady Devi Vishwakumar’s closet, he answers quickly, saying, “She's got some really, really cool kicks. I would definitely steal some of the Reeboks and Adidas shoes I've seen her wear. She wears some Chucks sometimes too, and I really like them.”

When it comes to his own character’s closet, there’s not much Barnet would sneak home with from the wardrobe department because, it turns out, he already owns a lot of it. “Funny enough, the character Paxton, his fashion, was actually kind of modeled after of me,” he shares. “I went to the wardrobe fitting the first day, dressed in a flannel, T-shirt, Chuck Taylors, and jeans, and Sal, the wardrobe designer at the time, said, ‘This works.’” Can confirm: It all works.

Never Have I Ever Season 3 will premiere on Netflix in summer 2022.