Faithful fashion’s boost from The Traitors
A phenomenon, reality game show The Traitors has gripped the UK’s public imagination while also offering an unmatched platform for British style and made-in-UK brands. Against the backdrop of the soft pink Scottish castle, the audience are watching the outfits as much as the captivating attempts by the faithfuls to snag a traitor.
The Traitors’ presenter Claudia Winkleman’s winter-always wardrobe is well documented. From the start, every series of The Traitors lit-up mums’ social media, praising (or questioning) every knit and fingerless glove the raven fringed presenter wears. She gets it right, balancing wearable pieces with theatrics worthy of a gothic turret.
But, the fashion focus has spread to the contestants with participants like Stephen, Jade and Matt all eagerly watched for the next must-have fashion item. The Series 4 contestants are using fashion to express their personalities while also understanding the eyes-on-me competition when amongst the other 22 people vying for prime airtime.
The BBC series is reaching around 11 million viewers with up to 15 million for the celebrity version, a tremendous percentage of the national TV audience. The British fashion industry is grasping this multi-annual opportunity to promote British style and British-made brands.
The Scottish location is the perfect foil for classic British fabrics like tartans or checks and items like chunky knits. Claudia’s styling team (led by Sinead McKeefry) are focused on pushing luxury fashion from British brands like Connolly, Le Kilt, Burberry or Duke & Dexter, with the presenter offering a tongue-in-cheek approach that connects with a wider audience.
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Alongside her larger brands are smaller, more artisan labels like Lauren Aston Designs (LAD), consisting of a small team of amazing women based in Devon, which has seen its knits featured on Claudia. It offers knitting kits to make-your-own, or can be commission finished chosen designs for around £250-£300, allowing consumers the opportunity to customise and support local craftspeople.
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Contestants, understanding the power of fashion to increase their post-Traitors influencer follower count are using it to grab attention and it’s becoming a major boost for the industry. It is not clear how much contestants are advised on their wardrobes before the show.
Jade’s chunky and colourful Hope Macaulay knit received a lot of attention when she wore it at the round table. Handmade in Northern Ireland, retailing for around £300-£400, the brand says it saw a huge spike of interest when the rainbow knit went viral due to the appearing on the show.
Stephen’s retro signature style of statement cropped jackets, slim-fitting knits and high-waisted denim (not to mention 'that' jumpsuit) offers a playful approach to menswear, while Matt’s fair isle tank tops and chunky wale corduroy trousers give viewers a contemporary idea of classic Scottish pieces.
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The Traitors is making a mass UK audience think about fashion and creating a conversation around clothing and what people wear. The cross-section of characters makes it relatable, while the Scottish backdrop adds a focus on domestic UK style. Consumers are seeking out lesser known brands and supporting them which wouldn’t have happened without the show’s exposure.
British-made fashion needs as much help as it can get. Once upon a time it was people like Princess Diana who would inject spikes of interest into UK fashion, today, we have The Traitors.
Main image: Duke & Dexter.
