"Waiting lists and new audiences" - How The Traitors is impacting Scottish fashion businesses

Ahead of the final of season two of The Traitors on BBC1, Rosalind Erskine spoke to two Scottish fashion businesses who have had their wares featured on the show.

As those of us who have become fans of The Traitors wait impatiently for the final, it’s safe to say this show is fast becoming a highlight of the week and a great way to actually enjoy January. It started on 2 January, when most of us were facing work the next day following a Christmas break, and has made the last three weeks sail by.

For anyone who’s not been watching, The Traitors is a reality television show, set in a Scottish castle, which sees 22 strangers, split into Traitors and Faithfuls, who undertake different missions to win a £120,000 prize fund. The  Traitors and Faithful work together on the missions, but each night the Traitors kill off one Faithful and each evening, anyone can be banished at the round table meeting. The Faithful need to banish all Traitors as, if there are any left at the end of the game, they’ll take home the prize pot leaving the Faithful with nothing.

As well as getting carried away with who will win, who’s about to get murdered and who will get banished (and if anyone will ever suspect Harry), fans of the show have been getting right into coveting Claudia Winkleman’s wardrobe of chunky knits, oversized scarves, fingerless gloves and tweed trousers and skirts. While the range of designers she’s sporting is vast, a couple are Scottish businesses, mainly Johnstons of Elgin and Brora. 

George McNeil, Managing Director of the Retail Division of Johnstons of Elgin explained that Johnstons has had a professional working relationship with Claudia for a while now, and, over the last five years, Claudia has become a huge fan of the brand including their gorgeous throws.

He said: “When it came to The Traitors and it being set in Scotland, Claudia introduced her stylist to the brand and we all met in our Bond Street store, about six months before the first series was getting filmed. We also looked at what Alan Cummings was wearing in the American one and how he was representing his Scottish brand within that space. For this series, Claudia and Sinead looked at our autumn/winter collection and took away about 10 to 15 pieces for series two.” One of the key pieces was the Cashmere Float Stitch Jumper, £895, which has now sold out. “We now have a waiting list we are manufacturing to order” George explained. This jumper was one she once again wore with the neck rolled up, not down, which sparked memes and its own Twitter account after she wore a similar look from Johnstons in 2023.

George added: “What I am delighted about is that she (Claudia) is in Scotland, in an Inverness castle, about 40 miles away from us wearing our made in Scotland product. It’s also great she’s wearing Brora cashmere, which is also made in Scotland. Given the success of The Traitors, we know a lot of people in Britain watch the US one and vice versa so in that case, as viewers follow that fashion and the social media story, it has also introduced the brand to the American audience.” 

Claudia Winkleman wears Officine Generale coat £1,320; Brora jumper, £185; Cordings Wincanton check trousers, £179; Hunter wellies, £125. Credit: BBC/Studio Lambert/LLARA PLAZA

Founder and Creative Director of Brora, Victoria Stapleton agreed that the expose has been brilliant, saying: “It has been wonderful on these grey January days to look forward to every episode of The Traitors to see what Brora piece Claudia might be sporting next. The show’s stylist Sinead McKeefry has really done her research and found authentic brands that work beautifully in the Highland setting. The village of Brora, where our name derives, is only 30 minutes north of the castle.

"The show and publicity around it have shone a light on Brora and made, what some people would see as only country attire, look very cool! Every piece of Brora that Claudia has worn has been made in the British Isles, mainly in Scotland - celebrating local manufacturing, which is such an important part of Brora’s DNA and a key part of making fashion more sustainable.”

The Traitors airs on BBC 1 from 9pm on 24, 25 and 26 January, which is the series two finale.