Edinburgh-based fashion designer Judy R Clark has expressed her delight after Claudia Winkleman wore her clothes on The Celebrity Traitors. The presenter wore a striking black puff-sleeve knitted jumper and tank top designed by Clark on the latest episode of the BBC show, which features a cast including Maya Jama and Michael Sheen.
A perfect match for Claudia's style
Clark pitched her items to Winkleman's team as a perfect match for her "British eccentric with a bit of Gothic edge" style. The 41-year-old then waited in anticipation for their TV debut after Claudia's stylist gave them the OK.
The designer, who is a huge Traitors fan alongside her two children, told the Press Association before the episode aired: "When she's on we'll maybe get a bottle of champers out and celebrate, it'll be lovely."
Supporting independent designers
"It's just really nice that they want to support and work with independent, female-led fashion designers. I've got two little ones and they're big Traitors fans, so I think they'll be absolutely overjoyed to see mum's work on the TV." Asked what role she would like to play on the show, she said: "I would be a traitor. It's much more fun."
Clark uses traditional Scottish materials in her fashion designs, with each piece hand-crafted in Scotland. She explained: "We've got Scottish lace, and then we've got wool made in the Scottish Borders, and then we've got Harris Tweed in the Western Isles. So combining all those elements together is really part of my brand, being able to produce something that's made in Scotland and using British and Scottish fabrics."
Scottish designers in the spotlight
It comes after another Scottish fashion designer created a custom tartan kilt for Alan Cumming for Traitors US last year. Siobhan Mackenzie, 33, from the Highlands, masterminded the outfit for the actor-turned-host of the US version of the reality show. She showcased her design on Instagram with a photo of the 59-year-old screen star, originally from Aberfeldy, Perthshire, wearing the specially made traditional Scottish outfit consisting of a black shirt and tie with a corset dress in yellow tartan.
The show follows an all-star cast as they descend on the Scottish Highlands to battle it out to win $250,000 (£205,000). The Traitors US is set at the same castle where Winkleman presents the UK version. Among the UK cast this year are Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock, comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, and Eastenders star Ross Kemp.
The latest episode saw the Faithfuls in a tailspin after actor Bella Ramsey was murdered during the night, before Hannah Fry and Julie Hesmondhalgh found themselves in the firing line at the infamous Round Table. While Julie had initially been voted as the most trustworthy player, this was seen to stab her in the back as she was banished from the castle. The next episode airs at 8pm on Thursday, October 15.
