Wrist Warmers Are Having A Moment (Again) Thanks To Claudia Winkleman
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2 weeks ago
The ultimate countryside accessory
Currently binging your way through The Celebrity Traitors? If you’re all caught up on episodes (and no longer know what to do with yourself), take a leaf out of Claudia Winkleman’s book and prepare for the approaching winter in a pair of wrist warmers. Here’s where the TV host gets hers – plus a few more knitwear hotspots to source your next pair.
Why Does Claudia Winkleman Wear Wrist Warmers?
We have one woman to thank for this burgeoning winter trend: Claudia Winkleman. Ever since she first stepped onto screens as the host of BBC’s The Traitors, Winkleman has become synonymous with countryside style. Her signature item? A pair of wrist warmers.
The Celebrity Traitors series 1(c) BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry
Throughout all four series of The Traitors (and its spinoff, The Celebrity Traitors), Winkleman has popped up wearing wrist warmers. And not just one pair, either. The TV host regularly cycles between muted tones, vibrant knits, block colours and Fair Isle numbers – creating a veritable wardrobe of wrist warmers for Winkleman and her stylist to choose from each season.
But why does Claudia Winkleman wear gloves? If we had to guess, it would be a combination of practicality and style. Despite most of the series being filmed during the summer months, the weather in the Scottish Highlands can still be pretty temperamental – with average temperatures sitting at about 15°C, plus plenty of intermittent rain – which means knitted layers are a must. And with Scotland being home to much of the UK’s wool industry, it makes sense to see Winkleman and her team take inspiration from local brands to construct statement looks for the show
There’s also the theatricality of it all. Wrist warmers add a level of eccentricity that perfectly harmonises with the drama of the show itself. They’re now a key visual not just for Winkleman, but for The Traitors itself. And with the show only growing in popularity, so too are Claudia Winkleman’s style choices – which means the attention on wrist warmers has never been bigger.
The Celebrity Traitors series 2 (c) BBC
Where Does Claudia Winkleman Get Her Wrist Warmers?
Winkleman’s stylist Sinead McKeefry told C&TH that she initially sourced the TV host’s signature fingerless gloves and wrist warmers from two specific British knitwear brands: Johnstons of Elgin and Brora. ‘Johnstons of Elgin just really fits in well with the visual story and theme we had in mind; it’s a really luxe Scottish brand,’ the stylist said. ‘Claudia and I go to sample sales there when we can – you’ll catch everyone elbowing each other out of the way to get those fingerless gloves.
‘And then Brora I just love, because it is such a good brand,’ she added. ‘Sometimes it’s the missing piece in an outfit, and sometimes it’s the starting point. It’s just such a classic, not always in its colourways, but in its patterning. I just love their knitwear.’
Over the years, the stylist has branched out to include even more brands in Winkleman’s knitted wardrobe, dressing the Traitors host in wrist warmers from HERD and Hambro & Miller. These brands, McKeefry told us, also tend to share the same wool mills up in Scotland. It’s this detail that ensures the fine quality of all of Winkleman’s knit-based looks. ‘A lot of brands use those mills,’ she says. ‘So you’ll have the same people working for Johnstons that you have working for Brora that you have working for Burberry. All in the same place.’
And it seems these brands have taken notice of the show’s impact, too. ‘Sinead McKeefry’s styling of Claudia Winkleman expertly showcases British brands that make locally, as we have done for over 30 years,’ says Victoria Stapleton, founder and creative director at Brora. ‘Our Scottish cashmere wrist warmers have been part of the Brora collection since 1993, and through McKeefry’s styling, this functional accessory has been elevated into a style focal point and winter wardrobe must-have.’
As for how brands are responding to being featured on the show, Stapleton adds: ‘We are glued to The Traitors and “The Claudia Effect” is a force to be reckoned with.’
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