Meet the Genius Behind Alan Cumming’s Killer ‘Traitors’ Looks

It might be the contestants who murder one another each week on The Traitors, but more often than not, it’s the Peacock show’s host, Alan Cumming, who really slays. Episode after episode, the actor and Broadway star outdoes himself in wacky, bedazzled, pussy-bowed ensembles fit for a Bond villain—or perhaps Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek. This season, he’s stunned us all in a billowing funereal cape complete with matching veil; a scarecrow fit that came complete with a straw headband; and enough plaid to gag all of Scotland.

The mad genius behind these looks, stylist Sam Spector, credits the Traitors host with making the job fun. “It’s really like playing dress-up,” he told The Daily Beast’s Obsessed during a recent interview about the season’s most eye-popping looks. “…I send him pictures of these crazy, wacky things on myself, and we’re able to just like, work off each other and work off each other's inspiration.”

This season, Spector and Cumming wanted to go above and beyond the fashions that made the host an instant icon in The Traitors Season 1. It was time to go bigger, bolder, and weirder. You might have noticed, for instance, that some of Cumming’s looks come straight from the week’s mission. That’s a Season 2 innovation. When we caught up with Spector, we dug into some of the season’s best outfits, as well as what the pair’s working relationship is like day-to-day. We also got the lowdown on what we might see Cumming wearing in Season 3, which we can sum up in three tantalizing words: more kilt action.

How would you describe the visual style of this show, and especially the fashion?

Originally, Alan and I had a meeting with producers, and we used the words “dandy Scottish gentleman.” And then, we took it to be a little more Bond villain-esque—like, James Bond villain-y. So there’s this dark, sinister vibe to it. Alan plays that really well.

Coming into Season 2, what aesthetic were you going for? Did you switch anything up?

For the second season, we wanted to amp it up a little bit. We used the missions to sort of inspire and guide us. So, you know, in the log cabin episode, we used actual logs on his lapel. In the Scarecrow episode, I created this scarecrow fashion guide. In that episode, I used three different jackets to create this mix-mash plaid blazer—so I took the sleeves from two different jackets and put it on another jacket.

There’s one episode where the searchlight is following the contestants around and they get eliminated by being caught in the light. So I used the searchlight to inspire me with polka dots. We had this polka dot shirt, and I made a tie out of an extra shirt to match. We wanted to go just a little further in the second season.

Was there a particularly fun mission to style, either because of the theme or the process of making the outfit?

Definitely the funeral look. I think that’s my favorite look of the season. It’s like a sleeved cape. For that episode, I remember on the mood board, we used the Royal Family as inspiration—what they wore to the Queen’s funeral, and specifically the women. I love that I’m able to draw from not only men’s fashion but women’s fashion for Alan, and I love that he’s able to go there and pull off all these different looks. Not many people are able to do that.

I also love that one because it’s so layered. He was able to take off the cape for the roundtable, and it still had this jeweled sheer shirt underneath, which was great for camera because it shone a little in the light. And the hat—this wacky hat with the veil.

The episode where they get caught in the nets, I used these rope nets as inspiration, and we draped net over one of his sleeves and the back of his sleeve. I custom draped that and had my seamstress sew them in place. That’s really fun. I just got inspired by each mission. It’s kind of like DIY, craft-y costume design for me.

Obviously this is all coming from you, but I imagine it’s always a little different working with different people. What kind of vibe does Alan bring to this collaboration?

He’s actually the best. For Season 3, I’ve already sent him images from Fashion Week from the red carpet, like, “What about this? We need to find a mission where this works.” We just text back and forth, like, “Absolutely—go for it.”

For the first two seasons, I started by going to his closet, because he has such a great collection of Scottish prints and kilts—so we started there. It was really fun to work with stuff he already had, and I love that he’s willing to do that. He comes in for a fitting, which is normally a few hours long, and it’s really like playing dress-up. It’s just really fun and playful, and the show is so whimsical. We’re able to be so silly sort of with it.

When he comes on screen, I just gasp or give a little chuckle. We want it to be fun and whimsical but also dark and sinister. He’s playing this amazing character, and I’m able to play with the clothes, then he’s so involved in it that we just have so much fun. I send him pictures of these crazy, wacky things on myself, and we’re able to just, like, work off each other and work off each other’s inspiration.

You only work with Alan, right? Do the contestants style themselves, or do they have stylists?

To my knowledge, some of them use their own stylists up front and bring their looks with them; they’re self-dressing.

I’ve noticed, and a bunch of my friends and colleagues have noticed, that the contestants have sort of caught on to Alan’s style, so they’re trying to match his level. I have the challenge of making Alan next-level so that the contestants are always sort of chasing his style.

Has Alan ever turned down a look, or pushed back on anything?

Yeah, but it’s so organic, and we are always on the same page, so it’s usually in the fitting process. I always like to get buy-ins from my clients, so I present mood boards and get a buy-in. When Alan comes to the fitting, it’s already planned and he’s already bought into the look.

Sometimes, I text him and show him something like, “Is this too much?” And it’s always like, “No. More is more for this.”

Coming into Season 3, you mentioned wanting to go bigger. Are you able to share any ideas you’ve been thinking over?

I had our initial creative call this morning for Season 3, and so I got some of the missions. I was already super inspired by them initially. It’s so early, so I don’t know what I’m doing yet, but I was shopping for another client at a vintage costume store, and we were just like, “Oh my God, look at that mask!” Or, “Look at that hat! That would be perfect for Alan on Traitors.” And they had a selection of kilts, so there definitely will be some more kilt action. But also, I’m going to have to use the missions to play with those kilts and make them not just traditional Scottish gentleman but more Traitors-esque.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.