Stylist Sam Spector talks the making of Alan Cumming's checkered look from season 3 episode 9 of The Traitors.
February 24 2025 10:31 AM EST
February 24 2025 10:31 AM EST
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Stylist Sam Spector talks the making of Alan Cumming's checkered look from season 3 episode 9 of The Traitors.
Greetings, Fashionably Faithful!
On season 3 episode 9 of The Traitors, the main challenge placed the contestants on a giant chessboard, à la Harry Potter, where they moved themselves in response to questions posed about the players.
Alan Cumming's stylist, Sam Spector, used this oversized game as inspiration for the host's patterned-packed ensemble.
Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment — delivered three times a week straight (well…) to your inbox!
Prior to planning this week's look, "Alan had texted me that he was working with Charles Jeffrey Loverboy (@charlesjeffreyloverboy) on a different project, and that they were interested in making him a suit," Spector says as part of Out's What Alan Wore series. A"lan picked the suit, and it ended up working perfectly with this specific episode because it was checkerboard-themed, and the suit was this great check pattern."
"I wanted to mix different patterns, so...this like oversized houndstooth pattern that's on the jacket was a perfect combination," he adds. "I liked mixing with like the scale of the houndstooth with the check of the suit, so this episode is truly about playing with proportions and textures and all about the mission and the pattern."
Alan Cumming on 'The Traitors' season 3 episode 9.Euan Cherry/Peacock
With the help of Spector, Cumming has become a style icon for his over-the-top looks on the hit Peacock reality competition. Spector also styled Cumming in his new Out cover story.
“I’ve unleashed the beast in [Spector], and I really love that,” said Cumming in the interview. “The outfits are so nuts and have become such a part of the fabric of the show.”
“People are so excited and interested in what I wear,” he marvels. “So now, every time we’re like, Oh, my God, what are we going to do now? What are we going to do next?”
Make sure to follow @outmagazine and @samspector on Instagram for more Traitors fashion recaps.
The Traitors streams Thursdays at 9 p.m. Eastern on Peacock.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.