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Edinburgh Football Fashion Brand Targets Growth



Edinburgh-based football apparel brand Universal Language has credited Business Gateway support with reshaping its commercial foundations as it prepares for its busiest period of trading since launching in December 2024.


Founded by school friends Chris Aitchison and Pete Burt, the brand produces high-quality, fan-focused clothing inspired by Scottish football culture. Chris brings commercial and marketing expertise built across years running his own agency, while Pete spent more than eight years as a designer in professional football, working for Hibernian and Tottenham Hotspur before returning to Edinburgh to build something made with a clear focus on the fans.


The idea first came to Chris while looking for a Hearts gift for his father. Searching online for football memorabilia, he couldn't find anything of suitable quality or true sense of the club and its culture. Seeing the gap, Chris brought it to Pete, and the pair set out to build a brand around what they felt was missing: products that celebrated a club's identity properly, rather than just its badge.


All products are designed in Edinburgh and printed or embroidered in the UK using sustainably produced garments. The range balances a permanent core collection with limited edition drops, allowing the brand to mark specific moments, clubs and cultural references while keeping its best-loved designs in circulation.


Current collections focus on Hearts, Hibernian and an expanding Scotland national team range, with plans to grow into further clubs and collaborations. The brand has also recently taken its products on the road with the opening of a special of pop-up shop, timed to coincide with the World Cup.


Since launching, Universal Language has reached more than 3,000 customers, sold 5,000 products and generated 1.5 million monthly social media views. The brand has also raised more than £2,500 for MND Scotland, its charity partner, through sales of an official Marius Zaliukas tribute t-shirt.


The Edinburgh Business Gateway team has worked closely with Chris and Pete to assess and restructure the business, reviewing its brand communication strategy and aligning every element behind a single commercial goal. The Business Gateway team extended that support to include specialist IP guidance, with an arranged session involving the Intellectual Property Office helping clarify trademark and copyright processes. Universal Language has since moved to trademark its brand and copyright its designs, protecting its assets as it looks ahead to the next stages of growth.


Pitch preparation sessions followed, opening connections with the potential to create new opportunities for the business, while Chris has also attended several Business Gateway workshops to expand the team’s knowledge in a range of key areas.


Julie Batten, Business Gateway adviser, said:

“Universal Language is a strong example of what happens when a genuine idea is backed by sound business thinking. Chris and Pete came to us with real momentum and connection to their audience. Our role was to help them build the right structure around it, from strategy to brand protection, so the business can grow on solid ground.”

Chris Aitchison, co-founder of Universal Language said:

“The support from Business Gateway came at exactly the right time. Sitting down and properly reviewing the strategy gave us a solid foundation and the confidence to continue growing the business, knowing we are headed in the right direction."

“The IP guidance has been equally important. As the brand grows, protecting what we've created matters more and more. We're genuinely grateful for the help getting that right.”

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Johnston Carmichael has strengthened its audit offering in Aberdeen with the appointment of Teresa Gilligan as audit director to support the firm’s continued investment in the North East.


Teresa joins the leading UK accountancy and business advisory firm with more than 17 years’ experience in audit and assurance, gained across Big Four and other professional services firms. She has worked with a diverse range of clients spanning sectors including industrial manufacturing, logistics, retail and property, supporting listed, private equity‑backed and owner‑managed businesses.


A dual‑qualified accountant, Teresa is both a chartered and a certified public accountant. She has spent a significant part of her career working internationally and brings extensive experience delivering audit engagements under both UK and US reporting standards.


Alongside her client work, Teresa has undertaken a range of quality and technical review roles while also supporting internal training and people development by implementing strategies that foster culture and long-term talent growth.


Based in Aberdeen, Teresa will focus on developing her audit portfolio across a broad and diverse client base, with a particular emphasis on the energy sector. This is a key industry for the firm, which supports more than 800 businesses operating across the sector.


She will also support the wider team as the firm continues to grow and develop its audit services. Johnston Carmichael audits more of Scotland’s top 100 businesses than any other accountancy firm.

Teresa said:

“I’m pleased to be joining Johnston Carmichael at such an exciting time for the firm. It has a well‑established reputation for delivering high‑quality advice while maintaining a genuinely collaborative and client‑focused approach."

“Throughout my career, building strong relationships with clients has always been a key priority, and Johnston Carmichael’s relationship‑led ethos strongly resonates with me. The firm’s ambition for growth, combined with its commitment to doing the right thing for its clients and its people, really stood out."


“The energy sector is such a vital part of the North East economy, and I’m looking forward to working with clients across this space, supporting them through the challenges and opportunities presented by a changing landscape.”


David Wilson, Aberdeen Office Head & Audit Partner said:

“The energy sector is undergoing a period of profound transformation, and businesses operating within it face a uniquely complex set of financial reporting and regulatory challenges. Teresa’s expertise means our clients in the energy industry can have confidence they are receiving audit and assurance services that truly reflect the realities of their sector."

“As we mark 90 years in business in 2026, Teresa’s appointment reflects our ongoing investment in our people and our future. With almost 900 colleagues across the firm, Teresa’s values and experience align strongly with our culture, and we look forward to the contribution she will make to our audit team.”


About Johnston Carmichael  

Johnston Carmichael is proud to be a leading independent UK accountancy and business advisory firm. With over 900 sharp minds across its offices nationwide, the business delivers specialist sector insight and expertise. Together, its people create enduring impact and have been investing in the next generation of businesses and advisers for more than 85 years. Committed to Corporate Social Responsibility, the firm is gold sponsor of the Kiltwalk and a member of the Mindful Business Charter. As a member of Moore Global, it is also connected to a community of more than 30,000 people in 110 countries worldwide.  


For more information on Johnston Carmichael, please visit here.  

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