By Lucy Caulkett-
A specially commissioned kimono created for Taylor Swift by a design museum is set to debut as the singer prepares for the Scottish leg of her tour. Swift is scheduled to perform three consecutive nights at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, from Friday, June 7, until Sunday, June 9.
This event is part of her extensive The Eras Tour, which began in March last year and is set to conclude in December 2024, spanning 152 shows across five continents.
In anticipation of Swift’s arrival in Scotland, V&A Dundee commissioned Glasgow School of Art graduate KellyDawn Riot to design a unique kimono dress representing all of Swift’s albums. The kimono features colour schemes and motifs inspired by each of Swift’s 11 albums, incorporating various animals and plants that reflect her song lyrics.
The kimono will be displayed to the public starting this Saturday as part of the Dundee museum’s latest exhibition, Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk.
Chris Keatch, content manager at V&A Dundee, shared the excitement: “Collaborating with KellyDawn Riot to create The Eras Tour Kimono has been a great way to celebrate this exciting pop-culture moment in Scotland.
We hope it sparks lots of joy and curiosity for Swifties and all our visitors while it’s on display at V&A Dundee from today until Thursday. We are really hoping to send the kimono to Taylor as a gift.”
The museum has been working with VisitScotland and Murrayfield Stadium officials to coordinate the possibility of presenting the kimono to Swift during her stay in Scotland.
Keatch elaborated on the current exhibition, stating: “Our exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk reveals how the kimono, often thought of as a static unchanging garment, has always been a dynamic item of fashionable dress that has been restyled consistently throughout its history.
It influences modern fashion and popular culture, from samurai style and geisha chic to rock stars and Star Wars. With many Swifties designing and creating their own eras tour outfits, we couldn’t pass on the chance for V&A Dundee to join in and celebrate The Eras Tour in Edinburgh.”
The kimono, inspired by Taylor Swift’s music and designed by KellyDawn Riot, represents a fusion of traditional Japanese garment artistry and contemporary pop culture, making it a centerpiece of the exhibition and a tribute to Swift’s enduring influence on fans worldwide.