NEED TO KNOW
A glimpse behind the glam.
It’s hard to forget the moment Taylor Swift shocked fans with the debut of a new snake catsuit during the Reputation set of the Miami leg of The Eras Tour in October 2024, but the real reason behind the snakeskin switch-up is only now being exposed.
Fans initially assumed Swift’s outfit change from the red-and-black bodysuit to the black-and-gold version after wearing the same look for 131 shows was a sign she’d announce Reputation (Taylor’s Version) like she did with Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
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However, Swift’s longtime stylist Joseph Cassell revealed the color swap was simply due to fabric shortage that allowed them to custom-create a second sequined Roberto Cavalli catsuit for the 14-time Grammy winner.
“The original catsuit was made from a different fabric. That was all the fabric there was in the world. So we had to recreate the fabric for the second one and for this one,” Cassell said in episode 3 of the newly released The End of an Era docuseries.
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The one-leg ensemble featured intertwining snakes. However, this bodysuit differed from the previous look, with gold details rather than red. (Bodysuits have been a favorite look for Swift throughout her Reputation Stadium Tour.)
In the episode, Swift is seen trying on the second catsuit in the early stages of the design process ahead of the final U.S. leg of The Eras Tour. However, the “Style” singer noticed issues with the fit, specifically with the bust.
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“It’s just really annoying, and I have to do athletic s— in this,” she says bluntly, citing issues with the stitching that made the suit with the new fabric impractical for her lengthy, highly physical performances on stage.
When talking about an alteration, Swift says, “I gotta see if this can even happen because they put my boob cups on my rib cage… It’s not that beautiful the way it fits me now.”
Swift’s team scrambled to alter the ill-fitting catsuit in the crunch-time hours before the Miami shows started. During a fitting at the Hard Rock Stadium, the “Fate of Ophelia” singer was ultimately overjoyed with the fixes.
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“It fits. It fits. It fits,” she says, beaming in the mirror. “It’s perfect. Nothing is going to pop out.”
Cassell told Swift of the look, “People are going to lose their minds.”
And that they did!
Swift’s Reputation costume change followed her debut of a new bodysuit during the Midnights set at the Aug. 16 London show.
Fans first suspected she would announce Reputation (Taylor’s Version) in August 2024 because she swapped out her Midnights outfit. The last time she switched her Midnights look (in August 2023), she announced 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
