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As a lifelong Swiftie, the chance to see Taylor Swift honoured at the Victoria and Albert Museum in a new exhibition felt too good to be true.
Artfully placed throughout the iconic London museum the ‘Taylor Swift Songbook Trail’ allows a glimpse at outfits and items signifying each era of the Fortnight singer’s career.
Formally opening at the V&A on Saturday, July 27, fans can take a walk across time with 13 stops spanning from her debut era all the way to the Tortured Poets Department.
Among hundreds of items are her Reputation tour microphone, the Love Story epic dress, the Eras Tour premiere dress, and her ‘Taylor Swift’ debut cowboy boots.
After seeing her on tour earlier this year, I couldn’t wait to dive back into Taylor’s world through her most defining looks – all on loan from her private archives – enriched by the prestigious fashion and art museum.
However, that depth of information was sorely lacking from the trail.
A new exhibition in honour of Taylor Swift has opened at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Picture: Jo Hale/Redferns)
It showcases 13 different displays, moving through each of her eras (Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
The trail was visually stunning but lacked a little depth (Picture: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Don’t get me wrong, the entire thing was a visual feast with each era surrounded by artwork or sculptures that complement the energy of that album.
With the display weaving through the entire V&A, this is not your typical exhibition.
The tribute to Taylor’s album Red was a particularly gorgeous moment, with the rose-covered I Bet You Think About Me music video dress facing the album cover’s brown fisherman’s cap and a mirror.
It was placed in a sealed glass room with the Melville Bed, a French state bed from the early 1700s with opulent red velvet and silk linings.
Kate Bailey, the curator, shared how this room is usually left undisturbed and she initially didn’t know if they would be allowed to immerse the Red era in this way.
Kate Bailey, the curator, shared her excitement for the Red era display (Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
The ukulele was used on the original 2011 Speak Now tour (Picture: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Fans were given insight into the album and the artefacts placed with each piece of clothing (Picture: Danni Scott)
Even the Fortnight music video dress was on display (Picture: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
How to visit the Taylor Swift exhibition
The Taylor Swift Songbook Trail is totally free for visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum, which is also free to enter.
The historic V&A is in South Kensington, London and is open from 10am to 5.45pm daily, with late hours on Fridays until 10pm.
As the tour is scattered around the museum you do not need to book tickets to explore.
Taylor’s exhibition will run from Saturday, July 27 until Sunday, September 8, 2024.
‘We saw an opportunity to reflect the Red era but also that creative passion,’ she said. ‘The items are in dialogue with this bed and this mirror and it just looks beautiful.’
However, that insight is not offered to the average swiftie reading, as the information sign simply tells you about the album and the ‘shift in approach’ for Taylor.
As a Speak Now girlie, spotting the ballerina-style back cover dress for Taylor’s Version was a highlight as fans aren’t usually able to clearly see the intricate details.
The gown – with glass crystal beading around the bust and soft pastel pink and purple skirt – was paired with her actual ukulele from the 2011 tour in a simple room.
The display stretches all the way back to her debut in 2003 (Picture: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Her entire outfit was on display (Picture: Courtesy of TAS Rights Management, LLC/PA Wire)
Right down to her personalised cowboy boots (Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
‘Speak Now is the first Taylor Swift album to be completely self-written, featuring sons that with “brutal honest and unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness” detail her transition into adulthood,’ the sign next to the dress reads.
It added: ‘As a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and singer Taylor Swift is at the helm of her creative output. This ukulele was used on the Speak Now World Tour.’
This is the one gaping flaw in the V&A exhibit: As a fan of Taylor, I walked away knowing nothing more than I did walking in.
Beyond some details on the materials used or the brands, there was no extra information about inspirations or stories which would have allowed me into the Eras world further.
The entire collection was on loan from Taylor’s private archives (Picture: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Fans can see details they wouldn’t normally be able to(Picture: Danni Scott)
Her iconic MTV Music Video Awards 2022 crystal dress is also at the V&A(Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
Inquisitive swifties might feel something is lacking (Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
The idea is when fans descend on the capital for her final Wembley gigs in August, they can also take a turn around the historic museum and see some of her iconic looks.
Die-hard fans will love it simply because they are getting to see Taylor’s outfits in the flesh (or the fabric) while casual viewers may be interested to learn about items like the folklore cardigan which is also on display.
Those of us sitting in the middle with good knowledge and a hunger to discover more might feel a bit short-changed, especially if you’re making the trip specifically for the exhibition.
Maybe it got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much, but I can’t help but think that even though the exhibition is a masterpiece, the V&A really missed a trick here.
The Taylor Swift Songbook Trail is open at the V&A from Saturday 27 July 2024 to Sunday 8 September 2024.
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