Taylor Swift costumes to go on display at V&A

Sixteen “looks” worn by Taylor Swift will go on display at V&A in South Kensington this summer as part of a free trail created by the theatrical designer Tom Piper.

The trail features 13 stops, each exploring a “chapter in the songbook of Taylor’s career” and spotlighting a particular era of her music and songwriting.

Costumes and accessories have been loaned from Taylor’s personal archive for the temporary display, including customised cowboy boots worn during her breakout success as a country singer in 2007 and a jet-black ruffled shoulder dress worn in the most recent music video for her single Fortnight.

Each installation will be theatrically staged by Piper – who is best known for his stage designs for the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as his Tower of London poppies and V&A exhibition Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser – bringing to life a different era of the pop icon’s musical career through set dressing, music video and sound.

Situated within the V&A’s permanent galleries, the trail will explore the 14-time Grammy Award winning artist’s looks in dialogue with spaces and objects in the collection, said Kate Bailey, the V&A’s senior curator of theatre and performance.

“Taylor Swift’s songs like objects tell stories, often drawing from art, history and literature,” she added. “We hope this theatrical trail across the museum will inspire curious visitors to discover more about the performer, her creativity and V&A objects.”

It will also give visitors the opportunity to dive into the artist’s personal world and creativity, celebrating her ground-breaking impact on the world stage and the phenomenon of the ‘Swiftie’ fandom.

The Taylor Swift Songbook Trail runs at the V&A in South Kensington from 27 July until 8 September.