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Taylor Swift’s Boldest ‘Life of a Showgirl’ Look Was Crafted by This Legendary Designer

And fans can’t get enough!

Bailey Colon

Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift / Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/The Recording Academy

On Aug. 13, Taylor Swift sent her fans into a frenzy when she announced the release date of her next album, The Life of a Showgirl, on her longtime beau Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast. Slated for an Oct. 3 release, the album marks the 12th in Swift’s discography and follows The Tortured Poets Department, which dropped back in April of 2024.

Since her initial announcement, the 14-time Grammy Award winner has released four (!!) alternative covers for her upcoming album in addition to the album’s main art—and one of those alternate covers has a larger-than-life backstory.

Posted to the artist’s Instagram last week, The Life of a Showgirl: It's Beautiful cover features Swift draped in diamonds, including studded arm cuffs and a statement headpiece. The “Limited Release Deluxe CD” was only available for purchase for 72 hours alongside two other alternative covers titled It’s Rapturous and It’s Frightening. On Monday, Swift released the fourth installment titled The Shiny Bug collection.

And the creator of the Swift’s dazzling It’s Beautiful set—which she wore over sheer fishnet tights—was legendary designer Bob Mackie. Per the designer’s official Instagram account: “The ensemble worn by @taylorswift was designed by Bob Mackie for the ‘Jewel Finale’ of the Las Vegas show Jubilee! Produced by Don Arden; the show featured over 1,000 costumes based on Florenz Ziegfeld stage shows with elaborate couture costumes worn by the showgirls. ” The designer added that the 35-year-long show was “the longest running showgirl spectacular in history.”

Additionally, Mackie—who has routinely worked with some of the world’s most popular artists, from Miley Cyrus to Cher—delved into the details of the show-stopping look: “The bra, undergarments and armbands are all French wirework and backed with a blush fabric for a nude illusion,” he explained. “The bra and underwear have set stones and drops at the under-bust of the bra and the waistline of the underwear.”

And fans can’t get enough of the singer-songwriter’s sultry set, with many applauding the way she brought Las Vegas showgirl style back into the fashion conversation.

“I know someone is freaking out, and it’s me!” One user exclaimed. Another chimed in, saying, “Do I need a CD? NO. Do I need this copy? Heck yes.”

Nodding to Swift’s hit song off her Midnights album, one fan penned, “Best believe she’s still Bejeweled.” Another commenter quoted the same tune for the artist’s elaborate ensemble, writing, “What a girl gonna do? A diamond’s gotta shineeeee!”

But the entrancement of Swift’s massive fandom is no surprise for the designer, and he told Vogue exactly why, explaining, “The enduring allure of showgirls and the glamour they represent continues to fascinate us all,” the 85-year-old explained.“The spectacle of Jubilee! stands as a testament to the timeless appeal of opulence in performance.”

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Bailey Colon
BAILEY COLON

Bailey Colón is a writer on the Breaking and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit, Colón worked at the National Basketball Association where she served as a founding member of the ‘Starting 5’ newsletter and led editorial operations for the NBA App and dotcom. Colón is particularly passionate about the impact of athletics on popular culture, fashion and media. The New England native has a bachelor’s degree from Marist College in journalism and political science.

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