Irish designer knits a bespoke cardigan for Swift ahead of gigs
Creation celebrates pop star’s love for Ireland
With Taylor Swift mania sure to take over Dublin this weekend, a young Irish designer has knitted a bespoke cardigan for the singer before her soldout concerts in the capital.
More than 150,000 fans will descend on the Aviva Stadium for the highly anticipated three nights as part of Swift’s Eras Tour.
Swift is known to love holidaying in Ireland, enjoying stays in Donegal and Limerick.
Her trips around the country, and particularly her visit to the ‘Garden County’ of Wicklow, were also referenced in her song Sweet Nothings.
“I spy with my little tired eye, tiny as a firefly, a pebble, that we picked up last July. Down deep inside your pocket, we almost forgot it, does it ever miss Wicklow sometimes?” she wrote.
Swift also brought international focus to the traditional Irish Aran geansaí after she wore one while promoting her album Folklore.
Now her connection to Ireland has become the inspiration behind a cardigan created by internationally acclaimed Irish designer Gabrielle Malone, in association with Fáilte Ireland.
The cardigan, which will be delivered to the singer this week, has several “Easter eggs” included in the design. For example, 1989, the name of her 2014 album, is stitched into the collar, while her initials and her lucky number 13 are included on the cuffs.
With large balloon sleeves, the cardigan is designed with a blue trim to represent the Wild Atlantic Way, with different colour panels and large shamrocks on the sleeves.
Different stitches used to create the cardigan represent parts of the country she has visited.
“I was invited to create this bespoke cardigan for Taylor Swift to mark all the places she has previously visited in Ireland,” Ms Malone said.
“It goes from the wave stitch to represent the Wild Atlantic Way, the brick stitch to represent castles in the Ancient East and, of course, the hurdle stitch, which represents the cobblestones in Dublin, where she will be for three days on her Eras Tour.”
It’s not the first time Ms Malone’s designs have been seen with A-listers. Two years ago, the young designer’s ‘Wave’ camel cardigan, hand-knitted in Peruvian wool, appeared in the eighth episode of TV show And Just Like That, where it hung in Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe, with actress Sarah Jessica Parker sitting beside it.
Speaking about the cardigan, Emma Woods, head of marketing communications at Fáilte Ireland, said: “We are delighted to welcome Taylor Swift back to Ireland. Over the years, she has been a frequent visitor here – her love for Ireland translates into her music, with subtle nods to places she’s visited woven through her lyrics.
“This inspired us to work with Gabrielle Malone, an incredible young designer, to create this cardigan for Taylor that is representative of Ireland.”
While the bespoke “Taylor cardigan” will go directly to the Shake it Off singer herself, fans can also get their hands on the custom cardigan by downloading the knitting pattern on the Discover Ireland website.
Fáilte Ireland has also created a Taylor Swift-inspired Irish short break guide, so fans can follow in the singer’s footsteps around the country.
Some of the locations include Portsalon in Co Donegal, Ranelagh in Dublin and Glin in Co Limerick, where Swift and her then partner, actor Joe Alwyn, spent Christmas 2018 in Glin Castle.
“Over the years, she has been a frequent visitor here – her love for Ireland translates into her music”