Taylor Swift fans were disappointed by their “Eras” tour merchandise. Customers took to social media like TikTok to voice their frustrations after their shirts were ruined after a single wash.
It turns out that the way the ink faded after a single wash was, supposedly, on purpose to create a pseudo-vintage look, like the shirt was from an old tour instead of just last week.
That said, Taylor Swift’s people issued a statement and apology for the issue, and are offering replacements for those who aren’t into the “vintage style.”
“Due to the particular ink curing process used on certain Tour Collection products, after washing your merchandise you may see a faint fade on the product print,” a statement on Swift’s website says. “This slight fade is related to the product’s distressed, vintage look. Please also note it is important to follow product care instructions as listed on the product label when washing and drying your items, to best protect and maintain the product’s look and feel.”
If customers are still unhappy, or notice ink bleeding or fading, they can email the Taylor Swift store through Universal Music Group and get a replacement.
The Taylor Swift people are right in that customers should pay attention to care instructions. You wouldn’t just dry a wool sweater on high and then complain to the company you bought it from that it’s now two sizes smaller.
But, it’s also on the decorator here a little bit. A “vintage look” is achievable without the product diminishing in quality. Distressed and stylized apparel products like that have been around for a long time. Taylor isn’t the first person to use them. Granted, she is probably the most high-profile artist on the planet, or at least in the upper echelon, so she’s under a bit of a microscope.
Still, it’s a bad look, and we don’t just mean the faded ink. And now her apparel decorators have to scramble to print replacements.
