Taylor Swift wears a series of swimsuits and mesh dresses from top designers as she transforms into a striptease dancer in the music video for “The Fate of Ophelia.” On October 6, Taylor Swift released the music video for “The Fate of Ophelia,” the lead single from her new album The Life of a Showgirl. Elle described the piece as delivering “a sumptuous fashion feast,” blending many different styles from various eras.
In the four-minute video, Taylor plays multiple roles — at times cosplaying a heroine from Hamlet, at others an artistic swimmer, and sometimes a Hollywood beauty legend. According to Page Six, most of the outfits were custom-made by top fashion houses.
At the start of the video, Taylor portrays Ophelia, modeled after the 1851 painting by Sir John Everett Millais. She wears an ivory gown by Alberta Ferretti with long flared sleeves that reach the floor and a multi-layered pleated hem. The house said the dress was tea-dyed to achieve a vintage look that fit the concept.
Ophelia is a character in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet — a young noblewoman from Denmark, daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes, and the would-be wife of Prince Hamlet.
In the next scene, the singer channels 1950s Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in a red bodysuit by Versace, paired with opera gloves, a crystal-embellished garter belt, and crystal beading. She wears pink ruby high heels by Jimmy Choo, a platinum wig, and diamond jewelry from Lorraine Schwartz.
Taylor (center) transforms into the lead singer of a girl group inspired by the Ronettes of the 1960s. All three wear coordinated pinafore dresses by Roberto Cavalli. The house said the outfits were crafted from metallic leather studded with crystals and linked by gold metal rings, finished with crystal chokers. Sapphire crystal Jennifer Behr earrings and a brown wig complete Taylor’s look.
In another scene, she dons a silver structured corset gown by Paolo Sebastian, accented with heart-and-arrow beadwork at the chest. The design is from the Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024 collection titled A Lover’s Kiss. The piece draws inspiration from great love stories of the past, including Romeo and Juliet, Dante and Beatrice, and Cupid and Psyche.
Taylor appears as a swimmer in an emerald swimsuit by Area, paired with a jeweled cap and a glittering cape. She wears a Larkspur & Hawk necklace and a heart-shaped Retrouvaí ring.
As a professional dancer, Taylor wears a dress made of ropes and gold crystals by Roberto Cavalli. She pairs it with a Joanna Laura Constantine necklace, multi-colored gemstone rings by Sanamama, and a bracelet by For Future Reference made in the mid-1800s.
Playing a striptease dancer, she appears in red feathered lingerie and a matching headpiece, accessorized with jeweled jewelry. The costume is from the archive of Bob Mackie — a master of theatrical fashion.
The sheer, crystal-embellished party dress in the video’s final scene is by designer Kelsey Randall. On Page Six, Kelsey spoke about the creation process: “I thought about the tight Versace outfit from the Eras tour, an iconic piece. I only had 13 days to sew it in time for the shoot.” Taylor styled the dress with pink morganite Duniya earrings, a Lizzie Mandler diamond tennis bracelet, and opal and citrine rings in gold from Jade Ruzzo and Alison Lou.
The video closes with imagery reminiscent of the The Life of a Showgirl album cover, showing Taylor Swift soaking in a bathtub. She wears a short mesh dress by Area and Zydo Italy diamonds. On the program New Heights, the singer said, “This image reflects the reality of my life on the Eras tour. A day of mine often ends with me soaking in a bath.” Taylor added that The Life of a Showgirl is not about what happens on stage but focuses on what she experienced behind the scenes.