Taylor Swift rebrands herself with every new album. While I was annoyed by her 1989 branding, we really didn’t know how good we had it: we got pap strolls every few days, we got performative girl squading, we got catty beefs and at the tail end of that cycle, we got the Receipts and the Tiddlebanging. Taylor’s branding for Reputation has been secrecy, silence, privacy and Snake Ownership. As in, she “owns” her snake reputation, but it’s a dumb thing where she actually doesn’t want to actually own up to her own bulls–t snake moves. So whatever.
What’s interesting to me is how thoroughly Taylor really does rebrand for each album, almost leaving no trace of her various Tay versions behind. As such, in the Reputation era, we’ve barely seen her with any members of the girl squad. There’s been very little in the “performative friendship” arena. But last Friday, Taylor did something old-school: she got pap’d outside of her New York apartment building with… Gigi Hadid, one of the members of her old girl squad. Gigi even wore a snake sweatshirt, which is how you know it was a pap stroll. Apparently, Gigi traveled to Philadelphia with Taylor, which is where Tay performed at the Lincoln Financial Field as part of the Reputation Tour. Gigi was posting Instagram Stories backstage, and the Snake Fam posted lots of videos and photos of Gigi-sightings. Gigi wrote on Instagram: “We could not be more proud…If I could find the words, I would explain how happy it makes me to watch you perform @taylorwift… I’m so proud to experience this celebration of clarity and strength with you. WHAT A SHOW. You did it again. Love you to the moon.”
Personally, I couldn’t care less about Gigi and Taylor maintaining their friendship. I mean, it’s notable but also uneventful. My question is: does Karlie Kloss ever go over to Taylor’s apartment anymore? Earlier this year, it looked like the evidence was piling up that Karlie and Taylor had truly broken up and were no longer speaking to each other. Karlie denied it, but Karlie also refused to name Taylor as one of her closest girl friends. So why Gigi and not Karlie?? Kaylor Is Broken. It’s sad.
Also: it’s like Gigi and Taylor are having a contest to see who can wear the worst denim.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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