Taylor Swift is known for being a boss, and she’s proving it once again. This time, she’s not taking down the music industry, she’s supporting an independent artist in a way that’s sure to shake up the fashion world.
Cassey Ho – fitness guru, founder of Blogilates, and mega Swiftie – had her dreams collide with reality last week, thanks to Taylor rocking out in her designs. Swift donned Ho’s popular Pirouette Skort (Cassey’s Version) in a recent YouTube Short hyping her new track “Fortnight”. Naturally, Ho had a complete meltdown when she found out.
“DEAD MY IDOL MY INSPIRATION @taylorswift YOU MADE MY WILDEST DREAM COME TRUE TONIGHT AND I WILL NEVER EVER EVER FORGET APRIL 19, 2024,” the designer posted to Instagram with pure, unfiltered fan joy.
Ho went on to explain how she found out, practically in a trance while getting her hair done, “I started getting a ton of Slack messages and DMs and texts and I was like, ‘what’s going on?’… I was so numb. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t think — I was non-functional.”
This wasn’t just a cute fashion moment – it was a true testament to Swift’s artistry and her impact. Ho has been vibing with Swift’s music since “Teardrops on My Guitar” back in 2006, a detail she shared alongside an old Polaroid pic with Tay from an intimate listening session for the 1989 album. Talk about a full circle!
Ho closed out her post with heartfelt gratitude, emphasizing Swift’s championing of indie designers: “I’ve watched you battle those who have taken advantage of you and your work over the years and the way you fight with grace and masterful creativity gives me so much strength to keep designing.”
The “Taylor Swift Effect” Strikes Again
Swift’s massive influence sent Ho’s business into overdrive. The Pirouette Skort sold out within 15 minutes of Swift’s video going live, leading to the biggest sales day of the year for the brand.
The song “imgonnagetyouback” off Swift’s new album adds a mysterious twist. The opening lyric, “Lilac short skirt, the one that fits me like skin”, has Ho wondering if Swift wrote it specifically about the Popflex design.
Naturally, Ho isn’t resting on her laurels. She’s leaning into the Swift mania by renaming the lavender colorway “(Cassey’s Version)” – a cheeky reference to Tay’s album re-recordings – and added the song lyric to the skort’s product description.
But it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. The designer notes that dealing with copycats has been a challenge, especially with giants like Shein. However, she’s got a design patent to back her up, and an unwavering belief in her unique creations: “As a designer, I design to solve problems and innovate. So if I keep doing that, I will always be one step ahead of them.”
With a legendary artist like Swift backing her up, and a legion of Swifties now discovering her designs, Cassey Ho has solidified her place in the world of pop culture fashion.
