Taylor Swift fans have raised more than $2 million for the Monterey Bay Aquarium after the singer was seen wearing a vintage otter-themed T-shirt in her new film, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’.
The faded 1993 shirt, featuring an illustration of sea otters and fun facts such as their Latin name Enhydra lutris, sparked a viral frenzy after the film’s release. Fans even linked the design to Swift’s fiancé, Travis Kelce, recalling her comment on his podcast that she loves watching otter videos he shares with her.
In response to the surge of interest, the Californian aquarium reissued the original design as part of a limited-edition fundraising campaign, asking for a $65.13 donation, a nod to Swift’s lucky number 13.
The campaign smashed its $1.3m target in just seven hours, with T-shirts quickly selling out.
“Your response was beyond our Wildest Dreams,” the aquarium wrote, thanking fans for their support.
Meanwhile, The Life of a Showgirl has already grossed $15 million in pre-sales, outpacing ‘The Eras Tour’ film in several markets. The album of the same name recently became Swift’s 15th US Number One, selling more than 4 million units in its first week and breaking Adele’s record for streaming-era debut sales.
Critics, however, were mixed. NME gave the album three stars, noting, “For the first time, Swift isn’t driven by heartbreak, but comfortably settled by love.”
Swift has also announced a six-part docuseries chronicling her record-breaking Eras Tour.
