Swift concerts prompt Dublin bead-buying frenzy: 'I’d say there’s been a 1000% sales increase'
THE TAYLOR SWIFT FRIENDSHIP BRACELET TREND has incited a bead-buying frenzy in Dublin ahead of the Eras Tour concerts at the Aviva Stadium this weekend.
The ‘Yellow Brick Road’ bead store, located on Dublin’s quays, has reported a significant increase in footfall in recent weeks as a result of the trend according to store-owner Bob Neilson.
“I’d say there’s been a 1000% increase in sales of the letter beads and the stuff they use for tying it onto your wrist,” Neilson told The Journal when we visited this afternoon.
“We’re seeing an awful lot of new people come in, which is great.”
The popularisation of making friendship bracelets is generally attributed to US teenagers in the 1970s, although it is suggested that the concept actually originated in South American indigenous tradition.
The recent resurgence of the trend by the US singer’s fans was inspired by the lyrics of Swift’s 2022 hit You’re on Your Own, Kid. However it grew legs in 2023 when Swift fans began making personalised friendship bracelets featuring the names of Swift’s songs and albums to gift or swap with one another at Eras Tour concerts.
Said Neilson: “Apparently they’re making bracelets for their friends with a word from a Taylor Swift song or something, that’s all I know! But yeah, all week long there’s just been a stream of people in.”
Despite bead sales skyrocketing, at 10 cent per bead, the profitability of the trend is not particularly substantial.
“This is definitely a little extra boost, but unfortunately it’s inexpensive stuff, so it’s a huge boost in numbers but not so much turnover.”
Bob Neilson of Yellow Brick Road
Alice Kelly, an events coordinator with ‘Alternative Dublin’, has been running a series of Taylor Swift-related events in the lead up to the singer’s arrival in Dublin. One of which is the ‘Make Your Own Taylor Swift Friendship Bracelet’ event.
“We came up with the idea a few months ago, just with the last leg of the tour happening. We started doing the events about 3–4 weeks ago, and nearly all of them have sold out, so it’s great.”
According to Kelly, the interest in the event has been far-reaching and has attracted a wide variety of participants.
“It is mostly girls, but we do get a few boys as well. We actually had a stag party in last week! … We get people of all ages too.”
The events aren’t just designed for groups either, the revival of the trend seems to have facilitated the blossoming of new friendships as well.
“We encourage people to come on their own as well; we’ve noticed people come in for the event and trade numbers with people they meet, so it’s a great place to make friends.”
For those who’ve been living under a rock, Taylor Swift is due to play at the Aviva Stadium this Friday, Saturday and Sunday night as part of the European leg of her Eras Tour.
The weather forecast for the weekend is mixed. Midnight Rain is expected on Saturday, however concert goers will just have to Shake it Off.