Liberty Graphics has found itself at the center of a viral sensation after Taylor Swift was spotted wearing one of their throwback T-shirts in a clip from “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” a film showcasing the making of her latest album. The shirt, which dates back to the 1990s, features an eye-catching design promoting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, highlighting two adorable sea otters among a backdrop of kelp and various sea life. Swift, an avowed fan of these marine mammals, shares this passion with her fiancé, Travis Kelce, a star player for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.
Matt Enos, the multimedia manager at Liberty Graphics, remarked on the moment they recognized their design in the video, stating, “We knew immediately when we saw it, ‘Hey, that’s our design.’” Fans, alongside staff from the aquarium, took to social media, tracking the shirt’s history while lower-quality bootleg versions began to surface online. Liberty Graphics emphasizes the environmental sensitivity of their products, utilizing water-based inks that are durable and eco-friendly.
In a serendipitous turn of events, the aquarium’s art director unearthed original invoices from the T-shirts while conducting a search of their archives. This discovery led to a collaboration aimed at reissuing the popular design, with a limited run set to be released on Thursday in response to overwhelming demand from both Swifties and sea otter enthusiasts. If this initial run proves successful, further prints could follow.
Located in the village of Liberty, Maine, the company has experienced an influx of interest with “nonstop” calls and messages from fans eager to get their hands on the shirt. This marks a notable moment for the Swift fandom, as their collective spending power is recognized; during her recent tour, “Swifties” reportedly spent around $5 billion nationwide. While Liberty Graphics has previously achieved online traction with other designs, such as a sunflower shirt launched during the early days of the Ukraine war, the current buzz eclipses any prior success, according to Enos.
This reissue serves a dual purpose, acting as a fundraiser for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sea otter rehabilitation program. Fans donating $65.13 or more—a homage to Swift’s favorite number and a nod to the album photograph count—can receive the shirt as a token of appreciation.
The shirt design originates from a now-defunct company called Harborside Graphics, which Liberty Graphics acquired. The company also had prior collaborations with the aquarium in the 1990s and sought to renew that connection, as noted by Enos.
Founded in the 1970s by Tom Opper, who enlisted friends to create designs for local events, Liberty Graphics has been employee-owned since 2021. With the ability to produce around 1,000 shirts daily, Enos maintains confidence in their capacity to meet fan demand. The company’s design archive features thousands of nature-inspired designs on T-shirts and other products, with retro styles already popular among customers prior to this recent surge in interest generated by Swift.
The newfound recognition has not only sparked excitement among fans but also opened the door to greater public awareness of Liberty Graphics and its broader mission to educate people about wildlife and conservation. Enos tweeted that interacting with the enthusiastic fanbase has been a delightful experience, further highlighting the positive impact of this unexpected collaboration.