Taylor swift  friendship bracelet beads making the waves..

With little over a week left before Taylor Swift lands in Singapore for the Eras Tour, many Swifties are flocking to local craft shops.

Why? They are stocking up on beads to make friendship bracelets. And, FYI, it’s a proper trend among the fans.

The making, wearing, and trading of friendship bracelets among the Swift fandom has been a key feature of the Eras Tour from the very first few shows.

Some say this trend came about as fans wanted to swap friendship bracelets with one another when they meet at the Eras Tour.

Others point to the lyrics of Swift’s nostalgia-laden “You’re On Your Own Kid” which go:

“Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned

Everything you lose is a step you take

So make the friendship bracelets

Take the moment and taste it

You’ve got no reason to be afraid”

Fans have been turning up at Swift’s concerts armed with beaded bracelets that incorporate Swift references into the design, such as song titles, lyrics, her cats’ names, and more.

Whatever it is, Taylor Swift is the reason why young people are turning up in droves at sleepy craft shops like the ones we visited at People’s Park Centre on Feb. 23.
oslyn, the lady who runs Shinobeads on the second floor of People’s Park Centre, said that while she observed a steady rise in customers since Swift’s concert tickets went on sale last year, it only started to get more crowded in the last few days.

Calvin from Koi Ming Enterprise also noted an increase in visitors to his shop since last weekend, particularly younger people looking to get beads for the concert.
Calvin told Mothership that seeing young people frequenting his shop and buying beads to make bracelets makes him “feel young again”.

“They have fresh ideas, and they want some new colours which we provide…We provide much variety of crystals and beads that they want. So we are glad that we can fulfil their creativity.”

Calvin also expressed his excitement seeing all the young patrons coming together to create and craft something new
For him, craftwork like beading and making beaded bracelets can help one to slow down in a fast-paced environment.

Koi Ming Enterprise has been around for 30 years, with Calvin and his brother Alvin running the shop in the latter half after taking over from their father..
They have been selling beads and crystals for many years and keep on top of trends.

Right now, alphabet beads seem to be one of the more popular items.

These are definitely high on a Swiftie’s list as they are needed to spell out Swift references and song lyrics.

Calvin took the opportunity to advise Swifties to broaden their creativity and try other types of alphabet beads which he displays in his shop.

Indeed, we spotted a wide range of alphabet beads, from shiny metallic cubes to multi-coloured transluscent ones that look suspiciously like gummy candies.