Monterey Bay Aquarium sells thousands of sea otter T-shirts after Taylor Swift shoutout

A surprise fashion assist from Taylor Swift opened the door for a quick-response T-shirt sale at the Monterey Bay Aquarium that has raised more than $1 million in less than a day.

After the pop star wore a vintage aquarium sea otter shirt in a release party movie for her new “The Life of a Showgirl” album, the world-renowned facility jumped on the opportunity to re-issue the design, which dates back to the 1990s.

“Swiftie eagle eyes had noticed a vintage Monterey Bay Aquarium otter shirt in ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ official release party movie. Soon our feeds were flooded!” the aquarium posted on its website. “Huge thanks for the love.”

But that was only the start.

“After going viral, we saw a wave of $13 donations (Taylor’s favorite number) to support our sea otter program and other critical ocean conservation work,” the website said. “Swifties, you truly walk the talk.”

Following up on that initial mini tsunami, aquarium Sherlocks tracked down the original artwork and placed an order from Liberty Graphics for a limited number of all-cotton replica T-shirts to spur donations to the sea-otter rescue program and other conservation efforts.

By 5:40 p.m. Thursday, the T-shirt sale had fully sold out all 42,500 adult shirts and 7,500 child shirts, raising more than $1.4 million and surpassing a $1.3 million goal.

The website then began accepting back orders, and by 11 a.m. Friday, the total had reached more than $2.1 million.

Swift and fiancé Travis Kelce are said to be avid sea otter fans who want to support the species and the aquarium.

“It quickly became clear this wasn’t just a pop-culture moment,” said Liz MacDonald, the aquarium’s director of content strategy. “It was an opportunity to elevate our Sea Otter Program to a global audience and engage new supporters in our conservation work in a big and fun way.”

The T-shirt, which is available in both adult and child sizes, sells for a minimum donation of $65.13 — again reflecting Swift’s affinity for the No. 13.

For more about the fundraiser, visit the aquarium’s website or tiltify.com/monterey-bay-aquarium/sea-otter-shirt-reprint to order yours.

This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 2:34 PM.

Kathe Tanner

The Tribune

805-781-7904 (voicemails only)

Kathe Tanner has been writing about the people and places of SLO County’s North Coast since 1981, first as a columnist and then also as a reporter. Her career has included stints as a bakery owner, public relations director, radio host, trail guide and jewelry designer. She has been a resident of Cambria for more than four decades, and if it’s happening in town, Kathe knows about it.