Inside Taylor Swift's 'Eras' tour wardrobe: designer sketches and outfit details

Taylor Swift has returned and she's serious this time. This month saw the singer's much awaited "Eras" tour debut, and as you might guess, the astounding three-hour show includes a number of high-octane, custom-made costumes.

The show, which is now making its way around America before moving overseas, is divided into various parts to symbolise each of Swift's albums and features specially made attire for each period.

"The tour represents a very important moment in Taylor's career, because she conceived and built it as a journey through the different moments, or as the title suggests, the musical eras defining her career," said Alberta Ferretti, one of the designers behind one of Swift's numerous onstage ensembles. "It's an honor that she chose me to create the outfits for this unique event.

Taylor has shown through her work that she is a versatile artist who is capable of ongoing transformation and evolution. I have always been captivated by women who constantly question and challenge themselves.

Each outfit was meticulously thought out and created to reflect the mood of the respective album, such as a one-legged snake-motif Roberto Cavalli jumpsuit for Reputation or a flowy lilac Alberta Ferretti gown and an orange Etro design for Folklore. As the tour goes on, it also becomes more and more obvious that Swift plans to change up her clothing from one place to the next, introducing new pieces as she goes. Here, we highlight some of her striking tour wardrobe's best pieces, from designer sketches to minute details:

Alberta Ferretti

Taylor Swift donned a green Alberta Ferretti chiffon gown with a deep neckline, flowing sleeves, and embroidered leaf decoration for the tour's stop in Florida.

In this exquisite chiffon dress with voluminous sleeves, the singer whirled across the stage in Las Vegas. As she moved, the lace accents and crystal embroidery caught the light beautifully.

The singer also appeared on stage in a more delicate outfit, a layered, flouncy lilac dress by Alberta Ferretti. Ferretti said, "Considering these stage outfits for her also prompted me to consider my career's high points." The main characteristics of my style, such as lightness, softness, romanticism, attention to detail, and a delicate, gentle seduction, I believe are reflected in what we have produced.

Elie Saab

Swift appeared on stage wearing a stunning Elie Saab couture gown with flower appliqué and sparkling embellishments.

Versace

The performer wore a Versace sequined pinstripe jacket with matching gold buttons and gold stripes.

Swift wore a Versace bodysuit with iridescent embellishments and Christian Louboutin silver knee-high boots.

The artist sang her hit song "The Man" while wearing a bodysuit underneath a silver dazzling Versace blazer.

Zuhair Murad

Swift's 'Eras' wardrobe is centred around embroidered bodysuits. Zuhair Murad spent more than 350 hours using 20,000 sparkling crystals and pearls to create this purple beaded ensemble, which included matching Christian Louboutin knee-high boots. She also wore a similar beaded garter.

In Arizona, Taylor Swift began her tour in a custom-made tulle ballgown by Zuhair Murad Couture, which included stunning beading, sequins, pearls and crystal decorations all over the full skirt and bodice. The stunning dress required 50 metres of tulle, and the intricate design was handcrafted in the brand's studio over the course of more than 350 hours.

Oscar de la Renta

Swift finished the event on opening night in a stunning Oscar de la Renta leotard with beaded fringe and millions of crystals, matched with sparkling heels (appropriately, to perform songs from her most recent album, Midnights).

Roberto Cavalli

Swift accessorised her look with a pair of silver cowboy boots and a gold-trimmed minidress by Fausto Puglisi for Roberto Cavalli. The dress had a sweetheart neckline and shimmered with zigzag-patterned embroidered metallic fringe.

The Roberto Cavalli one-legged jumpsuit she wore on opening night was among her most striking ensembles. The garment has a three-dimensional embroidered snake motif wrapping from the bottom of her knee to the top of her neck, a black sheer sleeve, and sparkling fabric. She wore black ankle boots to complement the design's black bezels and snake.

Swift added a matching crop top and skirt to her outstanding tour wardrobe, making it her third Roberto Cavalli ensemble of the performance. She was dressed in a stylish fuchsia miniskirt and embroidered top with beaded details that moved when she danced.

She owned four pieces by the Italian designer, all of which had fringe and two-tone gold and silver crystal embellishments.

Nicole + Felicia

The artist additionally wore a custom crystal-embellished ballgown created by Nicole + Felicia over the glittering Zuhair Murad gown.