On a flag hanging from the front of a bar, Taylor Swift is depicted as a Madonna. When at midnight, thousands of people gathered on the sidewalks, leaving Taylor Swift’s second concert at La Défense Arena, the decoration of the Corcoran’s bar did not escape the “Swifties”, these unconditional admirers of the pop star and recognizable by their extravagant, colorful outfits, adorned with sequins and jewelry of all kinds.
At the entrance to Corcoran’s, waiters greet the fans, most of whom are exhausted following the crazy evening electrified by the American singer. Using English to cut with a knife, the bar employees lure them towards a cardboard mascot of the singer, installed for the occasion. Some curious people stop and have their photo taken next to their idol. An American woman, glittered from head to toe, can’t help but laugh at the sight of this miniature representation of Taylor Swift. After a few minutes, the staff is already overwhelmed. “Come back tomorrow, that’s not possible. In five minutes, thirty thousand people will burst into the street,” exclaims a bartender, supported by two of his colleagues, Charlie and Antoine.
For the bar, the opportunity was too good not to take advantage of. In order to attract as many “Swifties” as possible, Corcoran’s has chosen to review its interior decoration. The woodwork of the Irish pub is mixed with multicolor, the richness of Taylor Swift style. The best-placed tables are topped with sparkling garlands representing an album by the artist: gold for Fearless, pink for Red. Enough to remember the diva’s famous fringed outfits. His clips are projected on giant screens while his songs resonate throughout the evening in the packed room.
Unsurprisingly, fans are won over. A group of three 20-year-olds took a seat at the Fearless table. Marion does not hide her satisfaction: “It’s very immersive, it sets the mood. We were already there in the afternoon to have a drink. We decided to go back there for dinner. Decorating is easy, but it’s always fun. » To her left, Mélissa adds that she had already gone to Corcoran’s for the Imagine Dragons concert, in August 2023: “That’s when I noticed the bar,” she says. -She.
As the trio resumes their discussion, the main subject of which remains the impressive scenography of the concert, two cousins at the next table examine the friendship bracelet – symbol of the Swifties – that Corcoran’s offers to its customers. Lisa is from San Francisco, Jessica from Toronto. They are therefore far from their homeland and have made the journey to follow the artist. Regarding the location, they are full of praise: “We love seeing that small businesses support Swift! Everyone is fully engaged, everyone is in the same state of mind! »
The person responsible for this “makeover” is an interior decorator. Angie, originally from South Africa, has been a Taylor Swift fan since 2009. “This is the first time I’ve decorated for a concert. Normally, I mainly take care of Christmas and holidays,” she confides. “I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to do for Taylor Swift’s tour for a year. She deserves to have something done for her, even if I only had two days to install everything,” she explains.
What guided him, beyond his love for the star, was a cosmopolitan desire to bring together these “Swifties” who, for some, had made a long journey to attend the concerts. “I wanted to create an atmosphere to welcome all the fans, who come from all over the world!” A boon for Corcoran’s whose capacity saturates after each Taylor Swift concert.