Sabrina Carpenter's SKIMS Campaign Didn't Rock Her Friendship With Taylor Swift

Sabrina Carpenter's decision to work with Kim Kardashian's clothing brand SKIMS shortly after opening on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour caused quite a stir online given the "Blank Space" hitmaker and the reality TV star have been embroiled in a long-running, bitter feud. It all started in February 2016 when Kardashian's then-husband, Kanye West, debuted his song "Famous" and essentially claimed that Swift wouldn't be nearly as successful if he hadn't interrupted her at the 2009 VMAs. Then, in July, the SKIMS founder released a phone call, later revealed to have been edited, that purportedly showed the singer-songwriter consenting to West's offensive lyrics. 

The footage stirred a seemingly career-ending hate storm for the "Shake It Off" songstress that forced Swift to put her thriving career on hold and take a year-long break from the public eye. In her 2023 TIME Person of the Year profile, the world-conquering pop star admitted that her feud with West and Kardashian hurt more than most people knew. However, Swift's feelings didn't play into the close-knit friendship she shares with Carpenter. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2024, the "Espresso" hitmaker clarified that she gave Swift a heads-up before collaborating with Kardashian. 

"I've been very, very communicative with her about that situation, and I just love her so much and support her till the end," Carpenter explained. "So it was no weirdness for me, but I know people will just say things because that's all they have time to do." Furthermore, the former Disney star stressed that she didn't concern herself with internet gossip.

Certain netizens couldn't understand why Sabrina Carpenter had to inform Taylor Swift about her SKIMS collaboration beforehand. One commentator on X, formerly known as Twitter, argued: "Asking permission for doing a campaign is crazy [...] she's such a lapdog." However, another user clapped back at their hot take by pointing out how unlikely it was that the "Feather" songstress begged Swift to let her take on the campaign. Carpenter probably just informed her of her decision to ensure there was no bad blood between them. Many commentators felt frustrated by how female artists who worked with Swift faced scrutiny for every little career move while others understood and appreciated the motivations behind the up-and-coming pop star's heads-up. 

Despite all the internet chatter, it certainly seems like their bond wasn't negatively affected. In fact, Carpenter revealed to Rolling Stone that Swift let in her on one of her best-kept secrets: Her songs. The "Nonsense" hitmaker got to listen to "But Daddy I Love Him" before the rest of the world when it was released as part of "The Tortured Poets Department." She went on to gush about Swift, "I hold her to such a different echelon," adding, "I could never compare my life, my career, my trajectory to anything close to what she's done." Further, a few days after Carpenter's stunning photos for SKIMS went live, she and her partner, Barry Keoghan, enjoyed a little double date with Swift and Travis Kelce at Coachella. 

It's no secret that Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez have been the best of friends for years. So, everyone was naturally surprised when the "Wizards of Waverly Place" alum took to her Instagram Stories in 2019 to enthuse about SKIMS: "Legit so freaking comfortable," (via Elle). However, after Gomez received significant backlash for promoting Kim Kardashian's brand, she deleted the snap and instead posted a photo of herself and Swift, reiterating how close they are. Then, in January 2024, another one of the "Fortnight" singer's friends, Lana Del Rey, collaborated with SKIMS for their Valentine's Day collection. While Gomez was criticized for a small Instagram Story, the "Summertime Sadness" hitmaker fortunately didn't receive much heat for being the face of their range. 

In fact, Del Rey even shouted out the Kardashians while discussing the collaboration with Vogue, confirming, "I love Kim, and I love her family." She continued, "Me and my sister are huge fans of them, and have been watching them forever." The outspoken star further noted that she absolutely adored the brand, and their everyday wear was a go-to, so the campaign was a total no-brainer. Swift didn't seem too bothered by the collaboration because she attended the Grammys with Del Rey by her side about a month later. At the end of the day, it appears as though the pop star doesn't want to let her past experiences with Kardashian get in the way of her friends furthering their careers.