Madame Tussauds Sydney's new Taylor Swift wax figure will celebrate The Tortured Poets Department era, as part of the global entertainment brand's biggest launch to date
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SYDNEY, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In news that's sure to make every Swiftie's wildest dreams come true, global entertainment brand Madame Tussauds today unveils its biggest figure launch to date, creating not one, but 13 brand new Taylor Swift wax figures. The figures, launching in 13 cities across four continents, will make guests feel as if they've stepped on stage at Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour.
This simultaneous multi-figure launch is the most ambitious in Madame Tussauds' 250-year history, reflecting Taylor Swift's standing as one of the most influential and enduring artists of the 21st century. The trailblazing star recently wrapped her record-breaking Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour – selling-out 149 dates across five continents – and now Madame Tussauds marks this legacy by immortalising iconic moments from the historic tour for fans around the world.
Laura Sheard, Global Brand Director at Madame Tussauds, said: "Taylor Swift is a generational icon and a cultural powerhouse. Madame Tussauds has a centuries-old legacy of holding a mirror up to the world of fame, immortalising the profiles that are making an imprint on the day's culture. Taylor Swift's influence spans music, fashion, film, activism and even the economy. The phenomenal success of her record-smashing tour is the perfect moment for Madame Tussauds to immortalise with 13 figures – Taylor's lucky number – across four continents to ensure we're reaching as many fans as possible. We just know they are going to love it as much as we do."
A team of more than 40 highly skilled Madame Tussauds artists has been working tirelessly for 14 months on the exciting project, which features each of the 13 figures dressed in a unique fan-favourite look from Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour. Images and footage released today reveal the Madame Tussauds Sydney figure celebrates The Tortured Poets Department era in show-stopping style.
Taking inspiration from leg two of Taylor Swift | The Eras tour, the new figure is dressed in an iconic look from British design house Vivenne Westwood – the white taffeta corseted gown is delicately inscribed with lyrics from Taylor's single Fortnight. The look is finished with matching white lace up Christian Louboutin ankle boots, donated by the fashion house, white crystal embellished gloves and bespoke microphone created by Rebel Stage Gear UK, the specialist customisation company behind the original microphones Taylor used during the tour.
Danielle Cullen, Madame Tussauds' Senior Figure Stylist said: "This is the most ambitious project in Madame Tussauds' 250-year history which only feels right to reflect the stratospheric status of Taylor Swift. We're honoured to have worked closely with fashion houses like Roberto Cavalli, Vivienne Westwood, Versace, Christian Louboutin, Alberta Ferretti and Etro to recreate some of the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour's most iconic looks – many of which will have special significance to the cities the 13 new figures will call home. It feels a fitting celebration to give Swifties the chance to commemorate moments from this once-in-a-generation tour in a way that only Madame Tussauds can."
Today's launch marks the biggest undertaking by Madame Tussauds since unveiling seven Harry Styles figures in 2023 and eight Lady Gaga figures in 2011. Rolling out across the world-famous entertainment brand's global estate, the new figures will appear in the Amsterdam, Berlin, Blackpool, Budapest, Hollywood, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Nashville, New York, Orlando and Sydney attractions, with a touring figure kicking off its residency in Shanghai.
Following today's iconic unveiling, fans will be able to visit Madame Tussauds Sydney's new Taylor Swift wax figure at the attraction from Thursday 24 July. Keep an eye out on Madame Tussauds' social channels for more news on this historic launch.
Instagram: @tussaudssydney
Facebook: @MadameTussaudsSydney
TikTok: @MadameTussaudsSydney
About Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds is the global barometer of fame. We immortalise celebrity. By recreating iconic moments of fame, we give you the chance to mingle with the mighty, to tread the red carpet and to get up close to the stars in a way the internet can't. We cast the magic through a fusion of astonishingly life-like figures, interactive sets, and cutting-edge technology which make you feel like you are there with extraordinary people in their moments of fame. After all, we deliver experiences based on a 250-year-old legacy: that all guests should experience the thrill of feeling like they have met with fame.
About Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments is a world leader in branded entertainment destinations, offering a diverse portfolio of resort theme parks, city-center gateway attractions and LEGOLAND® Resorts which span across the UK, US, Western Europe, China and Asia Pacific. Dedicated to creating experiences that inspire joy and connection, Merlin welcomes more than 62 million guests annually to its diverse global estate in over 20 countries. An expert in bringing world-famous entertainment brands to life, Merlin works with partners including the LEGO® Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari to create destinations where guests can immerse themselves in a wide array of brand-driven worlds, rides and uplifting learning experiences. 
See www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information. 
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Madame Tussauds unveils 13 new Taylor Swift figures in historic global launch
Madame Tussauds unveils 13 new Taylor Swift figures in historic global launch
GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 14, 2026, Guangzhou Zhongshan Whampoa School for Hong Kong and Macao Students (ZWIS) and Foshan Zhongshan Whampoa Star-raise School for Hong Kong and Macao Students (ZWSS)—both established by ZWIE—formally signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), marking the launch of several substantive collaborative initiatives. The two ZWIE schools will introduce EdUHK's "Mainland Secondary School Principals' Recommendation Scheme" and provide outstanding EdUHK students with opportunities for school visits, immersive on-campus experiences, and internships. The partners will also jointly organize admission seminars and parent engagement activities to offer families cutting-edge educational guidance.
Professor May Cheng May-hung, Vice President (Academic) of EdUHK, said that the signing of the memorandum marks a significant and solid step forward in promoting educational innovation and deepening exchanges between both parties. This collaboration covers multiple areas, which will enhance students' practical abilities, foster professional exchanges among teachers, and further strengthen the cooperation between the educational sectors of the two regions.
Dr. Peggy Zhai, Principal of Zhongshan Whampoa School for Hong Kong and Macao Students, said that this collaboration represents a profound integration of academia and practice. It not only creates a fast track to quality education for students and injects new vitality into teacher development and teaching research advancement, but also provides a high-end, quality career platform for outstanding students of EdUHK, further promoting the integration of education in the Greater Bay Area.
The partnership is founded on the alignment of educational philosophies and mutual high regard for each other's strengths. EdUHK is a government-funded higher education institution dedicated to advancing learning and teaching through the provision of teacher education programs, as well as diverse academic and research programs in social sciences and humanities. In the March-released "2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject" in education, EdUHK ranked 12th globally, fourth in Asia, and second in Hong Kong. Additionally, it was rated as a "5-Star Institution" in the "QS Stars University Ratings." The Zhongshan Whampoa Schools for Hong Kong and Macao Students, established in Guangzhou and Foshan by ZWIE based on over two decades of experience, have grown into leading force in educating Hong Kong and Macao students in the Greater Bay Area. The Guangzhou campus has obtained authorization for the IB MYP-DP continuum and Cognia accreditation, and was listed among the "Hurun Education•Top 100 International Schools in China 2025."
As a pioneer in the integration of Eastern and Western holistic education, ZWIE has been deeply rooted in the Greater Bay Area for over 23 years and has established and supported multiple IB World Schools. Grounded in local educational characteristics and integrated with the IB curriculum framework, ZWIE actively promotes the fusion and innovation of IB and Chinese education, constructing a coherent 15-year IB holistic education ecosystem from kindergarten through high school. It was elected as the founding chair unit of Chong Wa International Baccalaureate Schools Association (CISA), officially recognized by the IB in Greater China. This achievement is underpinned by an educational legacy spanning a century.
ZWIE's approach to integrated education traces back to the great-grandfather of Mr. James Wong, Chairman of ZWIE—Mr. Wu Shangshi, a pioneering figure in Chinese hydrogeography and a master of modern geography in Lingnan. Mr. Wu Shangshi graduated from the English Department of Sun Yat-sen University, pursued advanced studies in France under renowned French geographers, and upon returning to China, taught at Sun Yat-sen University where he later served as head of the Geography Department.
Mr. Wu Shangshi was proficient in English, French, and German. His translation of Hydrology of Rivers was the first French monograph translated in the Chinese geographical community. His published Research on the Topography of the Eastern Foothills of Baiyun Mountain was one of China's earliest true topographical papers. The "Pearl River Delta" geographical theory was finalized and matured under his research, and the "Seven Star Hill Ancient Marine Abrasion Relics" he discovered are now listed as a key Guangzhou cultural relics protection unit. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he led teachers and students on a walking survey of the mountains and rivers of northern Guangdong, holding steadfastly to his lectures amidst the fires of war, integrating a sense of national and familial commitment into the educational ethos.
Many of Mr. Wu Shangshi's descendants have dedicated themselves to education, and this educational ideal of "rooting in China, looking to the world" has been passed down through generations. In 2003, Mr. James Wong was entrusted by his family to return from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, the place where Mr. Wu Shangshi studied and taught, to explore integrated Chinese and Western education for the new era. The name "Zhonghuang" (中黃) is derived from "Zhonghua Yanhuang" (中華炎黃), and from its inception, its mission has been to inherit and promote Chinese culture.
For over two decades, ZWIE has driven curriculum innovation as its core, developing an integrated curriculum system with both local roots and international perspective. In recent years, ZWIE has continually advanced curriculum evolution, deeply integrating AI-enabled teaching while strengthening science and innovation education. It has explored joint programs with several century-old prestigious schools in the Greater Bay Area to cultivate top innovative talents among Hong Kong and Macao students. As a rising star among schools for Hong Kong and Macao students in the region, ZWIE achieved remarkable results in its inaugural 2025 DSE cohort: at the Guangzhou campus, 46.6% of graduates received offers from top three universities in Hong Kong, 73.3% from top five, including four admitted to the University of Hong Kong (covering flagship programs in Medicine and International Business and Global Management). At the Foshan campus, all inaugural DSE graduates received offers from top five Hong Kong universities or mainland 985/211 institutions, achieving outcomes comparable to Hong Kong Band 1 schools. All graduates from the ZWIE American Curriculum Department gained admission to top 100 world universities.
Mr. James Wong, Chairman of ZWIE, expressed that ZWIE originated in Hong Kong and has accumulated 23 years of practical experience in integrated education within the Greater Bay Area. This in-depth collaboration with EdUHK not only signifies high recognition of ZWIE's educational practices but also provides strong support for ZWIE's return to Hong Kong to extend its operations. Mr. Wong mentioned that ZWIE is actively promoting the launch of a new Hong Kong project, "Zhongshan Whampoa Academy," dedicated to exploring Sino-foreign integrated international curricula with Chinese characteristics, cultivating innovative talents with both noble character and global competence. He looks forward to this as a new starting point—based in the Greater Bay Area, facing the "Belt and Road"—to contribute the wisdom of Chinese education to the world.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
ZWIE and The Education University of Hong Kong Sign Memorandum of Cooperation to Promote Exchange and Deepen Collaboration
ZWIE and The Education University of Hong Kong Sign Memorandum of Cooperation to Promote Exchange and Deepen Collaboration
ZWIE and The Education University of Hong Kong Sign Memorandum of Cooperation to Promote Exchange and Deepen Collaboration
