How Kobe Bryant's Wife Vanessa Is Honoring Him During Taylor Swift's Eras Tour
Vanessa Bryant will love Kobe Bryant forever and always.
The 41-year-old made sure to keep her late husband close to her heart for Taylor Swift's string of shows in Los Angeles. As seen in photos posted on Instagram Stories Aug. 3, just hours before Taylor was scheduled to hit the stage for her first concert at SoFi Stadium, Vanessa included a large silkscreen of Kobe and the pop star on the back of her Eras Tour jacket.
The image—taken in 2015 when Kobe presented Taylor with a banner for setting the record for most sold-out shows at Staples Center—was framed by a bejeweled border and felted letters reading "SWIFTIE." Vanessa also sewed a heart-shaped patch with the words "say you'll remember me"—a reference to Taylor's 2014 smash hit "Wildest Dreams"—onto the front of her jacket.
She captioned her photo of her concert 'fit, "Mambacita."
Kobe and Vanessa's oldest daughter Natalia, 20, is also preparing to attend the Eras Tour, sharing a video of herself making friendship bracelets to trade with other Swifties.
Kobe was a huge Taylor fan before his death in 2020. In addition to their onstage encounter during the 1989 World Tour, the L.A. Lakers legend was known to blast Taylor's music when given the chance.
"I think it's important to listen to people who do great things," he shared during a 2019 appearance on The Jordan Harbinger Show. "Taylor's been at the top of the game for a very, very long time."
Kobe continued at the time, "I don't care if you like her music or don't like her music, look at what she's doing. It's frightening. It's unbelievable to be able to pull that off over and over, and so I look at things like that to try and learn from them as much as I can."
When Kobe died alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant and seven others in a helicopter crash, Taylor took to social media to express her condolences. "My heart is in pieces hearing the news of this unimaginable tragedy," she tweeted in January 2020. "I can't fathom what the families are going through. Kobe meant so much to me and to us all."
Taylor added, "Sending my prayers, love, and endless condolences to Vanessa and the family and anyone who lost someone on that flight."
Keep scrolling to see Vanessa and more stars at the Eras Tour.
Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa Bryant paid tribute to the late basketball player with her outfit for the Aug. 3 concert.
Rocking a custom "Taylor" shirt, the High School Musical star was ready for the Aug. 3 show in Los Angeles.
Gigi Hadid partied with her makeup artist Patrick Ta at the show in Santa Clara, Calif. He captioned their pic, "I Want To Bottle This Moment Up Forever."
The 13 Reasons Why actress was in the crowd in the Bay Area. "THIS NIGHT IS SPARKING !!!" she wrote on Instagram. "thank you @taylorswift @haimtheband @gracieabrams for the best night of my…life??"
The models snapped a pic from inside the VIP tent.
The Facebook founder, CEO of parent company Meta and father of three daughters attended the singer's July 28 concert in Santa Clara, Calif. with his family and shared pics on Instagram.
The social media mogul captioned his post, "Life of a girl dad."
"what a night in seattle!!!" Simu wrote of his date with girlfriend Allison Hsu. "i was absolutely BLOWN away by the eras tour, by taylor and by all of the amazing and kind swifties that stopped by the tent to say hello and give a bracelet. you really showed me that kindness always wins. bravo!!!"
Swift brought out her ex Taylor Lautner, plus Joey King and Presley Cash onstage at her show in Kansas City, Mo. July 7, 2023, the day she released her new music video, "I Can See You," starring the three.
"In my RED (Taylor's Version) Era and makin new friends," the rapper wrote June 9.
The Pretty Woman star shared her view of the stage in Chicago, writing, "@taylorswift I Love You. Thank you for being EVERYTHING WE EVER NEEDED! Ever."
The "girls girls girls" singer lip-synced to "Blank Space" at MetLife Stadium, quipping on TikTok, "no lies detected."
"I cried so hard when you sang welcome to NEW YORK," Drew wrote on Instagram after one of the New Jersey shosw. "I moved here not knowing where my life was going. And I actually found myself so happy in this chapter. I also cried watching my daughters and cousin Sadie watch and love and sing to someone so admirable. YOU. I LOVE YOU TAYLOR SWIFT!!!!!!!! You are the role model all of us girls and women need."
She continued, "Thank you for one of the best nights of our lives. We are so lucky to have seen your show... You transcend. And make life beautiful. Everyone passing beaded bracelets around. Witnessing the good."
Busy took her kids Birdie, 14, and Cricket, 9, to one of the MetLife shows, writing to Taylor afterward, "thank you for the magic that you've brought into my and my kids lives. Birdie adores you and I really think you would love her too."
Miles rocked out at Taylor's MetLife Stadium show on May 27, as photographed by Aaron Rodgers.
Miles' wife Keleigh attended too, after the couple starred in Taylor's "I Bet You Think About Me" music video in 2021.
Keleigh captioned her backstage pic with Taylor, "48 hours in ERAs heaven."
The Inventing Anna star busted a move with Keleigh.
The actresses had a "lil #BadBlood reunion" at her New York area shows, as Mariska put it on Instagram.
The comedians had the time of their lives at MetLife, with Matt revealing he hugged the singer's mom Andrea Swift.
The Summer I Turned Pretty star danced the night away with the book's author at a MetLife show.
Dressed in a cardigan and wearing beaded friendship bracelets, the You actress captioned a photo of herself on the way to the New York show, "eras tour here i come baby."
The Snow White actress explained, "i came dressed as betty" to Taylor's May 26 show in the New York area.
The actress took her kids Ellery and Jaya to opening night of the Eras Tour in Glendale, Ariz.
The country star rocked out to her show in Las Vegas.
The Home Edit organizer attended night one with her family in Arizona.
The former racing driver was in attendance for the Eras Tour in Arizona.
"We were all so in the moment that we didn't take many pictures together and I didn't even take that many videos," Danica wrote in a March 18 Instagram post. "@taylorswift sang 44 songs and it was the most amazing concert I have ever seen. Swiftie for life."
JJ Watt stepped out for the Eras Tour opening concert with wife Kealia Ohai Watt and other loved ones on March 18. Not only did the NFL star pose with a cardboard cutout of Taylor Swift in honor of the show, but he also took to Twitter to gush about the experience.
"I went to the Taylor Swift concert last night with my wife and her friends," JJ said in a video posted March 19. "First off, unbelievable. The production, the set design, the video boards, the sound quality, the speakers. You can tell when somebody does something at the top of their game and is trying to do the right way for their fans."
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