For 20- and thirty-something stars dating in the spotlight, merch might be the most liberating way to make a romantic statement.
Celebrities and It girls alike have been incorporating more merch into their street style for a couple of years now, but in an evolution of the trend, the branded pieces are now becoming more of a staple for coupled-up stars.
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Last fall, Kylie Jenner wore boyfriend Timothée Chalamet’s viral Marty Supreme jacket to a New York Yankees game (kicking off what would turn into a fan craze over the windbreaker). And this month, Zoë Kravitz and Zendaya each stepped out wearing her respective beau’s merch. On several outings, Kravitz repped a “kiss” baseball hat nodding to boyfriend Harry Styles’s new album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. She also recently carried a water bottle emblazoned with the acronym “TPWK,” for his 2019 song “Treat People With Kindness.” Zendaya, meanwhile, was photographed this past weekend in Rome, Italy, while in a white-and-green hat from partner (and maybe husband) Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand, Bero.
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It’s quite a statement coming from Jenner, Kravitz, and Zendaya—all who do their best to keep the details of their relationships out of the spotlight. In wearing their men’s merch, they’re essentially saying to the outside world: No, I will not cave and give you an on-the-record statement about my relationship, but I will wear this hat that declares my love for my person—and looks great with my outfit.
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Step aside, “acts of service,” “gifts,” “words of affirmation,” “quality time,” and “physical touch,” there’s a new love language in Hollywood, and it’s a lot more stylish.