A few days ago, after a thorough analysis of the style of Lily-Rose Depp and his current girlfriend Dany Moon, it was noticed how little their images “talked to each other.” The first has very tight, revealing looks, while the second has baggy dresses, t-shirts and chunky shoes. Why was it weird? Simply because in the past love for matching images has always been more common than for mismatched ones; There were iconic couples for whom the same look became a real obsession.
Perhaps the best example is Brad Pitt, who was described by one newspaper as “a man who likes to be like his girlfriend.” Whether it’s Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston or Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad has always sported a look that matched his current significant other, including the hair. It is not clear whether it was he who started this fashion, but he is certainly one of the stars immortalized in couple of the same look most often, whether it’s sunglasses paired with Gwyneth or sporty looks paired with Jennifer.
There was a time in history when all the famous couples seemed to want to dress together. However, this period corresponds to the peak of paparazzi activity: in the late 1990s and early 2000s, celebrities could not take a step outside the house, so as not to be immortalized by some hidden paparazzi who immediately sold their pictures to various gossips. . This meant that when the two stars started dating – whether it was sincere love or a publicity stunt – attention was paid to them. It was in this context that stars began to capitalize on the couple branding phenomenon, increasing their success and the attention they received from the media through their relationships and public appearances. And what could be more interesting than a famous couple walking hand in hand? The famous couple walked hand in hand in identical outfits.
Couples like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake made costume history with their appearance at the 2001 American Music Awards in matching denim looks. They also like David and Victoria Beckham, who have never stopped coordinating their public image since 1999, from the most literal examples, such as their black leather look at a Versace party in London in 1999, to the latest red carpets. Once again, Beyoncé and Jay-Z met in jeans at an MTV TRL event in 2002.
Although the days when tabloids and paparazzi defined pop culture and fashion are far from those times, couple branding has never ceased to exist and function. Something has changed, and today Kanye West is committed to making us relive Brad Pitt’s obsession: first with Kim Kardashian, then with Julia Fox at social events like Kenzo’s 2021 Paris fashion show, and now with Bianca Censori. But even couples like Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are photographed in New York wearing matching pink outfits, photo shoots with fluorescent synthetic fur for her and green for him, and camouflage cargo pants and matching trucker caps at dinner.
While there is a lot of marketing involved in all of this, there is also human nature at the heart of it. Because even outside the sanctuary of celebrity, dressing to match your loved one can bring joy and a sense of special connection. And if all this brings good publicity to your public image, even better.