When Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet hard launched their relationship at Beyoncé’s birthday gig in Los Angeles earlier this month, the public was aghast. The internet proclaimed disbelief that the two existed on the same timeline, let alone knew each other. Or, at least, they were at first.
As a video of the pair attending a dinner celebrating Haider Ackermann’s beauty collaboration with Augustinus Bader went viral on TikTok days later, the collective consensus shifted: wait, actually, they do look kind of cute together in their matching, all-black ensembles. Then, by the time they packed on the PDA at the US Open men’s finals earlier this month, the dust had settled on the perceived randomness of it all.
It probably helps that they had morphed into each another, with the reality TV star and indie acting darling matching in black nineties sunnies, jeans, and T-shirts.
You know what they say: the couple who dresses together, stays together. And, if dressing alike was a love language, then the two appear to be fluent.
According to sources, the pair have been dating for more than six months and, during that time, the sartorial signs have been there. Although headlines talked of Kylie Jenner’s ‘Un-Kylie Jenner’ summer wardrobe — which included a rotation of Bottega Veneta sweetheart-neckline frocks, crocheted bags, and romantic floral Doên — fans pointed out that her new style could potentially be paying homage to her new beau. Especially as she posed under a peach tree, which was a huge motif in Chalamet’s career-making role in Call Me By Your Name (aka the ultimate cottage-core cinematic universe).
It’s a marked difference from her ultra-glam, Instagrammable, pre-Chalamet style, which saw the beauty CEO prefer stilettos, logos, and BBL dresses. Even her red-carpet fashion has changed — with Jenner preferring rare archival pieces and more fashion-forward gowns from rising designers like Turkish-British Dilara Findikoglu. All of which has turned her into a certified fashion It-girlie, as immortalised in viral campaigns with luxury brands Jean Paul Gaultier and Acne Studios. For the latter, she posed in extremely distressed denim and was flecked with mud. Uncharacteristically grimy for the Kylie Cosmetics founder.
Remind you of anyone? Chalamet is a certified fashion It-boy, too. After all, who could forget his pioneering backless red halter top at last year’s Venice Film Festival, or his double-leather Alexander McQueen red-carpet looks?
She isn't the only one in the Kardashian-Jenner family who loves using style as a signifier of how in sync they are with their partner. Sister Kourtney’s relationship with Travis Barker has ushered in a grungy, rockstar’s girlfriend-style era for the Poosh founder. Think: leather jackets, band tees, and heavy black eyeliner à la Barker.
As for Kendall, she loves a matching snakeskin boot moment with boyfriend Bad Bunny. While Kim is arguably the biggest style imitator of them all, with the Skims founder often styled by her former husband Kanye West during their six years together. “I always thought I had really good style — until I met my husband and he told me that I had the worst style,” Kim once said. “He was really nice about it, and cleaned out my whole closet.”
While we’re sure Chalamet is nowhere near Kylie’s wardrobe, whether it’s been prompted by a new stylist, a new era, or she’s been taking cues from her actor beau’s fashion credentials, everybody’s loving the new Kylie Jenner aesthetic.
