Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s style overhaul since becoming pop star Katy Perry’s boyfriend is fueling debate over the rise of the “celebrity statesman,” after the two were recently photographed vacationing together on a beach in St.-Tropez.
Details:
- The sighting: Trudeau and Perry were photographed cuddling on a St.-Tropez beach, swimming and applying sunscreen for each other, in images circulated by celebrity outlets.
- The transformation: After an early post-office look built around an everyman selfie at a Canadian Tire store, Trudeau’s style shifted alongside his relationship with Perry, from a plain T-shirt and jeans at Coachella to a tieless tux at her documentary premiere.
- Academic take: ‘It’s uncharted territory,’ said Vincent Raynauld, a communication studies professor at Emerson College who has studied Trudeau since 2017, of a former head of government adopting this kind of public persona.
- World Cup controversy: Trudeau drew criticism after choosing to watch Perry perform at the U.S. team’s World Cup opener rather than attend Canada’s own opening match.
- Historical context: The relationship joins a long list of politician-celebrity pairings, including Trudeau’s own father, Pierre Trudeau, who dated Barbra Streisand, and Senator Cory Booker’s relationship with Rosario Dawson.
What to Watch:
Neither Trudeau nor Perry has commented publicly on the article or the reaction to it.
Source: The New York Times
