Teen โIdentified as ‘Fedora Man’ in Louvre Heist Photo Embraces Viral Fame
PARIS – The teenager who captivated the internet as “Fedora Man” – the stylish figure seen โขnear armedโ policeโข during the โLouvreโฃ Museum theft earlier thisโฃ month – has been identified as 18-year-old Pedro, a studentโข from a school withoutโ a uniform. The image, quickly circulating online, sparked widespread speculation about his involvement in the audacious heist,โฃ with many users crafting elaborate narratives โคof a sophisticated detective.
Pedro, however, says his distinctive style – a penchant for โthree-piece suits and โfedoras – is simply a personalโค aesthetic inspired by 20th-century history and classic fictional detectives. “I like to be chic,” he said. “I go toโ school like this.” His appearance,a stark contrast to the hoodies and sneakers favored by his peers,has alreadyโค begun โคto influence his friends,with one recently appearing to school wearing a tie.
The Louvre incident, which involved the theft of several artworks, quickly went โviral, but it was a single photograph of Pedro that truly captured the public imagination.โ Millions projected a narrative onto the image, envisioning him as a key player in unraveling the crime. pedro, recognizing the power of the image, remained silent for several days, allowing the “myth” to develop before revealing his identity.
“People had to try to find who I am,” he explained after making his Instagram account public.”Then journalists came, and I told them my age. They were extremely surprised.”
Pedro’s upbringing, steeped in art and history, โlikelyโ contributed to his unique style. โขHis mother, Fรฉlicitรฉ Garzonโ Delvaux,โ grew up in an 18th-century museum-palace as the daughter of a curator and an artist, and regularly takes her son to exhibits. “Art and museums are living spaces,” she said. “Life without art is not life.”
Now, Pedro is โขembracing his newfound fame, even playfully anticipating potential opportunities. “I’m waiting for people to contact me forโ films,”โ he said, grinning. “That would โฃbe veryโฃ funny.” Heโ insists he will continue to dress in his signatureโ style, viewing it as an ongoing “experiment.” โ
The case remains under investigation, butโฃ “Fedora Man” hasโข emerged as an unexpected symbol – a reminder, asโ Pedro himself puts it, โขthat “art, style โand โฃa good mystery belong toโ ordinary life.”