Louvre ‘fedora man’ revealed: Meet the stylish teen dresser snapped at scene of heist

By Caroline Baum and Saskya Vandoorne, CNN

Paris (CNN) — As all eyes turned to the Louvre after the shocking theft of the French crown jewels, one especially stylish figure on the museum grounds caught the internet’s attention: a sharply dressed young man, wearing a three-piece suit and a fedora tilted just so.

As speculation swirled about the identity of the so-called “French detective” pictured at the scene, 15-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux, who featured in the photo, was enjoying his new double life.

The teenager met CNN at his home in Rambouillet, about 30 miles southwest of the French capital, to discuss the social media furor.

Though he may cite fictional Belgian detective Hercule Poirot as a style icon, Pedro confirmed that he was not involved in any investigations and that he had not been able to locate any of the €88 million ($102m) stolen crown jewels.

He learned about the viral photo when a friend showed him a TikTok video with the now-famous image. The video had nearly 6 million views.

“In the moment, it was, like, very funny. And we went back to the Louvre to see the reaction of the people,” he told CNN. “People maybe recognized me, but I’m not sure.”

Pedro had planned to spend October 19, the day of the Louvre heist, at the famed museum with his mother and grandfather. When the trio arrived to find the museum closed, the stylish highschooler was unknowingly photographed by an AP journalist documenting the crime scene.

What many online commentators had deemed a detective outfit is simply Pedro’s everyday look.

“For me, it’s important to dress classic. And I like to dress like that because I love history, especially the 20th century,” he said.

The young history buff has been embracing 40s-era fashion for almost a year now, he said. His obsession with the style began when he dressed as Jean Moulin, a hero of the French resistance during World War II, for carnival, a festive period celebrated in many countries ahead of Lent. Amid the parades and costumed festival-goers, he found a liking for the new look.

“He realized the effect he had on other people,” his mother, Félicité Garzon Delvaux, explained. “Everyone looked impressed. Okay, something is happening there.”

Since then, he has adopted the vintage style everywhere, even at school.

Unlike many of his classmates, Pedro does not own sweatpants. He is not, however, above reaching for the cargo pant on occasion.

Good taste has long been a topic of discussion for the Garzon Delvaux family.

Pedro’s mother, who brought him to the Louvre on that eventful day, grew up in Chartres, about 50 miles southwest of Paris, “in a museum” with an art curator for a mother and a prolific French storyteller for a father.

In their home in Rambouillet, paintings, antiques and knick-knacks line walls and shelves in a manner reminiscent of an exhibition.

“The beauty of things is always very important in our family,” Félicité affirmed.

Due to her husband’s job as a diplomat, the family moved often, living in England, Spain, Bangladesh, and eastern France before returning to Rambouillet four years ago.

Some of the Pedro’s most striking pieces have been gathered from around the world.

His vintage Soviet watch, for example, was bought in an antique store in Calcutta and repaired with parts that he sourced from Bulgaria with his father.

His first tailored suit was commissioned at the age of 12 during a year spent in Bangladesh.

Asked what he wants to do in the future, Pedro said he was interested in pursuing diplomacy like his father and paternal grandfather, or perhaps joining the military.

The young man conceded that the uniforms may have something to do with the matter.

But despite his carefully cultivated appearances, Pedro remains an enthusiastic young man of his own generation.

When asked if his friends at school appreciate his style, he was quick to respond. “Yeah, I think I have a lot of aura.”

The-CNN-Wire
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