Celebrities Embrace Merch as the New Love Language

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In a shift in celebrity dating culture, top stars like Kylie Jenner, Zoë Kravitz, and Zendaya are using branded merchandise as a way to publicly express their romantic relationships. From Jenner wearing her boyfriend Timothée Chalamet's jacket to Kravitz and Zendaya donning hats and water bottles featuring their partners' names and projects, this trend highlights how celebrities are finding more subtle, stylish ways to acknowledge their love lives without making direct public statements.

Why it matters

This emerging trend among young, high-profile celebrities demonstrates how merch has become a new form of 'love language' in Hollywood. Rather than traditional public displays of affection or direct comments about their relationships, stars are using branded apparel and accessories to signal their romantic connections in a more understated, fashionable way.

The details

Last fall, Kylie Jenner was spotted wearing her boyfriend Timothée Chalamet's viral Marty Supreme jacket to a New York Yankees game, kicking off a fan frenzy over the windbreaker. This month, both Zoë Kravitz and Zendaya have been photographed wearing merch related to their respective partners - Kravitz in a 'kiss' baseball hat and a water bottle with the acronym 'TPWK' (for Harry Styles' song 'Treat People With Kindness'), and Zendaya in a hat from boyfriend Tom Holland's non-alcoholic beer brand Bero.

• In the fall of 2022, Kylie Jenner wore Timothée Chalamet's Marty Supreme jacket.
• This month (March 2026), Zoë Kravitz and Zendaya have been spotted wearing merch related to their partners.