Erling Haaland made the oversized Hermès Birkin a football fashion flex. Now Ryan Reynolds is being accused of copying the Man City striker's style, and the internet is not buying it as a coincidence.
The actor stepped out this week in a corduroy, overall-style outfit paired with an Hermès bag, and fashion commentators immediately clocked the resemblance to Haaland's now-famous Hermès Haut à Courroies collection from the World Cup.
Blake Lively got dragged into the comparison too, with critics saying the couple have swapped their relaxed off-duty look for something far more curated and brand-heavy.
Not everyone views this as a problem. Some supporters believe that Reynolds is purposefully adopting an exaggerated style rather than genuinely trying to mimic Haaland's aesthetic. Others argue that athlete-driven fashion trends have become mainstream this year and claim that Reynolds is 'copying' based on just one paparazzi appearance is an overstatement.
Fans Debate Reynolds and Lively's New Look
The bag was what sparked people's reactions. Haaland's Hermès collection, which includes the limited-edition HAC 50 'Endless Road', received a lot of praise during the World Cup.
Shortly after, Reddit users pointed out that Reynolds and Lively appeared wearing nearly identical accessories. The criticism isn't really about carrying the luxury brand, but centres on timing. When the celebrity couple showed up second with the same item, they risked being labelled a copycat rather than seen as trendsetters.
How Corduroy and Overalls Stunned Fashion Commentators
The corduroy overalls did Reynolds no favours. On Reddit, he was given the nickname 'Corduryan', plus a string of comparisons to a toddler's romper. One user pointed out the silhouette looked a lot like Lively's own press-tour outfits for It Ends With Us, which only added to the sense that the couple's looks have started blurring into one.
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Haaland's silk pyjama sets and oversized bags read as confident because he owns the bit. Reynolds' version, critics argue, reads more like he is trying on someone else's outfit than like he is wearing his own.
Why Fans Are Calling the Couple's Style 'Gaudy'
It was not just the fit that drew fire. Plenty of commenters said that flaunting wealth this hard just looks 'gauche', citing the old idea that real wealth does not need to announce itself.
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Others pushed back, noting that footballers and film stars often build their careers on this kind of visible display. They feel that it's unfair to single out Reynolds when this behaviour is common among many in Hollywood during press events.
This raises the main question: Is this a true evolution of style, or are they just trying to keep up with a trend that an athlete already embodies more convincingly?
Reynolds and Lively are not the first Hollywood couple to draw inspiration from sport's biggest style disruptors, but plenty of critics are unwilling to give them the benefit of the doubt. The recurring sentiment is that this was a copy, and Haaland got there first and did it better.
For a couple this scrutinised, that is not a good look to be stuck in the position of having to defend.
