Louvre 'Fedora Man' Revealed: Meet 15-Year-Old Pedro — the Sharp‑Dressed Teen at the Heist Scene

Louvre 'Fedora Man' Revealed: Meet the Sharp‑Dressed Teen Photographed at the Heist Scene

When attention turned to the Louvre after the dramatic theft of the French crown jewels, one sharply dressed figure on the museum grounds captured the internet’s imagination: a young man in a three-piece suit and a carefully tilted fedora.

The widely circulated image, taken by an Associated Press photographer at the cordoned-off scene, shows 15-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux. The photo sparked online speculation — some dubbed him a "French detective" — but Pedro has been clear that he had no involvement in the theft and has not located any of the missing jewels, valued at about €88 million (roughly $102 million).

Pedro, who lives in Rambouillet about 30 miles southwest of Paris, told CNN he first discovered the photo had gone viral when a friend showed him a TikTok clip that included the image; that video amassed 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 said. “People maybe recognized me, but I’m not sure.”

He had planned to visit the Louvre on October 19 with his mother and grandfather. When they arrived and found the museum closed, an AP journalist photographed the teenager at the cordoned-off site. What many online commentators labeled a detective outfit is, in Pedro's case, simply his 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,” Pedro said.

The 15-year-old history enthusiast favors 1940s-inspired clothing. His interest began when he dressed as Jean Moulin, a hero of the French Resistance, for carnival and noticed how impressed people were. “He realized the effect he had on other people,” his mother, Félicité Garzon Delvaux, said. “Everyone looked impressed. Okay, something is happening there.”

Pedro wears vintage pieces even at school: he reportedly does not own sweatpants, though he will occasionally wear cargo trousers. His family home in Rambouillet reflects a deep appreciation for art and antiques — his mother grew up surrounded by curatorial work and storytelling, and their rooms are filled with paintings and curios arranged almost like a small exhibition.

Because his father is a diplomat, the family lived in England, Spain, Bangladesh and eastern France before returning to Rambouillet four years ago. Many of Pedro’s most striking items were collected abroad: a vintage Soviet wristwatch bought in Calcutta was repaired with parts he and his father tracked down in Bulgaria; his first tailor-made suit was commissioned at age 12 while the family lived in Bangladesh.

Asked about his future, Pedro said he might follow his father and paternal grandfather into diplomacy or possibly join the military — a choice he admitted may be partly influenced by an admiration for uniforms. Despite his cultivated vintage look, he remains a typical teenager who enjoys the attention while insisting he had no connection to the Louvre theft.

Note: The crown jewels are reported to be worth approximately €88 million. Pedro has denied any involvement in the incident and has not been implicated by authorities.