Abel Tesfaye, the artist you may know as The Weeknd, is hard-launching a new era. The record-breaking pop star is entering exciting new territory through his acting debut in the HBO drama The Idol, where he plays an enigmatic LA club owner and cult leader named Tedros. Leading up to the premiere of the series on June 4, the star made another big announcement: He is shedding his moniker and going by his birth name. As he told W Magazine, “This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I’ve said everything I can say.”
To kick off his meaningful reintroduction, Tesfaye attended the Cannes premiere of The Idol in noticeably more restrained and dapper attire than the enviable array of red blazers, boxy jackets, and bomber coats we’ve seen him in. On Monday, it was all about the expertly crafted tuxedo and an iced-out wrist with his Piaget watch.
Tesfaye and his stylist, Matthew Henson, turned to designer Jonathan Anderson at Loewe for the formal moment. “We wanted to go with something formal with a twist that you might not notice at first glance,” Henson. “We went with a tuxedo that has a tighter placket and smaller lapel inspired by a leather jacket Jonathan did, for a modern take on a tuxedo.” The collaboration resulted in a suit that perfectly aligned with modern trends and approaches to the men’s suiting. Tesfaye’s silhouette was streamlined and fresh, but not overly trendy—the hard-to-achieve Goldilocks point.
“It was such a pleasure to create a bespoke tuxedo for Abel Tesfaye for this year’s Cannes Film Festival,” Jonathan Anderson, creative director at Loewe, told Vogue. “I’ve long been a fan of this unique and trailblazing polymath—a singer, composer, producer and now actor, whose influences range wide and deep. I’m truly honored he chose to wear Loewe for his Cannes debut.”
The outfit proved to be perfect for an undoubtedly meaningful juncture in Tesfaye’s career. After screening two episodes for an audience full of critics and Hollywood heavyweights, The Idol received a five-minute long standing ovation. Euphoria mastermind Sam Levinson, who serves as creator, writer, and director on the show, thanked the audience. “Abel and I thank our lucky stars,” he said.
