Justin Bieber’s NHL All-Star look has internet in hysterics: ‘Dressed like a Super Mario Mushroom’

‘There was no doubt you could pick him out of a crowd pretty easily,’ Leafs’ superstar Auston Matthews said of the outfit

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Published Feb 03, 2024 • Last updated 3 minutes ago • 3 minute read

Canadian singer Justin Bieber lived out his childhood dreams at Saturday’s NHL All-Star Game in Toronto. But his jacket was the source of much amusement online. Photo by Cole Burston /Getty Images

Lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan Justin Bieber got to live out a childhood dream Saturday when he took to the ice as a celebrity captain at the NHL All-Star Game.

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But Bieber, who co-designed this year’s All-Star Game jerseys, caused heads to turn as he arrived for the tilt at Scotiabank Arena in an oversized red polka dot mohair puffer jacket from Marni.

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The outfit was promptly jeered online, with several wisecrackers on social media saying Biebs looked like he was ready for bed.

”What on Earth is wrong with rich people and their fashion sense?” one person asked on X. “Kid just showed up to a hockey game dressed in a comforter.”

Others wondered if Bieber’s outfit was inspired by his fellow celebrity captain Michael Buble’s admission Thursday that he had taken mushrooms before the all-star player draft.

”First Buble and now this. What’s with the mushroom theme this weekend?” one person swiped.

“A mushroom seems to be the theme of the All-Star game this year,” a second added.

”[He’s] dressed like a Super Mario Mushroom,” another member of the fashion police joked.

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”Did Justin Bieber murder a Muppet for his jacket?” one X user wondered, with others comparing his look to James P. Sullivan from the animated movie Monsters Inc.

But not everyone was hating on the look. Toronto forward Mitch Marner called it a “winning jacket” when they met in the Leafs’ locker room.

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And chatter over the the Sorry singer’s outfit couldn’t overshadow the fact that for a brief moment he got to live out his childhood dream when he hit the ice with the NHL’s biggest stars for their pre-game skate.

”I’m waiting for someone to come and tell me I gotta wear a helmet,” he was captured saying to Matthews during warmups.

”It’s been a minute,” Bieber later said to Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly. “It’s been a minute. This is so fun though. This is a dream.”

Team McDavid goalie Sergei Bobrovsky asked Bieber if he was going to play. “Just the warmup,” Bieber replied. “I’ll get hurt.”

Celebrity Captain Justin Bieber of Team Matthews warms up prior to the 2024 Honda NHL All-Star Game. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Images

Bieber snapped pics on ice with the Matthews, Marner, Rielly and William Nylander, as well as the Oilers’ Connor McDavid.

After warmups, Bieber shared a moment with Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby in the locker room.

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“When’s the last time you skated?” Crosby asked as they shook hands.

”It’s been a second,” Bieber replied. “Last year, I was f—ing around a little bit, but I’m just relaxing.”

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When he spoke to ESPN during Team Matthews’ first round match against Team Hughes, Bieber called his all-star experience “unbelievable.”

”I feel like I’ve had vivid dreams about this at night, so it’s beautiful,” he said. Asked about the coat, Bieber said, “This is a company called Marni, and I don’t know. I’m obsessed.”

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After breezing past Team Hughes in round one, Team Matthews beat Team McDavid 7-4 in the NHL All-Star Game final. The winners will split a US$1-million prize.

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In their post-game press conference, Matthews and Rielly praised Bieber’s enthusiasm behind the bench.

“He obviously really enjoyed it and it was cool to have somebody like him and the other celebrities over the weekend,” Matthews told reporters. “It was a cool moment for him to get on the ice and snap around with some of the fellas. I think everyone got a kick out of that.”

Rielly said Bieber was “more involved” than he anticipated in motivating the players on Team Matthews. “He was good,” the Leafs defenceman said with a grin. “I think he was enjoying himself.”

Of course, Matthews, too, had some thoughts about the two-time Grammy winner’s coat.

“If you were up pretty high in the stands, there was no doubt you could pick him out of a crowd pretty easily,” the All-Star Game MVP said smiling.

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To help kick off the weekend, Bieber returned to the stage for the first time in over a year when he performed at Drake’s History nightclub in the city’s east end. Footage posted by fans inside showed Bieber playing a jazzy version of 2010’s Baby, Peaches, Hold On (his love letter to the Leafs) and a cover of SZA’s Snooze among others.

Bieber’s surprise appearance came after fans speculated he might be readying himself for a musical return after he shared photos to his Instagram of himself rehearsing in the studio.

mdaniell@postmedia.com

X: @markhdaniell

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