What’s The Invisible String Theory And Why Are People Talking About It?

A 2014 picture of Lewis Hamilton and Kim Kardashian is going viral, with people citing it as an example – and even “proof” – of the so-called “invisible string theory”.

The decade-old photo shows Lewis and Nicole Scherzinger (who were together on and off for around eight years), pictured alongside Kim Kardashian and her ex-husband Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) at the GQ Men of the Year Awards.

“This 2014 picture really hits different in 2026,” reads a post on Reddit’s r/poprant, alluding to the fact Kim is now in a romantic relationship with the Formula 1 driver.

“What do they call it? The invisible string theory?” added a commenter.

Meanwhile a social media post by entertainment site Page Six suggested the new couple are “proof” that the theory “really does exist”.

It’s a belief that people can be connected by an unseen force (the invisible string) which ultimately brings them together when the time is right.

This idea – that people come together through fate, and that the right people will find their way back to you – has been around for a very long time (in Chinese mythology, a red thread of fate was tied around those destined to be soulmates).

However, in recent years it was popularised by Taylor Swift’s song, Invisible String, as well as through a multitude of TikTok videos where people have shared their own “invisible string” stories.

“While the concept has roots in folklore and popular culture, many people relate to it because it captures the feeling that some relationships hold a unique significance in our lives,” marriage therapist and author of The Formula of Desire, Anna Elton, told Cosmopolitan.

We all love a love story – and in the case of Kim and Lewis, it began as friendship. The pair have known each other as far back as 2014 (probably even longer) when they were both in relationships with other people, and would often cross paths at various events, from fashion shows to Innovator awards.

Last October, Kim told Radio Andy that she wasn’t “open” to romance while she was studying for the bar and looking after her four children who “needed a little bit [of] extra attention”.

During an episode of The Kardashians a month later, she suggested she’s the “biggest hopeless romantic” and “when the right person comes along, I’ll be so ready”.

And ready she was. In February this year, there were rumours abound that the Skims founder and F1 legend had spent a romantic weekend together in the Cotswolds, before jetting off to Paris.

The pair were later spotted at the Super Bowl together in what would be their first public appearance.

Fast forward to June, and Kim hard-launched their relationship by featuring the British racing driver in an Instagram post, alongside snaps of her family.

A week after that, Kim was spotted at the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, where Lewis told ESPN: “It’s amazing to have her come this weekend and have the support … It’s amazing to have good people around you and good people supporting you and she does that for me every day.”

Whether you believe in it or not, experts note the theory can provide comfort during periods of loss or heartbreak – for example, it can help you believe you’ll eventually find your person as “everything happens for a reason”.

Licensed relationship therapist Jaime Bronstein told People it can also help people looking for love to “relax and extinguish ‘desperation mode’”.

“They can eliminate the fear that they aren’t going to find their soulmate because they can trust they will,” she said. “This doesn’t mean that people should sit at home and assume their ‘person’ will come knocking on their door. However, it helps as singles are starting to show up more authentically on their dates with less anxiety.”

But, there are downsides too. Cosmopolitan has noted: “Believing someone is ‘meant’ for you can make it easier to excuse unhealthy behaviour, ignore incompatibilities, or stay emotionally invested in someone who has made it clear they don’t want the relationship.”

So, don’t let it keep you stuck: either in a relationship that’s toxic, or waiting for someone who’s not showing up.