We are hoping very much that Harry is wearing tap shoes
Not content with wowing audiences all over the world with his uber-successful Love On Tour show, gearing up for his first major movie role as a bisexual copper in My Policeman and generally being something of a fashion icon, Harry Styles has now decided to become a beauty brand owner as well.
Styles before substance
This week he not only appeared on the cover of Dazed and inside in a number of fetching gender challenging outfits, but he also released the first line of his Pleasing cosmetic line. In the interview, Harry said that the new range is designed to ‘dispel the myth of binary existence’.
Harry channelling New York upper east side ladies who lunch
Dubbed as a ‘life brand’ the range of products include a range of nail polishes, an illuminating primer serum, and a dual-purpose eye and lip oil. The beauty business is HUGE and as of this year is worth over half a trillion dollars. Clearly Harry is well placed for a piece of this pricey pie with the likes of Kylie Jenner now a self-made billionaire and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty brand now being worth $2.8 billion. so it’s fairly clear there’s a shed load of dosh to be made in the beauty business. There’s a fair bit of wedge to be made and Harry wants a piece!
Gender fluids
Harry said in the Dazed interview: “It’s starting with nail polish because that was kind of the birth of what it was for. Me seeing a colour on a flower or a wallpaper or something and thinking, ‘Oh, I wanna put that on my nails.” Words that mean business indeed but they are sentiments that aren’t necessarily going to please icon Billy Porter.
Harry straddles his machine - don't get oil on those flares though!
In a recent interview with The Sunday Times with regards to Harry appearing on the cover of another mag (Vogue) wearing clothes traditionally worn by a female, Porter said:“I changed the whole game. I. Personally. Changed. The. Whole. Game. And that is not ego, that is just fact. I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it.”
Billy's bile
Billy went on to say in a not-so-veiled rant “I’m not dragging Harry Styles, but he is the one you’re going to try and use to represent this new conversation? He doesn’t care, he’s just doing it because it’s the thing to do. This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned now. All he has to do is be white and straight.”
Billy has since sort of apologised for his comments, but you can sort of see where he’s coming from. The fact that Harry doesn’t really discuss his sexuality is clearly what get’s Billy’s goat gruff. Would it make a difference if he said he was queer. He has already alluded to being bisexual in his song lyrics and clearly is very interested in a gender fluid look.
Harry's hands modelling his latest Pleasing colours
The press release for Pleasing certainly lays it on thick, describing it as “a life brand that moves to wherever there’s something Pleasing to be found. Founded by Harry Styles in 2021, Pleasing’s mission is to bring joyful experiences and products that excite the senses and blur the boundaries.”
Pleasing launched on Monday, November 15 and the first selection is called “Perfect Pearl,” including four nail polishes as well as an Illuminating Serum and the Pleasing Pen, which is a dual-ended eye serum and matte lip oil. I’m not sure we’d even know what to do with these items but they sure look puurrdy!