Harry Styles is on the winter cover of DAZED. The spread features his signature gender-bending fashion but this time he’s not getting the internet’s attention for just wearing dresses (although the hemlines are strikingly higher), he’s getting attention for invoking The Grinch… bringing Whoville high-fashion! 

 

Harry’s being swaddled by the most matronly, uncomfortable looking garment. But maybe it’s quite cozy? He looks confident and comfortable. The writer notes how Harry is at ease in front of the camera, no matter the look. That’s in contrast to later in the piece when Harry says he actually likes to be outside his comfort zone, for the sake of growth and creativity. It’s one of the reasons he signed on for his two upcoming films: Don’t Worry Darling, co-starring Florence Pugh and directed by his girlfriend, Olivia Wilde (more on her later), and My Policeman, following the dynamics of what becomes a gay-straight love triangle. 

Now Harry’s stepping into another arena of uncertainty once again with Pleasing, which I will describe as a line of self-care products — at least, for now. Currently the line includes a few “Pearl” nail polishes (inspired by his signature pearl necklaces) and serums, one of which is called a "Pleasing Pen”. But more product is set to drop sporadically and how the brand will evolve is open-ended: 

 

“Do I have any idea where Pleasing will be in five years? No. Obviously I have an idea of what I would like us to be aiming at, but honestly, I don’t know. That’s what makes it exciting to me.”

But Harry does have a clear idea of the ethos for the brand. It’s not really about covering up, like normal cosmetic products. Pleasing is about illuminating and highlighting what’s already there. It feels very in-line with the beauty industry’s trend of focusing on healthy skin and then playing with makeup à la carte from there, if you want. But Harry wants it all to start with that glow. 

“I don’t think being beautiful or feeling beautiful is about looking good. When people are happy and glowing, they’re radiating. And that’s what I think the products do, it’s about helping you feel beautiful.”

Pleasing is vegan, cruelty-free, and created using post-consumer plastics and compostable paper printed with bio-sourced inks. Sounds like it’s ticking every box of what I imagine the typical Harry Styles fan looks for in the brands they chose to support and really what we all she be doing. Harry says the line is for his fans who have been supportive of him and believe in freedom and creating a safe space to be yourself. He says he’s most proud of bringing people of all ages, races, genders, and sexualities together at his concerts where they dance like no one’s watching. Those are the people he’s making his line for and you can see if in the diversity of marketing images on the brand’s website and their Instagram page, which (at time of writing) has almost a million followers only a couple days after their first post. 

 

Olivia Wilde is showing her support, reposting one of the brand’s launch videos on her Instagram story this week, adding, “I find this very pleasing.” Harry actually “curtailed” any talk of his romantic life for the DAZED interview, explaining, “I’ve always tried to compartmentalize my personal life and my working life.” Meanwhile, Olivia’s getting papped wearing Harry’s tour merch during a coffee run) the day after bringing her kids to his San Diego concert. These two are approaching their one year anniversary. Is stepdad also on Harry’s horizon?