Harry Styles becomes the first male star to feature solo on Vogue cover

New Delhi

Harry Styles is on a quest to break stereotypes and making history in the world of fashion. The 26-year-old singer features on the December issue of Vogue, making him the first-ever solo male cover star of the fashion magazine.

Notably, the young music icon is seen wearing a stunning, laced Gucci gown on the cover.

"As a kid, I definitely liked fancy dress," he says. "I was really young, and I wore tights for [the play]. I remember it was crazy to me that I was wearing a pair of tights. And that was maybe where it all kicked off!" Styles says about his love for dresses.

Styles' sister, Gemma Styles, notes that dressing up was a large part of their childhood, much to her brother's satisfaction and her annoyance.

"My mum loved to dress us up. I always hated it, and Harry was always quite into it," she recalls. "She did some really elaborate papier-mâché outfits: She made a giant mug and then painted an atlas on it, and that was Harry being 'The World Cup.'" 

"Harry also had a little dalmatian-dog outfit, a hand-me-down from our closest family friends," she continues. "He would just spend an inordinate amount of time wearing that outfit. But then Mum dressed me up as Cruella de Vil. She was always looking for any opportunity!"

Styles' love for fashion continued into adulthood, with the singer telling the mag, "I like playing dress-up in general." That point of view was developed largely thanks to Styles' friendship and working relationship with his stylist, Harry Lambert.

"He just has fun with clothing, and that’s kind of where I’ve got it from," says explains of the stylist. "He doesn’t take it too seriously, which means I don’t take it too seriously."

Also read: Harry Styles' 'Watermelon Sugar' tops Billboard Hot 100 beating Taylor Swift

In the magazine Styles also talks about his icons - in the music industry. 

"The people that I looked up to in music -- Prince and David Bowie and Elvis and Freddie Mercury and Elton John --they’re such showmen. As a kid it was completely mind-blowing," he says. "Now I’ll put on something that feels flamboyant, and I don’t feel crazy wearing it."

"I think if you get something that you feel amazing in, it’s like a superhero outfit," Styles continues. "Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with."

Styles has been one of the prominent celebrity figures to don gender-nonconforming style on various occasions. 

"When you take away 'There’s clothes for men and there are clothes for women,' once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play," he says. "I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing."

"It’s like anything -- anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself," Styles adds. "There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. I’ve never really thought too much about what it means -- it just becomes this extended part of creating something.

During the quarantine and amid the pandemic, Styles has been working on self-growth and informing himself about the ongoing social justice discussions.

"I think it’s a time for opening up and learning and listening. I’ve been trying to read and educate myself so that in 20 years I’m still doing the right things and taking the right steps," he says. "I believe in karma, and I think it’s just a time right now where we could use a little more kindness and empathy and patience with people, be a little more prepared to listen and grow."

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