Photo by Anthony Pham
At the Philippine stop of Love On Tour, Harry Styles’ glimmering Gucci ensemble inspires a sartorially-charged legion of fans.
Arriving at Harry Styles’ Love On Tour concert at the Philippine Arena, a pink wave washes over you. On March 14, a legion of fans flocked to the 55,000-capacity venue in their best froufrou ensembles, glitter and feather boas present in each row. Flamboyant is the dress code, and at a glance, one can glean why the Grammy-winning pop star’s shows have been dubbed by a fan as “the Met Gala of concerts.”
The British singer-songwriter himself leads by example: on the Philippine stage, he donned a scintillating gold-and-blue raglan tee and baby blue leather trousers paired with lawn green Adidas x Gucci Gazelle sneakers.
@harrystyles
The entire ensemble is from Gucci, the luxury Italian house Styles and his stylist Harry Lambert (nicknamed “The Harrys”) have been working with since 2015. It was an ostensibly fateful partnership, formed as Styles’ boyband career was on its tail end, and the fashion house was finding its aesthetic footing under a new creative director. Styles’ first Gucci look was an off-white floral suit from the designer’s sophomore menswear collection, pulled by Lambert for One Direction’s red carpet appearance at the American Music Awards in November of 2015.
From there, his editorial and stage looks would be defined by eccentric amalgams of pussybow blouses, flared trousers, and printed suits, often ornamented with sheer panels or ruffle trimmings. Styles and Lambert would nod to both masculine and feminine sensibilities and top off outfits with a clever campy flair.
Years of solidifying the singer’s stylistic codes eventually culminated in collaboration with Gucci. In 2022, the house announced the HA HA HA collection, co-designed by Alessandro Michele and Styles. The capsule paid homage to childlike wonder; Michele shares, “It started just like two kids playing, you know, in a very easy way.” The joint venture encapsulated the visionaries’ shared whimsy spirit—memorable were the candy-colored suit sets with squirrel, lamb, cherry, and heart symbols printed atop gingham.
As Gucci prepares to usher in a new era under the creative direction of Sabato De Sarno, the path ahead of Styles’ sartorial journey is one to watch. De Sarno has held stints in Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and most recently, Valentino, where he guided men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections as fashion director. Following Gucci’s transitory fall 2023 collection designed by the team, the designer’s debut showcase is slated for spring 2024.
“Please feel free to be whoever it is you always wanted to be.”
Harry Styles
There is much to look forward to in terms of Styles’ relationship with fashion relative to the house. The possibilities of evolution excites, especially when one has a sartorial range as defined and distinct as his.
For now, his Love On Tour looks are a testament to how Gucci, and the ever-shifting landscapes of fashion and masculinity, have shaped his style. The trajectory of his stylistic progression is on a steadily upward track, and it seems that the momentum will only pick up from here. After all, Styles has stepped on stage, again and again, in tastefully zany Gucci looks.
In Manila, the artist tells the audience, “Please feel free to be whoever it is you always wanted to be.” One look at him, and you know he’s practicing what he preaches, with confidence unwavering.
