“Credit Anne Twist for her son Harry Styles’ labeless, forward-thinking passion for fashion. Days after Styles became the first man ever to land a solo cover of Vogue magazine, Twist publicly gushed about the pop star in an interview. Speaking to British talk show host Lorraine Kelly on Monday, she said her son began seeking out creative ways to express himself through clothes at an early age. “I think maybe I had something to do with it because I was always a big fan of doing fancy dress with Harry and his sister Gemma] when they were smaller, which Gemma hated but Harry always embraced,” she explained. “Who doesn’t love playing dress-up?” Vogue unveiled the cover of its December issue on social media last week. Shot by photographer Tyler Mitchell, the accompanying portfolio features Styles in a floor-length Gucci gown paired with a tuxedo jacket, along with other gender-fluid looks. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine) “I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing,” the singer told the magazine. “It’s like anything — anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself.” Celebrities and fans alike have praised the shoot, with many noting that Styles was following in the footsteps of Elton John and Freddie Mercury by bucking the concept of gender-specific clothing. On the flip side, a small but vocal number of right-wing conservative personalities blasted the star on social media, arguing that he was representative of “a referendum on masculinity” and “steady feminization of our men.” In her chat with Kelly, Twist didn’t respond directly to such criticisms other than to suggest that the photos were another example of Styles staying true to his individuality. “Harry just … well, he’s just Harry, really,” she said. “He’s always been Harry.” Watch the full Lorraine Kelly interview with Anne Twist below.
