Colour Me Happy

Last year, on a warm June evening, I had the strange experience of walking home during the immediate aftermath of a Harry Styles concert. As I walked down Harrow Road, I was mobbed by a small army of fans leaving nearby Wembley Stadium, wearing cowboy hats, feather boas and hot pants in lurid silvery pink. They ranged in age, gender identity and levels of inebriation, but the unabashed joy they found in singing the earworm chorus of “As It Was” over and over was universal. Hugs were exchanged as they made their way into the tube station, and though I wouldn’t consider myself a “Harrie”, I was not prepared for how spiriting and downright uplifting the spectacle was. 

It is this propensity for glee that draws listeners into Harry’s primary-coloured world. Now, a new collaboration between J.W. Anderson and Styles’ lifestyle brand Pleasing looks to uplift Harries the world over. Anderson and Styles have a long history of collaboration, as seen in the patchwork cardigan that went mega-viral in 2020 and spurned a cavalcade of fast-fashion knockoffs.

Balloons, a signature in Anderson’s design, are everywhere in this colourful capsule collection, from sheer mesh tops to collared knit shirts, a nod to the notorious cardigan. A balloon-inspired bumper bag in a new colourway subtly updates a J.W. Anderson classic, while a selection of metallic nail polishes sees the brand dip their toes into beauty for the first time. Elsewhere, a rhinestone-adorned charm in a decidedly phallic silhouette suggests that the penis is here to stay (thank you Isamaya Ffrench!). 

Pleasing CEO Shaun Kearney said of the collaboration “At Pleasing, we believe in the power of collaboration to create something truly special. Working with JW Anderson is something we’ve envisioned for some time—bringing together our two likeminded brands to inspire and engage our communities.” I can attest to the power of Harry Styles to bring the colour back into the world: shop the collection here for a bright future!