So how has Styles pushed fashion boundaries, and what has he said about his own sexuality?

1. 2013: he was “pretty sure” he was not bisexual

The comment came after a GQ interviewer asked Styles to address rumours about him and his friend Nick Grimshaw being in a relationship.

After the singer said that they’re “just friends,” the interviewer asked: “So you’re not bisexual?” In response, Styles said, “Bisexual? Me? I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I’m not.”

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2. 2014: his date being female was “not that important”

When asked, “Your four favourite traits you look for in a girl?” Payne answered first, saying: “Female. That’s a good trait.” Styles laughed and said, “not that important”, adding that he’s looking for someone who’s natural, has a sense of humour, and is nice.

3. 2017: he “never felt the need” to label his sexuality

When asked if Styles labelled himself, he said: “No, I don’t feel like it’s something I’ve ever felt like I have to explain about myself,” he added.

4. 2018: fans declared his song Medicine a bisexual anthem

On the first night of the European leg of his solo tour in March 2018, Styles debuted an unreleased track called Medicine.

The fan reaction was sparked by the song’s second verse, where Styles appears to sing: “The boys and the girls are here / I mess around with him / And I’m OK with it.” Sadly, the song didn’t make the cut on his first album.

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5. 2018: “We’re all a little bit gay, aren’t we?”

Styles’ comment came after he spotted a fan’s sign in the crowd during a concert in LA, which read, “I’m gay and I love you.” After laughing, the singer said: “I mean, we’re all a little bit gay, aren’t we?”

6. 2019: “many borders are falling” regarding gender differentiation in fashion

He added: “In fashion and other fields, these parameters are no longer as strict as before, and it gives rise to great freedom.”

7. 2019: there are “no lines” between masculinity and femininity

“What’s feminine and what’s masculine, what men are wearing and what women are wearing – it’s like there are no lines any more,” he said, speaking to The Face.

After the singer waved a flag that said Make America Gay Again on stage, the interviewer asked him to address his sexuality, and he didn’t answer directly. Instead saying: “For me, I want everyone to feel welcome at shows and online,” he added. “They want to be loved and equal, you know?”

8. 2019: he spoke about masculinity with Timothée Chalamet

“I didn’t grow up in a man’s man world. I grew up with my mum and my sister,” Styles told Chalamet in late 2019. “But I definitely think in the last two years, I’ve become a lot more content with who I am.”

He continued: “I think there’s so much masculinity in being vulnerable and allowing yourself to be feminine, and I’m very comfortable with that.”

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9. 2019: the singer defended his “sexual ambiguity”

When asked if he identifies as bisexual by The Guardian, Styles said, “It’s not like I’m sitting on an answer, and protecting it, and holding it back. It’s: who cares?”

When the interviewer asked Styles if he was dropping hints that he was gay to capitalise on the LGBTQ+ crowd, he staunchly defended his artistic choices, saying: “Am I sprinkling in nuggets of sexual ambiguity to try and be more interesting? No.”

“I want things to look a certain way. Not because it makes me look gay, or makes me look straight, or makes me look bisexual, but because I think it looks cool.”

Styles also spoke about not caring about whether clothing is specifically made for women or men. “If I see a nice shirt and get told, ‘But it’s for ladies.’ I think: ‘Okaaaay? Doesn’t make me want to wear it less though.”

10. 2020: “I like playing dress-up in general”

Fans loved Styles’ cover for Vogue’s December 2020 issue, in which he wore a blue Gucci gown and became the first solo male cover star to appear on it. But Conservative commentator Candace Owens called it an “outright attack” on manly men”, which prompted celebrities to defend the singer.

During his interview, Styles said, “I think if you get something that you feel amazing in, it’s like a superhero outfit.”

The singer said that when you remove “barriers” between men’s and women’s clothing, it allows for more fun and creativity. “I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing,” he said.

11. 2020: he chooses to not limit his clothing choice to specific genders

In an interview for Variety’s 2020 Hitmakers issue, Styles addressed the response from critics who took issue with his Vogue cover: “To not wear something because it’s females’ clothing, you shut out a whole world of great clothes”

“And I think what’s exciting about right now is you can wear what you like,” he added.

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12. 2022: it’s “outdated” to be expected to publicly label his sexuality

Styles told Better Homes & Gardens, “I’ve been really open with it with my friends, but that’s my personal experience; it’s mine,” he told the publication in an interview for the June 2022 cover.

Styles continued: “The whole point of accepting everybody and being more open, is that it doesn’t matter, and it’s about not having to label everything.”

13. 2022: he spoke to Rolling Stone about his sexuality

“I think everyone, including myself, has your own journey with figuring out sexuality and getting more comfortable with it,” he said.

“I don’t think I’ve publicly been with anyone. If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re choosing to have a public relationship or something,” Styles said.