Niall Horan Is in His Capital-F Fashion Era

There's something new about Niall Horan these days.

Ahead of the release of his third solo album post-One Direction mega-fame, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter has adopted something of a retro-fresh look. It's familiar in a 1950s-rock-on-the-jukebox kind of way, yet isn't overtly referential, still feeling heavy on the contemporary Los Angeles flavor — think tailored trousers and clompy loafers, paired with a subtle cocktail of off-the-runway separates and vintage scores.

Cameron Quittner, Horan's stylist, is to thank for his fashion evolution. Having signed on with Horan's team last fall, Quittner has outfitted the artist through it all, from ongoing album promotion to his stint as a coach on "The Voice," and with a spate of looks still to come as Horan hits the festival circuit this summer.

"Niall has trusted me to help his vision come to life, and we've had a blast doing it," says Quittner, a Santa Barbara native who's now based in L.A.

Quittner cut her teeth assisting Dani Michelle, whose roster of paparazzi-beloved celebrity clientele (which has included Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber) have helped shape Gen-Z street-style and social-media trends in real time. But after more than two years into her tenure with Michelle, Quittner had the itch to strike out on her own. She began working with Horan just a month later.

The timing was fortuitous, Quittner explains: Upon her exit from Michelle's team, she reached out to Horan's manager (whom she had known previously) should any of his contacts be in the market for new stylistic talent. After making it through a series of meetings and FaceTimes and a handful of decks and inspiration boards, Quittner and Horan began to identify the style direction in which Horan saw himself going.

With Horan's calendar already jam-packed with commitments, Quittner had no choice but to hit the ground running. Their first order of business: Help Horan identify a sort of wardrobe formula, a cohesive uniform he could layer onto or remove various elements from, without losing the essence of the aesthetic.

"There are certain musical elements from the '60s and '70s that he's been inspired by and have been intertwined into this new album," says Quittner. "We wanted his style to still feel like him, but create an underlying harmony with the type of music he's releasing."

"The Show" — which Horan released on Friday, June 9 — is a stripped-back collection "full of laid-back Laurel Canyon-inspired ballads," as Rolling Stone put it, "heavy on the mellow, full of feelings about looking for sanity in a time of personal turmoil." This doesn't mean the record is at all bare-boned: To further the Laurel Canyon analogy, it might sound as if Joni Mitchell took a spin with 21st-century production elements (like lush, energetic guitar flourishes and oversized choruses) while recording "Blue."

Quittner sought to capture this essence with a thoughtful fusion of vintage and contemporary pieces comprising a myriad of tones, textures and silhouettes. Quittner works with vintage vendors across multiple continents (the specifics of which she prefers to keep close to her chest) on a weekly basis. A recent favorite has been the worn-in fire department tee that Horan wore during the video shoot for the titular track, which Quittner paired with Taiga Takahashi slacks.

"We've found that whenever he does try on vintage pieces, whether it's a trouser or jacket, the pieces fit him like a glove with no tailoring needed," says Quittner. "Whenever I pair a vintage piece with a more modern one, it embodies the feel and general style of this new chapter for Niall."

In a fitting, Quittner's vintage finds will sit beside pieces from up-and-coming designers, discovered in what she calls "deep research holes," as well as luxury fashion houses like Saint Laurent, Celine or The Row. ("He's really been loving The Row, specifically, lately," she says.) The most standout looks incorporate all three, each in their own way.

View the original article to see embedded media.

There was the Gucci blazer and vintage Levi's that Horan wore on "Late Night With Seth Meyers," and The Row's trouser-and-vest combo for Spotify's album release event. For his music video for "Heaven," the lead single off "The Show," Quittner and Horan sought out something that she says "was comfortable, felt relatable and translated well on camera." The final product was a vintage linen shirt (off of which Quittner cut the bottom for a "more modern flare"), coupled with jeans and a tank by Japanese label The Letters.

"What made these special is that he not only felt confident and like himself in them, but they also encapsulated his style for this next chapter," she says.

Since the pair began their collaboration last fall, Quittner and Horan meet for in-person fittings on a monthly basis (or so). With Horan between London and LA, they more frequently communicate via WhatsApp, also using shared Pinterest boards to curate inspiration for the varying obligations Horan has on the docket.

The two must also consider overarching creative direction, most notably in the form of the hazy, warm tones reflected in Horan's latest album art and broader themes in his work. In one of the pair's earliest collaborations, Quittner pulled a full vintage look — Levi's denim jacket and jeans, plus a graphic tee — that made the final cut, even though it didn't necessarily fall into the exact color palette in question. Still, it complimented it in a way that felt fresh.

"Whether it's a look for 'The Voice' or album promo, I always want consistency in terms of his overall wardrobe aesthetic," says Quittner. "Usually, it's just the two of us going back and forth on what he's thinking and feels comfortable in, and I run with that in terms of pulling pieces that, I think, are the perfect fit."

By this point, Quittner has a near-faultless grasp on Horan's sartorial taste, which she says hasn't wavered much in all the years he's been in the public eye. But it has gotten sharper.

"Since I started working with him, we've been able to further establish his style, which has allowed us to have fun with every project," says Quittner. "He's more open to taking risks and feels more comfortable exploring different fashion avenues. We've stayed true to the stylistic elements and pieces he's always loved, but have developed his style into being a bit more laid-back, while paying homage to past eras."

Come summer, Quittner teases that Horan's fans are in for a treat: He's hitting the road to appear at 12 global festivals, starting in Boston and wrapping up in Tokyo. And in 2024, he'll keep the momentum going with a proper stadium tour; highlights include New York City's Madison Square Garden next June and the Forum in L.A. next July. His recent promotional performances have served as something of an appetizer: the green, relaxed MM6 Maison Margiela ensemble on "The Jonathan Ross Show" back in March; the custom set, inspired by vintage bowling shirts, by L.A.-based designer Yony at Boston Calling Music Festival last month. (Yony will also be outfitting Horan in one-of-a-kind looks all throughout his festival tour.)

Ultimately, every project Horan has upcoming will be a steady continuation of his fashion progression, building upon the foundation the last eight-odd months have set. Which is all to say: Horan's capital-F fashion era has arrived.

"And," says Quittner, "there's so much to come.”

Want the latest fashion industry news first? Sign up for our daily newsletter.