A celebrity guide to pulling off a rebrand
Ready for that “new year, new you” hype? Take a lesson from these butterflies with evolutions so major, they shifted modern culture
REBRANDED FROM ONE DIRECTION BOYBANDER TO THE FASHION WORLD’S DARLING
Formerly known as “the longhaired lothario from 1D”, Harry’s evolved into a sexually ambiguous Bowie-esque superstar. After emerging in florals and flares to release his self-titled solo album in 2017, Harry hit the silver screen in Dunkirk. He then modelled for Gucci and owned the pink carpet at the 2019 Met Gala in heeled boots and a pearl earring. Harry’s second album came out last year – and he confessed to trying magic mushrooms while recording it. Simon Cowell’s 16-year-old prodigy is unrecognisable.
REBRANDED FROM HARRY POTTER CHILD STAR
TO UNITED NATIONS AMBASSADOR
Emma Watson’s 2014 HeForShe speech at the United Nations kickstarted her rebrand from Harry Potter’s Hermione Granger to a full-blown feminist icon, bringing the campaign for women’s equality to a whole new audience. Since being appointed UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador, she’s worked to promote fair trade, educate girls in rural Africa, and even rocked up to the 2016 Met Gala wearing a dress made from recycled plastic bottles. Talk about a transformation.
REBRANDED FROM HIPSTER HIGHSCHOOL BAND
TO FESTIVAL STAPLE & UBER-WOKE ACTIVISTS
Remaining basically unknown for 10 years since forming at Wilmslow High School in 2002, The 1975 skyrocketed to the top of the UK chart in 2014 and became festival kings. They’ve updated their aesthetic with each album, going from the monochrome of The 1975 to the pink of
I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It. Now, they’ve rebranded as climate-change activists – their fourth album, next month’s Notes On A Conditional Form, features an essay from Greta Thunberg.
REBRANDEDFROM AWKWARD TWILIGHT PROTAGONIST
TO BADASS LGBTQ+ ICON
Post-Twilight (and those Robert Pattinson cheating rumours, which the world – even Trump – weighed in on), Kristen took on less mainstream roles. Gaining critical acclaim for films like Clouds Of Sils Maria, Kristen reclaimed centre stage with a powerful message. Guest-hosting Saturday Night Live in 2017, she hit back at Trump’s tweets about her, saying, “I’m like so gay, dude!” She’s since called out Hollywood for pressuring her to hide girlfriends and told young people they don’t need to label themselves.