The other half of design dynamo Bec and Bridge (we featured Bridge here), Bec Cooper is one cool chick. Despite being one of Australia’s most lauded sartorial exports, she is laid back, relaxed and possesses that beachy charm that comes from living a life by the sand and sea. Perhaps, it is this unperturbed approach that has cemented the brand in what is a changing and fickle time for fashion. In recent years, Bec and Bridge has gone from strength to strength, and is as covetable as the stars who wear it – from Beyoncé to pop-culture poster child, Kim Kardashian.
Perennially giggling, bubbly Bec is also a new mum to the super smiley and adorable Max (18 months), who we met upon waking from his nap. Along with Max, Bec lives with husband, Dan, in a seaside pad in Bondi; peppered with beautiful bits and bobs, whimsical natives and beachy knick knacks, the apartment shares a viridescent courtyard of sea foam and sage greenery. With this backdrop, we chat freely about makeup mishaps (read: body glitter), a love affair with unisex fragrance, her foodie favourites in Bondi and a die-hard devotion to active wear.
“I’m really lucky because down the road is The Facial Room…
and they do really good facials. I’ll get rid of any makeup with some cleansing oil and then I’ll normally use a Dermalogica face wash. I love Goe Oil for everything – you can put it everywhere. I like the MAC Lightfulthat you put under your makeup; it’s a softening, brightening lotion on your skin. Then I’ll normally do some MAC Face and Body, but always really simple. Sometimes I’ll use a bit of Strobe Cream or a highlighter. I only started using the Strobe Cream all over recently because I was told I should!
CELESTIAL GIRL; BEC WEARS NEW SEASON BEC & BRIDGE
SHE PREFERS A PARED BACK APPROACH TO MAKEUP, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MAC
I got a lesson from MAC and everything they said not to do was what I was doing!
[They said] that’s not how you do contouring! I was like, “Really?” They said what I was doing was a big big no-no: black eyeliner under your eyes, I always do that. I love a brow gel and mascara – they’re my basics, I don’t really do eye shadows. The This Works Skin Deep Dry Leg Oil is really good for legs; [when] your legs are a bit gross after winter, you just put it on and it’s goodbye scaly skin.
It costs a fortune. My husband actually bought it for me for Mother’s Day and when I looked at our bank statement a couple of months later I couldn’t believe the price. At the time I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s the smallest tub!’ But I love it. Now I’m in a bit of a predicament!
BECKY INDULGES IN SKINCARE OVER EXCESSIVE MAKEUP
BEC GIVES HER BEACHY LOCKS TLC WHEN IT'S NEEDED, AND AVOIDS COLOURING.
Alan White does a lot of work for us with KMS – he’s the best. He’s also in Bondi, I go to his house, so I’ll pop over or he’ll squeeze me in at a photo shoot. He does the cut and he’s got an assistant at District Salon who does an amazing colour. I only just had it done because I found grey hairs, so I had to. It’s the first time I have had it dyed in five years.
I love to do a bit of St. Tropez fake tan in summer…
or I go to Tan Temple and get a spray tan. St Tropez is amazing for a self-tan when I’m in the mood and committed to the cause. I do go to the beach a lot – since having Max I go and I play in the sand.
BEACH BABE BECKY KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING SKIN AGAINST HARMFUL UV RAYS
SHE OPTS FOR ANDROGYNOUS NOTES IN HER FRAGRANCE FOLD
I’m obsessed with fragrance.
I love Tom Ford fragrance. Dan and I try and share because some of the fragrances are really good for boys and girls. I love the Santal and Dan gets the normal Tom Ford Noir. We also share the Byredo, and I like the Neroli and Rose by Le Labo. I love candles, too – I have them burning constantly. I love this Byredo Burning Rose I got recently.
When I was 15 and 16 I did the pink and purple eye shadow…
I did the glitter eye shadow. I loved body glitter! I even did the pink hair dye on an undercut when I was studying fashion at uni, I think I was really in the zone. The nineties (my teenage years) were glitter-heavy, but I loved every minute so I wouldn’t change it.
BECKY'S BEAUTY REPERTOIRE HAS MATURED SINCE HER TEEN DAYS OF SHIMMER AND SHINE
SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY IS A MAJOR PRIORITY FOR THE WIFE AND MUM-OF-ONE
My husband’s a chef which is a plus and minus.
I’ve always been a pretty good eater. I have my coffee in the morning and eat pretty healthily but I always have chocolate. I think it’s nice being in Bondi, you’re just surrounded by nutritious food and it’s easy to be healthy. We walk to the organic café on Gould St to get our coffees every morning – their coffee is amazing – and I’ve just discovered Cali Press on the corner. They have great smoothies and juices.
I’ve never been a smoothie person…
but Max loves them, and fresh coconuts from Organics. We often end up eating in Bondi so we don’t have to drive. We go to North Bondi Fish, A Tavola, Da Orazio, Drake and Bondi’s Best – there are a lot of good food places around here.
BEACHY COOL WITH A TOUCH OF BOHO COMPLETE THIS BONDI BABE'S AESTHETIC
THE BIRTH OF BECKY'S SON CHANGED HER APPROACH TO BEAUTY, FITNESS AND HEALTH
After having Max I have started to notice things I didn’t before, like wrinkles.
I never worried about wrinkles or ageing before and now I have to start paying attention to that and use [anti-ageing] products a bit more. I also appreciate any time I can get a facial, manicure or pedicure. I also had a horrible pregnancy – I was nauseous the whole time.
With my morning sickness I couldn’t eat anything except white bread and grapes – it was really bad.
I couldn’t even look at a vegetable or meat, so post-pregnancy I tried to start eating healthily again. I try to think of healthy things for Max, but I can’t cook. I’ve never really needed to. I’m so bad – I burn toast! But now with Max I try a bit more. I recently made chia banana bread. Dan got home the other day and I was baking, he was so shocked – I’ve never baked anything in my life.
SHE RECTIFIES DAMAGED FEET FROM BAREFOOT BEACH STROLLS AND SAND RUNNING WITH BALMS.
NOW A MUM, SHE FOCUSES ON A MORE NUTRITIOUS HOME MENU FOR LITTLE MAX
For exercise I run on the beach…
on the soft sand, I’ve always loved soft-sand running. But ever since I had a baby everything fell apart! I go to Agoga now in Bondi with a trainer because of my hips and my knees collapse. I didn’t really have a hard childbirth, I just wasn’t strong enough, or as strong as I thought I was. Sometimes I try and get out of the car and I’m literally stuck. I have my trainer once a week and she’s helped strengthen me. Because I was so used to running I was putting pressure on all the wrong places. Living at the beach we end up walking everywhere too.
Fashion-wise, I’m much more natural day-to-day and prefer denim and whites.
If I have an event on I get more dressed up, but it’s not often. I’m much more beachy, I’ve always grown up on the beach. I wear a bit of everything, but I own a lot of denim and I wear a lot of basics.
SIMPLE AND COOL FASHION CHOICES KEEP BEC'S LOOK CHIC BUT LOW MAINTENANCE.
HER BUSY HOME AND WORK LIFE REQUIRES ONE MAJOR FASHION PRIORITY: COMFORT.
I hate to say it, but I wear a lot of active wear on my Max days.
You can get away with it around here. I feel like I can tackle my day. I’m on a mission and I get more done. My jeans are from Bassike; they’re more than five years old and I’m [still] obsessed with them. I literally am going to have to wear them into the ground – I’ve already had to repair them once.
It’s funny because Bridge and I are the same shoe size…
…so you can justify every pair of high heels because we share them. We normally keep our shoes at the office. [I bought] these Phillip Lim’s on sale in Miami, which was amazing – they only had one pair left, a 37 and a half. I’m also obsessed with the Aquazzura’s. The platform is making a bit of a comeback because it’s all been so flat for so long.
SHE IS A FAN OF THRIFTY SHOPPING AND SHAREABLE FASHION.
ALL THAT GLITTERS; HER PRIZED DELFINA DELETTREZ EARRING FROM HUSBAND DAN
I think it’s exciting for the fashion industry at the moment…
because there is a lot of change and a lot of opportunities for people. It’s not by the book anymore – that stops you from getting stale and stagnant. We’re doing a cool collaboration with LA based jewellery label, Luv AJ. I love this Delfina Delettrez that Dan got me for my birthday. I’m obsessed.
I actually don’t know how we used to sell things five years ago.
It’s funny to think you could ever sell garments without the power of social media. How did we do it? [I guess] we relied on magazines, and while they still sell clothes there is something so instantaneous about social media and consumerism. The power of celebrity has definitely helped, especially with our presence in the States because celebrities over there still resonate at home.”
BEC BALANCES A CHILLED-OUT HOME LIFE WITH AN ON-THE-BALL BUSINESS MODEL.
Story by Chrisanthi Kaliviotis; Photography by Myles Pritchard; Makeup and Hair by Diana Djurdjesvski.