Since turning their 2003 namesake label into a worldwide fashionista’s favourite, you’d think Becky Cooper and Bridget Yorston had seen and done it all but—there’s no denying the rush that comes from seeing JLo wear their designs.
With spring finally upon us and summer looming around the corner, we asked the Bec & Bridge girls for their take on summer styling, Australian design and their favourite pieces for the season.
Genevieve: Who is the Bec & Bridge girl, and did you design with a particular (real or imagined) woman in mind for your Spring Summer and High Summer collections?
Bec & Bridge: She’s youthful, healthy and fashion-forward. She knows the trends but doesn’t feel the need to follow them. She’s social and active, and loves a night out. For the Spring/Summer collection we were inspired by a place rather than a girl; the Amalfi Coast is rich with culture and vibrancy, and we really wanted to embrace that through the range. High Summer was very much a continuation of this theme, but we distilled it into more of an essence. Very fresh and sleek with lots of white and two major prints that really convey a relaxed, resort vibe. It’s very easy to wear yet maintains a sophisticated edge.
Genevieve: Bec & Bridge strives to achieve “a balance between aspirational and achievable fashion”; what summer styling advice would you give to Couturing readers?
B&B: Keep it simple—summer is all about being comfortable and feeling sexy. These two things don’t need to be mutually exclusive. We love that the summer range has a lot of silky shorts and backless pieces [that] you can wear straight off the beach into the bar, and feel sexy and confident yet effortless. Fine strappy sandals are a must-have this season [as] they compliment the range so well.
Genevieve: Do you have any summer fashion do’s and don’ts?
B&B: We refrain from over-accessorising as sometimes a great print can be the best accessory! While we’re known for a great little party dress, too much skin can sometimes be overkill. We think this range can let our customer show off some skin in unexpected ways with our new backless silhouette or our cutout reversible dress or bodysuit.
Genevieve: What did you have on your mood board for the collections’ inspiration?
B&B: Lots of photos of little beaches on the Amalfi coast, and a lot of white on white! Helmut Newton’s work around Monte Carlo was also an atmospheric addition, and we always keep swatches of our prints for the season up [on the board] to keep us focused on the colour palette.
Genevieve: What is your favourite piece from the S/S collection and why?
B&B: This summer we’re loving the white blazers, shorts and pants worn with soft florals and delicate textures.
Genevieve: How does it feel to have your designs worn by such big celebrity names?
B&B: It’s fantastic and very flattering because although these women may have stylists, they have ultimately chosen to wear our pieces because they feel confident and sexy in them. It’s also a great inspiration for our customer, because she can see that aspirational fashion [is] achievable!
Genevieve: In what way (and how important is it) that Bec & Bridge is a wholly Australian label?
B&B: It’s very important to us [because] keeping production local means that we work closely with our suppliers, and can get up close to our product every step of the way. We always design with Australia in mind, and we never want to compromise on this. The Australian lifestyle influences us in everything that we do, and we think it shows in our products, whether through the designs or the fabrications.
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