This time last week Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid were photographed together in London. He was dressed in a pair of star-spangled camo pants, a double-breasted pea coat, and a chubby Louis Vuitton beanie that evoked Mini Mushroom from the Super Mario Bros franchise. Here is just a small selection of the reactions to the paparazzi shots that surfaced online: “Why is he dressed like that?”; “Bro seriously needs a stylist”; “They need to break up”; and, “Sorry, I can’t get past that hat.”
If anything, these statements read as a cautionary tale of what happens when a man enters into a new relationship and feels safe and secure enough to express a bit of je ne sais quoi through his clothing. Back in November, Emily Kirkpatrick of the I <3 Mess Substack identified that Cooper had been “totally Gigi-fied” since the duo were reported to have started dating in October 2023. And I imagine the model quite liked that impish beanie before it was framed as the ultimate “ick” on X. It was a convergence of their aesthetic interests, conjuring the same essence as her beaded phone straps: naïve, a little craft-table in spirit.
It’s little wonder that Cooper seems to be retreating inward. Yesterday afternoon he was photographed in some old straight-leg denim, walking boots, and a waterproof jacket when strolling around Manhattan. (Hadid, for her part, wore a cropped leather jacket, wide-leg jeans, and a pair of pointed-toe loafers.) This is the story of a man who dared to step outside his comfort zone, got burnt, and was forced to revisit his role as default boyfriend as a result. If you believe in the divine power of Hollywood love, please give Bradley Cooper the permission to wear a silly beanie from time to time. This is their fantasy…not yours.
This article first appeared on British Vogue.
