From The Straits Times    |

Brooklyn versus David Beckham b1.png

#WhoWoreItBetter? All images © Man About Town

It’s Brooklyn, baby! Behold the boyish beauty that is David Beckham’s scion, doing his best pre-Botox scowl on the latest cover of posh gent’s periodical, Man About Town.

This is probably newsworthy on its own merit – this is, after all, Brooklyn’s major fashion debut – but throw in the irresistible nugget of his Dad being on the Spring 2013 cover and you have a family face-off worthy of the Kardashians.

(Poor Kim, having to marry her way to a Vogue co-cover … but we’ll leave the stirring of that pot to cattier commentators.)

Here’s the deal. Brooklyn, who’s a fabulous fifteen this year, headlines said uppity men’s manual’s Spring 2014’s ode to teenhood.

The arresting cover shows Brooklyn in what we find to be very Daniel Radcliffe-esque threads: Artfully teased quiff, preppy navy bomber over crisp white shirt and stiff striped tie, a brilliantly subversive touch courtesy of a cartoonish slice of pie superimposed over his breast – a reference, apparently, to an Aussie sitcom in which “quiche” is a running gag for “a step above hot”.

Brooklyn versus David Beckham b2.png

Brooklyn doing his best Justin Bieber impression – in a Saint Laurent top worn by G-Dragon during a Singapore press junket, no less! 

And for the name-droppers out there, the 20-page spread (photographed by Alasdair McLellan, no less) is your definitive study in strenuous affectation.

Spot the Ralph Laurens and Saint Laurents among the flotsam and jetsam of privileged adolescence: Eminem and Star Wars posters (we’re totally judging Brooklyn for preferring the prequels, the horror!), soccer trophies and unbearably smug, #throwbackthursday boomboxes …

Brooklyn versus David Beckham b3.png

Brooklyn’s peach fuzz is so endearing (not so sure about his taste in rap music, though)

Yes, we realise we’re behaving like bitter little kittens. Let’s be fair and note that Brooklyn himself looks absolutely adorable in his swanky swag … almost as adorable, that is, as his Dad. Beckham Senior, who looks (uncharacteristically) like a real man in his moody black-and-white mugshot from last year, gets our vote for better cover model.

Check back with us in five years, though – we have an inkling beautiful Brooklyn’s foray into high fashion is for the long haul.

Now, all we need for our lives to be complete is little Harper landing herself a Bazaar cover …