Modeling, Photography and More: How Brooklyn Beckham Tried to Pave His Own Path

David and Victoria Beckham‘s oldest son, Brooklyn Beckham, has spent years trying to step out of his famous parents’ shadows. Scroll down to see which gigs he took as he attempted to pave his own path.

Teenage Barista

Brooklyn Beckham’s first job saw him working at a West London coffee shop on weekends for minimum wage at age 15. David told the Huffington Post he and Victoria wanted their kids to learn the value of money from a young age, explaining, “We try to lead by example, by showing them it’s important to work hard.”

Soccer Player

Growing up, it looked like Brooklyn might follow in his dad’s footsteps and play pro soccer after he earned a position on Arsenal Football Club’s youth team. Though he got called up to the under-18 squad, he ultimately stopped playing at 16 after learning he wouldn’t be offered a professional contract.

Male Model

Brooklyn modeled professionally beginning in 2014, scoring gigs as a brand ambassador for a Huawei smartphone and Superdry clothes, and landing covers for Vogue China, Miss Vogue, Interview, L’Uomo Vogue, The New York Times Style Magazine and Dazed Korea.

Professional Photographer

Despite a lack of formal training, Brooklyn shot a Burberry fashion campaign at 16. At 18, he released a photo book, What I See, which was widely mocked for its beginner-level quality and childlike captions. He left a four-year photography degree program at NYC’s Parsons School of Design after a year.

Chef & Condiment Creator

In 2021, he launched the online series Cookin’ With Brooklyn. His sake brand, WESAKE, came out in 2022 and his hot sauce, Cloud23 — a nod to his dad’s jersey number — followed in 2024, the same year he created a pop-up restaurant with Uber Eats featuring comfort foods like chicken tikka masala and pork dumplings.

Dog Shelter Cofounder

Last year, Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz Beckham — who share four rescue pups — filed paperwork in California to register the Peltz Beckham Foundation, a charity to rescue and shelter homeless dogs. He’s since claimed on his Instagram Stories “the one time my wife asked for my mum’s support to save displaced dogs during the L.A. fires, my mum refused.”