This week in our At Home With series, we speak to Courtney Skippon on photography, sources of inspiration and how she is finding life in Australia.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got to where you are today?
I’m a creative and home cook from Vancouver, Canada. After attending business school in the South of France, I'm now based in Sydney, Australia. I've always had a keen interest in photography, so in 2019, I began doing both personal projects and commissioned work for clients – I suppose it just snowballed from there. My hope is that my work serves as a reminder to slow down, elevate the essentials, and uncover the beauty in every daily act.
You recently launched “You Beauty”. Tell us a little bit about this and where you find inspiration for your photography.
It is a dispatch of what I find joyful, beautiful and most interesting - a place to gather my thoughts and photographs that might otherwise go unseen. It accumulates my favourite finds, recipes, recommendations and ruminations on just about any and everything. A permanent home for things getting lost in the Instagram infinity. ‘You beauty’ is a general exclamation of happiness and joy. A very Australian way of saying something is delightful.
I most often find my inspiration in the natural world. The benefit of this is that it changes every day, and to be honest, does most of the work for you, so long as you’re paying attention (or not paying attention, depending on who you ask). My environment has a deep influence on every aspect of my life, so it’s something I have always given high value.
How are you finding life in Australia? What would you say has been the biggest difference to your lifestyle since moving?
I think there’s a better work/life balance here (I found that in France as well, of course, but they aren’t morning people). I love waking up early and I love how low expectations are at 5 or 6am – I rarely feel that at any other time of day, especially working for myself. I will say: the houses are incredibly poorly insulated here. It’s common for the interior to be as cold as (or even colder) than outside. I’m from Canada and I don’t think I’ve ever been as cold as I am in winter in Australia, actually.
What brings you joy or boosts your confidence when you most need it?
Coffee at sunrise, a dip in the ocean, a long walk in nature. Spending time outside is very stabilizing for me.
What’s your favourite Dora Larsen Swim style, and why?
The underwire bikini top and bikini bottoms. I have long legs and a short torso, so the bottoms have a nice rise and the cut is super flattering for my body type. It’s the most comfortable two-piece set I’ve ever worn. It feels like wearing nothing at all - so much so that I often check that my top hasn’t drifted off with the tide. So rare for an underwire to be so unobtrusive, but true-to-form for Dora Larsen. I loved being able to mix and match the pieces in DL’s signature colour block style too.
Find Courtney here.
Shop Courtney's edit here.
