It’s been two years and four seasons since Victoria Beckham first showed her collection in Paris — a “flag-raising moment” that put VB on the international fashion map as a serious designer. “I’m excited to be part of this conversation. It’s something I do my way,” she told Esquire about the “scary but fun” experience. VB’s “manners” include dressing according to the role. Remember, Beckham is no ordinary designer who stays up all night in her studio and survives on coffee, Diet Coke, cigarettes, etc. This is Victoria Beckham! The head of a family empire, a fitness guru, a beauty entrepreneur, a fashion celebrity, and soon to be the head of Netflix. She has everything from her hotel La Reserve to her studio, outlets, and more.
First of all, Paris Fashion Week is a trade show. Any street style moment is a great opportunity to promote your products, especially leather accessories, which are the lifeblood of any brand. A big clutch slung tight to the hip or strapped to the chest is a classic VB move – you’ll rarely see Victoria with a bag slung over the shoulder, because it’s a wasted opportunity. Shoes and belts were also in photo-friendly jewel tones, rather than contrasting with her occasional black flash.
More recently, thanks to the healthy and famous Birkin and Kelly line, Beckham gave up designing her own bags and switched her allegiance to the Hermès family. Always carrying an open bag – but never showing any part of her busy daily life – was a badge of honour that showed Victoria was born in Paris. Her association with Balenciaga’s thigh-high boots and Alaïa’s stilettos also paints her as a designer’s designer – one who appreciates the craftsmanship of her peers. Giving another taste-maker a front row seat in the industry is a smart move, with Beckham regularly supporting Rick Owens and Simon Porte Jacquemus (imagine that dinner party!).
Another sign of what makes a designer a designer is her carefully crafted uniform. The Creative Director (Luxury) sticks to the same basic rotation, which is essentially a blank canvas for his work. Victoria’s wardrobe focuses on belted high-waisted trousers, artfully open blouses, fitted pleated midi dresses, oversized but perfectly tailored jackets, square frame sunglasses and heels. To be fair, Beckham hid her feet in medical boots last season, but she didn’t succumb to the temptation of a tracksuit. Instead, she wore a pair of Alaïa Le Cour pumps and braces to show her deep commitment to personal appearance.
This season, with all the artists gone, Beckham has nothing to prove. With a transformative fall hairstyle, a blockbuster TV deal, a growing celebrity fan base and a finish line to back it up, she’s strutting around the French capital in “dirty” Balenciaga. Working hard toeing its runway lines — “I was really designing what I wanted — a women’s collection for women,” she said last season — Beckham has already established herself in the field, but there’s no better way to put it. Polished in Paris, it always looks good on her.
