“The Victoria Line,” written by Hamish Bowles, first appeared in the April 2012 edition of Vogue. To explore more highlights from Vogue’s archives, subscribe to our Nostalgia newsletter here.
“Have you ever visited a crèche before?” Victoria Beckham teased as she greeted me at her London studio just before Christmas. “We accomplish a lot in our meetings,” she continued, “so it’s nice to have a baby here to lighten the mood.” She held her five-month-old daughter, Harper Seven Beckham, on her hip, though there wasn’t much hip to perch on. Victoria had quickly regained her slender figure after her fourth child’s birth—Harper joined her whimsically named brothers: Brooklyn Joseph, 13; Romeo James, 9; and Cruz David, 7. She achieved this through a demanding fitness routine with trainer Tracy Anderson, whom Gwyneth Paltrow had recommended. “I exercised a lot,” Victoria shared. “I ran frequently, working out six days a week. I tend to get quite obsessive when I commit to something,” she added—a statement that, over the next few weeks as I immersed myself in Beckham World across London, Los Angeles, and New York, I realized was a massive understatement.
Her slim figure was accentuated by her own design: a signature pencil-skirted sheath she called “the sucky-sucky dress” for its tight, elastic fit. This was the same style she introduced in her fashion line eight seasons earlier during intimate presentations at the Waldorf-Astoria, featuring just three models and an extravagant floral arrangement she had personally chosen from the hotel florist at 1 a.m. (“I remember thinking how pricey the flowers were,” she recalled. “I’ve always managed my brand carefully, very budget-conscious.”) At that debut, seated on a delicate Louis sofa with perfect posture and one Louboutin-clad foot neatly crossed behind the other—like a model student from a 1950s etiquette class—Victoria meticulously explained the philosophy behind each dress in precise, deliberate tones. She even unzipped a few to show the shaping corsetry inside. “For three days, I just talked and talked and talked,” she remembered.
While the presentation alone was impressive, the fashion world was initially skeptical about the Beckham brand’s new venture. However, raised eyebrows soon smoothed in admiration at the strikingly chic and focused collection Victoria revealed. “I wanted clothes that were flattering, timeless, and high-quality,” she said. “That’s something Marc Jacobs advised me early on. He told me, ‘If you have the best quality, people might say it’s not their style, but they can’t call it rubbish.'”
On the first day, her audience was mostly fashion press who listened quietly without much reaction. “No one shared their thoughts with me,” Victoria noted. “Then the retailers came in—they’re very different; they’ll tell you exactly what they think. And they really liked it.”
“I was blown away,” said Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus’s fashion director. “The clothes were as exquisite inside as out. And she understands how clothes should feel.”
Over time, Victoria shifted from the strict silhouette of her early collections. “Initially, I wanted clothes that people would link to me,” she explained. “I was probably more self-conscious back then—afraid to wear anything that wasn’t extremely tight. I wore a lot of corsetry, which reflected my insecurities. By the third or fourth season, I began researching styles I didn’t like and challenging myself. Now that I’m more confident, I feel creatively fulfilled. It doesn’t all have to be tight. I love working…”Her designs feature volume and fabric that falls away from the body. Her new Victoria line encourages more experimentation, describing it as “easier and a bit more relaxed” – the other half of her wardrobe.
Like many female designers, Victoria’s approach is deeply personal. “I’ve always had to work with what I have,” she says. At five-foot-four, she’s never been a tall, slender model, so she aims to create an illusion through her clothing. “People often think I’m taller than I am, not just because of my shoes but because of how I dress. Everything is quite streamlined.”
When she started her brand, Victoria wanted to create clothes she would personally wear, from jeans to evening gowns. That remains her ultimate test: “Would I wear it? If yes, it goes into the collection; if not, it doesn’t.” Her “sucky-sucky” dress is a perfect example, designed to accentuate the waist and flatter the bust and hips. Victoria’s focus is on perfecting fit, spending hours fine-tuning details like a shoulder seam. Her goal is to craft the ideal dress, with collections that are polished and accessible, unlike designers who rely on abstract inspiration.
Above all, Victoria is practical. “When a season goes well, my first thought is, ‘Great, I can do another one.’ I’m realistic. I’m creative, but women need to actually want to buy the dresses.”
During fittings, Victoria is highly observant, considering all opinions before making the final call. “I have to believe in it, or how can I expect others to?” she notes. She also has a witty side, as seen when reviewing shoe designs with Christian Louboutin for her runway show. She preferred two straps over three on ankle boots, joking that three looked too much like “Puss in Boots” or “Mary Poppins,” and cautioned that cuffs should sit at the top to avoid making ankles appear thick.
The next day, over high tea at the renovated Savoy Hotel (where she drank water through a straw), Victoria shared how busy she is. “It never stops. I travel a lot, my team travels a lot. There’s so much to do in so little time; it’s intense.”
Although the Beckhams have a large home in Hertfordshire, Victoria and her daughter Harper are staying at the Savoy to avoid a four-hour daily commute. “That’s time I could be productive,” she explains.
Simon Fuller, the legendary producer behind American Idol, encouraged Victoria to pursue fashion. He helped shape the Spice Girls into a ’90s icon and has managed Victoria and David Beckham since 2003. (David recently launched his own underwear line with H&M.) Victoria’s studio and sample rooms are located in Fuller’s London headquarters in Battersea.
Fuller first ventured into fashion with Roland Mouret, a French-born designer based in London. Victoria credits Mouret with helping her assemble a small team to bring her designs to life, reflecting his influence on her feminine, midcentury-inspired style.The silhouette—best seen in his famous 2005 Galaxy dress—influenced Victoria’s early collections. Her small London team flies to Los Angeles monthly, and when they’re in England, she stays in touch with them over Skype. Her L.A. office boasts huge windows that look out on the HOLLYWOOD sign in the background. “It’s so bright—a great spot for choosing colors,” she remarks. “Meanwhile, my team in Battersea is bundled up in sweaters and freezing!” More often than not, she’s on Skype in her pajamas at home. “That’s the perk of living in L.A.,” she points out. “I work early mornings and late nights, but once England and New York are asleep, I get a bit of downtime here. David and I plan our schedules around the kids. Being so dedicated to our work actually helps us maintain balance.”
While pregnant with Harper during fittings for her fall-winter 2011 collection, Victoria’s changing shape led to some flowing, Balenciaga-inspired designs. When the Beckhams were invited to Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s wedding last summer, “first, of course, we were thrilled,” Victoria recalls. Then came the worry: “What do you wear to the wedding of the century when you’re very pregnant?” (She opted for Look #2 from her collection, recreated in deep blue, paired with a Philip Treacy pillbox hat and towering Louboutins.)
Victoria herself is part of another world-famous British couple. In 1997, as “Posh” Victoria Adams and the Spice Girls rode a wave of global success with their empowering anthems like “Wannabe” and “Spice Up Your Life,” she met David Beckham. He wasn’t yet a household name but was already known for his incredible, curveball goals. “It was love at first sight,” Victoria once said, though she admitted, “I didn’t really know who he was. I was never into football.”
They married in 1999. As Victoria’s music career faded—the Spice Girls split in 2001, and her solo efforts didn’t shine—and she concentrated on family, David’s fame skyrocketed. “I was never going to be the best singer or dancer,” she says. (During the fun, over-the-top 2008 Spice Girls reunion tour, I noticed her solo moment wasn’t singing but a dramatic runway strut in a bustled minidress.) “I worked hard, but it took me a long time to find something where I could say, ‘Hey, I’m not bad at this.’ And I’ve found that with what I’m doing now.”
In 2011, Victoria was nominated for the British Fashion Council’s Designer Brand award, alongside names like Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, and Burberry. “When they announced my name, I felt like my heart would leap out of my chest,” she shares, adding that this honor meant far more to her than any music award. “I value my past. I respect all the girls and loved what I did then, but this is my passion. I didn’t expect to lose my composure in front of the whole British fashion industry, but I was overwhelmed—I cried three times.”
Marc Jacobs came from Paris to give her the award. He had featured Victoria in his memorable 2008 Juergen Teller ad campaign, where in one shot she was hidden inside a large Jacobs paper bag, showing only her shoe-clad legs. As The New York Times reported then, Teller told his hesitant subject, “Fashion today is all about product—bags and shoes—and you’re kind of a product yourself, aren’t you?”
“Buckle up!” Victoria Beckham instructs as I climb in.I climbed into the passenger seat of her sleek black Range Rover. “Because driving isn’t my strong suit!” she explained.
The New Year has arrived, and I’m in Los Angeles to get a glimpse of Victoria’s life here. Just before Christmas, she had no idea whether her family would be relocating to Paris—where David was being pursued by the Paris Saint-Germain soccer team—or staying in Los Angeles, a city she adores. “I’m definitely a glass-half-full kind of person,” she says. “That’s why I love living in America.” By New Year’s, the decision was final: they’re staying in Los Angeles. “It would have been fun for David to play in Europe again—he’s not getting any younger,” Victoria notes. “And Paris would have been exciting for my career, but we decided it’s all about the children—they come first. Plus, David came here to boost soccer’s profile in America; I’m really proud of him, but his mission isn’t complete yet.”
David played a crucial role in the team that secured London’s bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. When Lord Coe asked him to join, “I felt humbled,” he recalls. “I still get goosebumps talking about it,” he adds, referring to the moment the winning envelope was opened in front of Paris and London delegates. “It was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done outside my career. It’s thrilling, especially as someone from East London. I hope to be selected for the team, since they allow three overage players.”
The Beckhams have dipped into Los Angeles’ elite social scene—like game nights at Demi Moore’s with guests such as Penélope Cruz and Eva Longoria—but Victoria’s closest friend is her hairdresser, and their life revolves around their kids. “We haven’t seen an adult movie in years,” David sighs. “Nothing above PG-13.” The couple hasn’t taken a vacation in three years.
Their sons have a packed schedule of after-school sports (Tom Brady even gave them American football lessons) and performance practices, with Victoria fully embracing her role as a soccer mom. “Other than Fashion Week, I’ve never missed an event,” she says. “Once, someone asked my son Cruz, ‘When’s your birthday?’ and he replied, ‘It’s right after Fashion Week!'”
For Romeo’s birthday, the family surprised him with a visit to Justin Bieber’s studio while he was recording his Christmas album. Bieber kindly sent the boys signed guitars afterward, but Romeo’s was mistakenly inscribed to “Pax” (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s son). “So we ended up with one of the Jolie-Pitt guitars,” his mother laughs—just one of the quirks of their celebrity life.
Shortly after we start driving, the phone rings, and David Beckham is on speakerphone—an unplanned interruption that clearly flusters his wife. “We have VOGUE in the car!” Victoria says firmly. “Don’t say anything silly.” (He doesn’t; in fact, he’s sweet, polite, and respectful.)
Victoria has arranged a girls’ lunch at Barneys (salad without tomatoes, balsamic vinegar instead of vinaigrette, and a Diet Coke), preceded by a rare stroll through the designer section. “I hardly ever get to go shopping and actually touch the clothes or try them on. I love shopping, but I usually do it through Net-a-Porter.” Attentive personal shoppers glide by to take her selections—a navy Lanvin chemise, Céline tops in olive crepe and black leather, and a loose black jacket with three-quarter pants by Ann Demeulemeester—to the VIP changing room. Victoria lingers over the Jil Sander picks (“I can’t wait to check Vogue.com and see what they’ve featured!”) and the Alaïa section. David once took her to Alaïa in Paris, where the designer himself fitted her choices. (Her advice for navigating the contrast between Los Angeles…Navigating the intense outdoor heat and the cool of air-conditioned interiors, Victoria advises, “Always carry an Alaïa cardigan.” As we pull out of Barneys’ parking garage into the warm afternoon, she notices a large camera lens protruding from a car window. Driving down the palm-lined boulevard, we’re flanked by vehicles with more lenses aimed at our Range Rover, swerving dangerously like aggressive dragonflies. After dropping me at my hotel, she nearly hits a wall trying to evade them as they block the exit, leaving me thoroughly shaken. “When you’re a woman driving alone with the kids, it can be a bit frightening at times,” she remarks calmly.
That evening, the Beckhams have invited me for dinner, and by 6:30, I’m settled in their secluded mansion. When David moved from Real Madrid to the L.A. Galaxy in 2007, Victoria faced the pressure of relocating the family and quickly chose this $22 million, 13,000-square-foot Beverly Hills home, conveniently located between the boys’ schools and Barneys. With the help of her friend, London design expert Kelly Hoppen, she decorated the entire house in just two months. “I wanted everything to be perfect when David and the boys arrived,” she explains. “By the time he flew in from Spain with the children, I had bought and decorated the house, lit candles, arranged for someone to unpack his suitcase, and had dinner cooking in the kitchen. The stereo was playing. He walked in, set down his bag, and it was all perfect. I aimed for the best possible start, stress-free for everyone. Thankfully, he loved the house—we share the same taste.”
In the Beckhams’ high-ceilinged living room, the air is scented with Diptyque’s Tuberose, and the sound system plays Victoria’s favorite swing-era radio station. Silver-leafed walls, chandeliers, and sconces adorned with vintage, hand-cut crystal drops create a dazzling effect. A large coffee table, crowded with orchids and art books like “Avedon Fashion: 1944–2000” and a Julian Schnabel catalog (a massive Schnabel painting hangs on one wall), is flanked by two pale-gray sofas so spacious they could each seat Victoria (with her 25-inch waist) twenty times over.
The setting is breathtakingly glamorous, ideal for this iconic pop culture couple. Victoria thought the long entrance gallery would be perfect for the boys to skateboard in, under the watchful eyes of Damien Hirst’s Spot paintings and his large pink butterfly heart piece. The dining room features stuffed white peacocks, and Bert Stern’s portrait of Marilyn Monroe overlooks the mantel. In the living room, a Lucite case displays a pair of Manolo Blahnik ankle boots customized by Hirst with his signature spots, signed on the soles: “Posh boots for a posh bird.” “I wouldn’t dare step in any puddles with those!” she laughs.
David shares why he’s never attended one of his wife’s fashion shows: “I’m usually a calming presence, but I think it’s better for her to focus on that alone,” he says. “You put so much pressure on yourself,” he tells her. (He did surprise her by showing up at her New York hotel room at 5 a.m. for her polished fall-winter 2012 show at the New York Public Library, partly inspired by Brooklyn’s baseball practice gear.)
“I believe if I’m going to work, it should be as good as it can be,” Victoria responds. “I give it my all. You either commit 100 percent or not at all. But you’re the same way in your work—you’re a perfectionist too.”
“I try to be,” David replies.
The boys join us for dinner (Harper is asleep in her lilac bedroom under a Hirst butterfly, monitored via an iPad). They all enjoy the elaborate sushi starters—exotic foods are no novelty to them.The boys are enjoying new experiences, as their father has introduced them to East End favorites like pie and mash and stewed eels—though they have kid-friendly options instead of the main course of halibut in red wine. The meal is paired with wine from the Napa Valley, where the Beckhams own a private reserve and visit to unwind “once every couple of months,” David shares. Last year, the boys dressed in beekeeper suits to collect honey from their hives (Brooklyn still got stung) and helped crush grapes for the wine. They produce 900 bottles annually. “We give it to friends and family,” Victoria says.
The boys try to persuade their mom to take a sip of wine, hoping it will convince her to let them all sleep in the same room. “They snuggle up like little peas in a pod,” she remarks, “but only on nights when there’s no school the next day.” David adds, “Or when Mommy’s had a glass of wine.”
My evening with the incredibly polite and charming Beckham boys turns into a showcase of their talents. Brooklyn plays “Here Comes the Sun” on his guitar, Romeo shows off his drumsticks (mentioning that Elton John is one of their godfathers), and Cruz proudly displays his tae kwon do purple belt along with some smooth moves. “He’s very good at breakdancing. He spins on his head,” Victoria says, then quickly adds, “Oh, don’t do it now, sweetheart, because you’ll be sick!” Cruz is also taking ballet, inspired by his cousin who “is very lucky because he gets to lift up girls.”
Before heading to bed, the brothers politely ask to be excused from the table and then burst into an impromptu performance of “Walk Like a Man”—their favorite song from Jersey Boys. “I’d love to say they get it from me, but they don’t,” their proud mother admits with a shrug. “But they have good fashion sense; I like to think that they got that from me.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and concise FAQs about From the Archives Victoria Beckham on Discovering Her Lifes Passion
General Beginner Questions
1 What is this From the Archives piece about
Its a look back at an interview or feature where Victoria Beckham discusses how she transitioned from a global pop star to a successful fashion designer and businesswoman finding her true calling
2 Who is Victoria Beckham
She first gained fame as Posh Spice in the 1990s pop group the Spice Girls and later reinvented herself as a highly respected fashion designer and founder of her eponymous brand
3 What was her lifes passion that she discovered
Her lifes passion is fashion design and building her own luxury brand Victoria Beckham
4 When did she start her fashion brand
She launched her debut fashion collection the Victoria Beckham label in 2008
Deeper Dive Advanced Questions
5 What was the biggest challenge she faced in switching careers
The biggest challenge was overcoming public perception and industry skepticism Many people saw her only as a pop star and didnt take her seriously as a designer initially
6 How did her time in the Spice Girls help her in fashion
It gave her a masterclass in branding media and understanding the power of image and style The Posh Spice persona was itself a fashion statement that laid the groundwork for her future
7 What is her design philosophy or aesthetic
Her aesthetic is often described as sophisticated modern and elegant She focuses on sharp tailoring clean lines and creating clothes that empower the woman wearing them
8 Did she have any formal training in fashion design
No she did not have formal training She has often stated that she learned through immersionstudying fabrics observing tailors and trusting her own innate sense of style and vision
9 What can I learn from her story about finding my own passion
You can learn that its never too late to pivot and pursue something new Passion hard work and a willingness to learn can help you overcome a lack of formal experience and succeed in a new field
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