A lot can be said about Victoria Beckham's Spice Girls-themed rise to fame, but it's her path to fashion that has garnered her immense respect.
Clean, crisp and wearable collections have taken her eponymous brand from emerging to directional in a considerably short run, so how does she do it? "I normally get naked and make clothes on myself," she said candidly at this weekend's Vogue Festival in London.
With no formal design training, it's her ability to understand what consumers want from clothes that has made Beckham a formidable player in the industry. So influential, her Q&A session with British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman was in demand.
Beckham, dressed in a blouse and a midi skirt from her main line, was overwhelmed by the queue of attendees, and addressed various topics from life as a mother and a designer to those infamous glum-looking paparazzi photographs we're used to seeing. "I get it when I see the photos," she said.
With four kids, Beckham admitted that design life revolves around the family's schedule and that Harper is often in the studio with her. Balancing both, she said, is challenging. Talking about girl power, Beckham noted that women should be more supportive of each other.
From those early private previews to her full-scale runway shows at New York Fashion Week, Beckham has come a long way. "There were a lot of raised eyebrows or those that could raise their eyebrows," she said about those early days. But, she persevered. It wasn't about the idea of proving non-believers wrong but proving to herself that she could do it.
The most important thing she had to remember, and still does, is to produce quality wearable clothes that will resonate with consumers. And she has. "The clothes are selling, the retailers are happy, the brand is growing, the categories are growing and people can't argue with that," she said.
But her dreams are far from over. Beckham has further expansion plans in mind, including her first standalone retail space in London. She also hasn't ruled out a London showcasing. A universal message of evolution, her success tip was simple yet real: be prepared to do everything and work your way up.
Having recently launched her e-commerce shop (victoriabeckham.com) and the Icons collection of dresses, Beckham has cemented her position as designer, businesswoman and an all-round fashion girl's girl. And, to sweeten her rise to fashion stardom, rumours are swirling that she is set to land her first solo US Vogue cover soon.
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