Spice Girl Grows Up

Victoria Beckham released her 5th collection at New York Fashion Week the other day and the (very small) crowd went wild. Variously described as a gracious, perfect and/or warm hostess with the fashion knowledge to legitimise what was once considered (with contempt) a brief foray into fashion to now be recognised as a serious designer with an ability to stay in step with trends (this season's collection takes inspiration from womanly curves, with Christina Hendricks cited as one of VB's style icons) and deliver wearable art.

Garance Dore attended the showing and had this to say:

Victoria had a seat right in the middle on one of the stools. Everyone got quiet, a model came out into the room and Victoria started talking in a soft yet cheerful voice.

”I’m going to show you my new collection. For this season, I wanted to concentrate on the sensuality of the feminine body. You’ll see that I used different materials… Starting from this cloth from a parachute, which inspired me too…”

I’ve never seen anything like it. One by one, she described her dresses. When she could, she’d add in a touch of humor, or a small gesture to show the movement of a fabric… Everyone was clinging to her every word.

Calm and relaxed, the models passed by, ethereal.

Amidst the craziness of fashion week, a moment of pure luxury, without the flash of cameras, the commotion of the crowd, without the yelling… Wow.



The rave reviews have been heaping up - and fashion critics are particularly enamoured with her old school fashion show habit of sitting front row and providing commentary of her clothes as they float past. Critics are also most impressed with her fashion knowledge, gradually laying to rest the idea that she has a silent designer helping her every step of the way.

Beckham has added handbags (in collaboration with Marc Jacobs bag designer Kate Hillier) and sunglasses to her collection.


This woman is so on my ultimate dinner party guest list.