Don't Mess With Victoria Beckham

She may be chic and petite, but don’t mess with Victoria Beckham. She offered a no-nonsense, tough-girl fall collection at New York Fashion Week on Sunday that she said she hoped would forge an “emotional attachment between the garment and the wearer.”

She explained in the notes for attendants of her small runway show at the New York Public Library that she used this season to explore her interest in details and technique. The crowd did include husband David, in his Sunday-best suit.

“The idea of how the body can connect to the clothes through their construction and detail fascinates me,” she wrote.

That translated on the catwalk to shiny python shirt-style collars on second-skin dresses with gold hardware, and zip-back striped sheaths. Interesting twists included dresses with epaulets but no sleeves to hang them on, and harness-style backs on dresses that had high necks in the front. There was a hint of a schoolgirl vibe in some looks with the collars and flared-hem skirts.

Gone from this collection were the looser shapes Beckham had been experimenting with in past seasons.

This was Beckham’s sexy, sophisticated look to the core. OK, the exception might be the motorcycle boots that one can’t imagine Beckham giving up her stilettos for.

There was not much opportunity to see Beckham when she took her bow: It was a brief wave as she peeked from backstage.

“She is so determined and focused in anything she does, whether it’s her career, figure or clothing line,” said Nina Garcia, Marie Claire fashion director and “Project Runway” judge. “She’s her best advertisement. She always looks great, is a fashion icon herself and has a passion for what she’s doing."
source: AP

Don't Mess With Victoria Beckham

She may be chic and petite, but don’t mess with Victoria Beckham. She offered a no-nonsense, tough-girl fall collection at New York Fashion Week on Sunday that she said she hoped would forge an “emotional attachment between the garment and the wearer.”

She explained in the notes for attendants of her small runway show at the New York Public Library that she used this season to explore her interest in details and technique. The crowd did include husband David, in his Sunday-best suit.

“The idea of how the body can connect to the clothes through their construction and detail fascinates me,” she wrote.

That translated on the catwalk to shiny python shirt-style collars on second-skin dresses with gold hardware, and zip-back striped sheaths. Interesting twists included dresses with epaulets but no sleeves to hang them on, and harness-style backs on dresses that had high necks in the front. There was a hint of a schoolgirl vibe in some looks with the collars and flared-hem skirts.

Gone from this collection were the looser shapes Beckham had been experimenting with in past seasons.

This was Beckham’s sexy, sophisticated look to the core. OK, the exception might be the motorcycle boots that one can’t imagine Beckham giving up her stilettos for.

There was not much opportunity to see Beckham when she took her bow: It was a brief wave as she peeked from backstage.

“She is so determined and focused in anything she does, whether it’s her career, figure or clothing line,” said Nina Garcia, Marie Claire fashion director and “Project Runway” judge. “She’s her best advertisement. She always looks great, is a fashion icon herself and has a passion for what she’s doing."
source: AP

Review: Victoria, Victoria Beckham by Style.com's Nicole Phelps

At her presentation today, Victoria Beckham reported that her first collection for Victoria, Victoria Beckham enjoyed 100 percent sell-through on Net-a-Porter before it was even online. "They said it was unprecedented," she added. That's the power of celebrity. But it's also the power of a good dress.
Her Spring frocks were as eccentric as they were effortless, covered in cats, clouds, or moons. The 20 looks she showed for Fall retained the charm of last season's debut; there was a "Frockerella" print of dress sketches on one, and swans on the collars of others. But the sensibility was more sophisticated. The somewhat slimmer silhouettes and shrunken shoulders were contributing factors, as was the more muted color palette. The clothes were also more ambitious. The collection's standout number was made from a woven jacquard that looked like parallel strips of different fabrics but was in fact two single pieces of material front and back.

Technical details like that aren't what's making a success of the label, though. Rather, it's the dresses' simplicity, their smart price points, and, perhaps most importantly, pictures of VB looking fab in them.
source: Style

Review: Victoria, Victoria Beckham by Style.com's Nicole Phelps

At her presentation today, Victoria Beckham reported that her first collection for Victoria, Victoria Beckham enjoyed 100 percent sell-through on Net-a-Porter before it was even online. "They said it was unprecedented," she added. That's the power of celebrity. But it's also the power of a good dress.
Her Spring frocks were as eccentric as they were effortless, covered in cats, clouds, or moons. The 20 looks she showed for Fall retained the charm of last season's debut; there was a "Frockerella" print of dress sketches on one, and swans on the collars of others. But the sensibility was more sophisticated. The somewhat slimmer silhouettes and shrunken shoulders were contributing factors, as was the more muted color palette. The clothes were also more ambitious. The collection's standout number was made from a woven jacquard that looked like parallel strips of different fabrics but was in fact two single pieces of material front and back.

Technical details like that aren't what's making a success of the label, though. Rather, it's the dresses' simplicity, their smart price points, and, perhaps most importantly, pictures of VB looking fab in them.
source: Style

Reviews: Imogen Fox of The Guardian

Victoria Beckham goes from strength to strength with New York show - Designer puts faith in body-conscious dresses with nod to sporty and military looks in the eighth show for her main collection

"I get so inspired by my family," Victoria Beckham said backstage at her show at the New York Public library. "I was in the kitchen one day and Romeo ran in with his baseball kit on and that's what inspired those bright sporty collars on the dresses. And the beanie hats – they were inspired by the ones David is always wearing." Beckham is a woman who knows how to reel in her audience with an anecdote almost as expertly as she knows how to execute a faultless collection.

This, her eighth outing for her mainline collection, was her strongest show yet. The show unashamedly explored the by-now trademarked Beckham look of body-conscious dresses that stop short of being blatantly sexy by dint of their elbow-length sleeves and high necklines. This season there is a nod to sporty and military looks, all expressed in what the designer described as "a silhouette I believe in". She said: "I'm not pregnant any more and these are the clothes that I really want to wear."

This confidence in her catwalk designs was echoed in the silent choreography of the show itself. For the first time David Beckham sat in the front row – in the past the footballer was banned for fear he would be too much of a distraction as Victoria Beckham sought to gain industry approval for her new career.

But with the accolade of Brand of the Year awarded by the British Fashion Council under her belt, she no longer has need of such careful manoeuvres. David played the proud husband, seated next to the Vogue editor, Anna Wintour, while the designer herself took her first ever catwalk bow – well, a smiling wave – at the end of the runway.

The show focused on day dresses, albeit high-voltage ones. Despite the show's being in the middle of awards season, the designer steered clear of dropping any none-too-subtle catwalk hints to Hollywood. She doesn't need to: more than one A-list actor is expected to give the Beckham evening wear an airing over the next couple of weeks.

This confidence carried through to the clothes. There were hints at earlier collections, with revisited themes explored more thoughtfully. The sculpted internal corsetry of the earliest collections was gone but had been replaced with rib-hugging canvas panels to lend structure – all the better for showing off a tiny waist.

Best was what can be described as the military body-con section. Khaki dresses snaked below the knee and had what looked like multiple parachute straps across the back. An army-green coat with gold buttons and a black python lapel and collar was a standout.

These ultra-luxury details, which, Beckham explained, were the result of experiments in her accessories line, are likely to raise the already substantial prices still further. But this was a tactic designed to mark out the mainline collection as distinct from her newer secondary line – Victoria, Victoria Beckham – which shows later in the week. Beckham said: "Certain dresses that might have been included in this collection in the past have been moved to the Victoria line to enable me to focus on construction."

This show marked the consolidation of the brand, allowing the label to catch its breath before it doubtless moves to the next level of steady growth. Beckham's formula of basing the brand within the parameters of what she wears in her own wardrobe is undeniably successful.

With that in mind, the inclusion of chunky baseball socks with flat biker boots was a styling curveball. An image of the designer landing at LAX in a military-detailed cocktail dress is easy to imagine. But picturing Mrs Beckham in biker boots? Less so.

Reviews: Imogen Fox of The Guardian

Victoria Beckham goes from strength to strength with New York show - Designer puts faith in body-conscious dresses with nod to sporty and military looks in the eighth show for her main collection

"I get so inspired by my family," Victoria Beckham said backstage at her show at the New York Public library. "I was in the kitchen one day and Romeo ran in with his baseball kit on and that's what inspired those bright sporty collars on the dresses. And the beanie hats – they were inspired by the ones David is always wearing." Beckham is a woman who knows how to reel in her audience with an anecdote almost as expertly as she knows how to execute a faultless collection.

This, her eighth outing for her mainline collection, was her strongest show yet. The show unashamedly explored the by-now trademarked Beckham look of body-conscious dresses that stop short of being blatantly sexy by dint of their elbow-length sleeves and high necklines. This season there is a nod to sporty and military looks, all expressed in what the designer described as "a silhouette I believe in". She said: "I'm not pregnant any more and these are the clothes that I really want to wear."

This confidence in her catwalk designs was echoed in the silent choreography of the show itself. For the first time David Beckham sat in the front row – in the past the footballer was banned for fear he would be too much of a distraction as Victoria Beckham sought to gain industry approval for her new career.

But with the accolade of Brand of the Year awarded by the British Fashion Council under her belt, she no longer has need of such careful manoeuvres. David played the proud husband, seated next to the Vogue editor, Anna Wintour, while the designer herself took her first ever catwalk bow – well, a smiling wave – at the end of the runway.

The show focused on day dresses, albeit high-voltage ones. Despite the show's being in the middle of awards season, the designer steered clear of dropping any none-too-subtle catwalk hints to Hollywood. She doesn't need to: more than one A-list actor is expected to give the Beckham evening wear an airing over the next couple of weeks.

This confidence carried through to the clothes. There were hints at earlier collections, with revisited themes explored more thoughtfully. The sculpted internal corsetry of the earliest collections was gone but had been replaced with rib-hugging canvas panels to lend structure – all the better for showing off a tiny waist.

Best was what can be described as the military body-con section. Khaki dresses snaked below the knee and had what looked like multiple parachute straps across the back. An army-green coat with gold buttons and a black python lapel and collar was a standout.

These ultra-luxury details, which, Beckham explained, were the result of experiments in her accessories line, are likely to raise the already substantial prices still further. But this was a tactic designed to mark out the mainline collection as distinct from her newer secondary line – Victoria, Victoria Beckham – which shows later in the week. Beckham said: "Certain dresses that might have been included in this collection in the past have been moved to the Victoria line to enable me to focus on construction."

This show marked the consolidation of the brand, allowing the label to catch its breath before it doubtless moves to the next level of steady growth. Beckham's formula of basing the brand within the parameters of what she wears in her own wardrobe is undeniably successful.

With that in mind, the inclusion of chunky baseball socks with flat biker boots was a styling curveball. An image of the designer landing at LAX in a military-detailed cocktail dress is easy to imagine. But picturing Mrs Beckham in biker boots? Less so.

Reviews: Paula Reed for Grazia Daily UK

Victoria Beckham On The Inspiration For Her Fall 2012 Collection

Ooooh who is that peeping around the corner...? Victoria Beckham is barely visible behind a barrage of press, all with cameras and tape recorders. But the sound of toddler giggles from behind a pillar has given away the fact that baby Harper and daddy David Beckham are peeping through a set of empty clothing rails watching Mum give a press conference. Daddy Beckham is looking insanely sharp in a Tom Ford suit and baby Harper is swaddled in a fawn coloured cashmere smock dress from Bonpoint.

In her first year, Harper has become a fashion show veteran. This is her second New York fashion week. It’s David’s first time out and he seemed perfectly happy swapping fashion pleasantries with Anna Wintour on the front row. But he looked even happier backstage walking Harper around between the rails.

‘Oh, she is such a daddy’s girl,’ laughed Victoria. ‘Harper comes to work with me. Last season she was here when we launched Victoria, Victoria Beckham. But this is David’s first show. I think he has only just realised how hard I work. That it’s not just a hobby.’

Last season, Victoria Beckham had baby Harper, her fourth child, launched Victoria, Victoria Beckham, her second collection and won her first British Fashion Award. If anyone suspected that her fashion career was a hobby they must know by now that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The summer silhouette had eased up a lot with sporty parkas offering an option to the VB trademark second skin cling. And in an interview earlier this week, she said that as she feels more confident about her personal style she feels less like she needs to show her figure off. But by the time it came to working on the winter collection she was back to pre-baby weight and this collection has also snapped back into razor sharp shape. It was all about a second skin dress, a nod to Romeo’s baseball kit and some military detailing.

‘I love my family but I am happy not to be pregnant this season,’ she admitted. ‘The Victoria line has got off to such a strong start. Because of that, I’ve been able to focus on the ready to wear in a different way and reinvent my signature. It’s all about construction and quality. The hardware and military influence is coming from the handbags. I am so excited about the new Harper bag. I am designing what I want myself. And I can’t wait to wear it.’

‘My daily life is my inspiration. I took the beanie hats (made by Stephen Jones) from David’s wardrobe and there are some boyfriend jackets that are all him. And the baseball stripes and jersey cuffs came about when I was standing in kitchen and Romeo runs in wearing a baseball kit and I thought that’s it. It looks so cool. I have a lot of gowns in the collection but edited them out for the catwalk show. I’ve been lucky to have had lots of people ask me to make them things for the red carpet but I am having to say no. We are too small a team to be able to do that yet. I can’t afford to show them on the red carpet before I show them to the buyers.'

With merchandise selling out on Net A Porter and stores all over America and Europe clamouring to buy, it would appear her red carpet absence is not hurting. And with a family of guys as inspiring as the Beckham boys, it would seem she need look no further than her own back yard for an abundance of ideas.

Reviews: Paula Reed for Grazia Daily UK

Victoria Beckham On The Inspiration For Her Fall 2012 Collection

Ooooh who is that peeping around the corner...? Victoria Beckham is barely visible behind a barrage of press, all with cameras and tape recorders. But the sound of toddler giggles from behind a pillar has given away the fact that baby Harper and daddy David Beckham are peeping through a set of empty clothing rails watching Mum give a press conference. Daddy Beckham is looking insanely sharp in a Tom Ford suit and baby Harper is swaddled in a fawn coloured cashmere smock dress from Bonpoint.

In her first year, Harper has become a fashion show veteran. This is her second New York fashion week. It’s David’s first time out and he seemed perfectly happy swapping fashion pleasantries with Anna Wintour on the front row. But he looked even happier backstage walking Harper around between the rails.

‘Oh, she is such a daddy’s girl,’ laughed Victoria. ‘Harper comes to work with me. Last season she was here when we launched Victoria, Victoria Beckham. But this is David’s first show. I think he has only just realised how hard I work. That it’s not just a hobby.’

Last season, Victoria Beckham had baby Harper, her fourth child, launched Victoria, Victoria Beckham, her second collection and won her first British Fashion Award. If anyone suspected that her fashion career was a hobby they must know by now that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The summer silhouette had eased up a lot with sporty parkas offering an option to the VB trademark second skin cling. And in an interview earlier this week, she said that as she feels more confident about her personal style she feels less like she needs to show her figure off. But by the time it came to working on the winter collection she was back to pre-baby weight and this collection has also snapped back into razor sharp shape. It was all about a second skin dress, a nod to Romeo’s baseball kit and some military detailing.

‘I love my family but I am happy not to be pregnant this season,’ she admitted. ‘The Victoria line has got off to such a strong start. Because of that, I’ve been able to focus on the ready to wear in a different way and reinvent my signature. It’s all about construction and quality. The hardware and military influence is coming from the handbags. I am so excited about the new Harper bag. I am designing what I want myself. And I can’t wait to wear it.’

‘My daily life is my inspiration. I took the beanie hats (made by Stephen Jones) from David’s wardrobe and there are some boyfriend jackets that are all him. And the baseball stripes and jersey cuffs came about when I was standing in kitchen and Romeo runs in wearing a baseball kit and I thought that’s it. It looks so cool. I have a lot of gowns in the collection but edited them out for the catwalk show. I’ve been lucky to have had lots of people ask me to make them things for the red carpet but I am having to say no. We are too small a team to be able to do that yet. I can’t afford to show them on the red carpet before I show them to the buyers.'

With merchandise selling out on Net A Porter and stores all over America and Europe clamouring to buy, it would appear her red carpet absence is not hurting. And with a family of guys as inspiring as the Beckham boys, it would seem she need look no further than her own back yard for an abundance of ideas.

Reviews: Max Berlinger of Vogue

Front row celebrities are a dime a dozen during Fashion Week, but when the world's most famous athlete is sitting next to Anna Wintour - even the weariest of cynics sit up and take note. Funnily enough, en route to Victoria Beckham's autumn/winter 2012-13 show on Sunday morning at the New York Public Library, one couldn't help but notice Fifth Avenue's H&M flagship plastered with images of soccer star David Beckham in just his underwear - to promote his bodywear collection with the retailer. Moments later, there was the real thing - albeit fully clothed in a dapper suit, sitting amongst the fashion cognoscenti, to cheer on his wife.

That's certainly a lot of pre-show excitement, but the catwalk had its own set of delights to offer. Beckham remained rooted in her very specific vision of dressing, simple and sexy, but added touches of military influences to beef up her lean signature silhouette. Gone was the sportiness of last season—autumn/winter 2012-13 had a luxe sense of pragmatism. Dresses were at the heart of this show, in stretched knits that hugged the body and stopped right above or just below the knee. There was a buttoned-up feel with dainty pointed collars hovering at the neckline of many of the pieces, shown in an array of army green, black, brown, orange, and sky blue.

Over time, Beckham has displayed a knack for editing. Her work never feels overwrought or flashy and she seems to know when something slight - like a row of gold buttons, an epaulet, or a graphic stripe across the body or down the side - will elevate a piece from mundane to engaging, as she did here. Her coats looked sturdy but not bulky, had a trim athleticism to them, and followed the lines of the body nicely.

Accessories are a quickly growing part of her business, and the slouchy socks over sturdy buckled-up Louboutin boots was an expert styling choice. Her bags, too, were lovely as ever—especially the effortless envelope clutches—but the sweetest one was most certainly her latest style, a fold-over satchel with two pockets, named after her daughter

Reviews: Max Berlinger of Vogue

Front row celebrities are a dime a dozen during Fashion Week, but when the world's most famous athlete is sitting next to Anna Wintour - even the weariest of cynics sit up and take note. Funnily enough, en route to Victoria Beckham's autumn/winter 2012-13 show on Sunday morning at the New York Public Library, one couldn't help but notice Fifth Avenue's H&M flagship plastered with images of soccer star David Beckham in just his underwear - to promote his bodywear collection with the retailer. Moments later, there was the real thing - albeit fully clothed in a dapper suit, sitting amongst the fashion cognoscenti, to cheer on his wife.

That's certainly a lot of pre-show excitement, but the catwalk had its own set of delights to offer. Beckham remained rooted in her very specific vision of dressing, simple and sexy, but added touches of military influences to beef up her lean signature silhouette. Gone was the sportiness of last season—autumn/winter 2012-13 had a luxe sense of pragmatism. Dresses were at the heart of this show, in stretched knits that hugged the body and stopped right above or just below the knee. There was a buttoned-up feel with dainty pointed collars hovering at the neckline of many of the pieces, shown in an array of army green, black, brown, orange, and sky blue.

Over time, Beckham has displayed a knack for editing. Her work never feels overwrought or flashy and she seems to know when something slight - like a row of gold buttons, an epaulet, or a graphic stripe across the body or down the side - will elevate a piece from mundane to engaging, as she did here. Her coats looked sturdy but not bulky, had a trim athleticism to them, and followed the lines of the body nicely.

Accessories are a quickly growing part of her business, and the slouchy socks over sturdy buckled-up Louboutin boots was an expert styling choice. Her bags, too, were lovely as ever—especially the effortless envelope clutches—but the sweetest one was most certainly her latest style, a fold-over satchel with two pockets, named after her daughter

Reviews: Rebecca Lowthorpe of Elle UK

Victoria Beckham's 'Empowered' Showing

‘It was so nice knowing he was there, I don’t think he realised I had a proper day job,’ laughed Victoria Beckham backstage, about her husband who had been snapping away with his camera on the front row – the first time he has made an appearance at one of her shows.

It was a family affair, she explained, of the little collars on the necks of dresses, thick knit socks and Beanie hats (conceived with the help of Stephen Jones, no less) that had been inspired by Romeo’s baseball kits and David’s favoured headgear respectively. ‘I get so inspired by everyday life,’ she smiled, looking not at all everyday, but as uber glossy as it is possible to be, her long shiny hair tumbling in perfectly coiffed waves and wearing one of her signature dresses that emphasised how very, very tiny she is. ‘I really believe in this silhouette,’ she went on, ‘I’m not pregnant now, and these dresses are exactly what I want to wear now.’

So said the pro, but how did it look on the runway? It was an immaculate conception of VB style – that is to say a drilled-down, focused to within an inch of its life wardrobe for Victoria. The sex-bomb, body-contouring dresses, cut pristinely below the knee and zipped up the back, in panels of colour - grey-green and black, power-red and sporty blue – to better emphasise the (minute) curves of those who will wear them? Check. The narrow coats, with her signature sharp shoulder and, this season, a shiny python collar or two? Check. Other form-fitting dresses featured gold buttons on the shoulders or breast pockets – a nod to the military theme gathering pace in New York. Then a shorter, flirtier silhouette appeared, still buttoned-up at the neck but exposing a good deal of leg that drew the eye to those ‘football’ socks. She’d also carried through the sporty elements of her previous collection with the thick bondage-style straps that criss-crossed bare backs.

But this was all daywear, or ‘workwear’ as she put it. And not a red carpet gown in sight? ‘I just felt that 22 day dresses would capture the message,’ she said, pointing out that there would be eveningwear aplenty for buyers in the showroom – fear not, VB's celebrity friends! ‘Now that I’ve got the Victoria line, it gave me the opportunity to focus my attention on structure and detail,’ she was keen to explain. The show also offered the opportunity to unveil her new bag, The Harper, of course – a new oversized, but ‘unbelievably lightweight’ number, ‘like a feather, just like Harper!’ beamed Katie Hillier, the accessories designer who works on the bags with Beckham.

Given that this was only Beckham’s second full-scale runway show, it revealed an incredible force of vision. But she’s no beginner – all those showroom presentations, sitting with her microphone, and all that determined learning from her top-notch consultants and all her own wardrobe choices in the full glare of the public spotlight, have paid off. And that’s the difference with VB and other celebrity fashion brands; she took her time.

‘I just want women to feel good, empowered,’ she said. And you can’t say fairer than that.

Reviews: Rebecca Lowthorpe of Elle UK

Victoria Beckham's 'Empowered' Showing

‘It was so nice knowing he was there, I don’t think he realised I had a proper day job,’ laughed Victoria Beckham backstage, about her husband who had been snapping away with his camera on the front row – the first time he has made an appearance at one of her shows.

It was a family affair, she explained, of the little collars on the necks of dresses, thick knit socks and Beanie hats (conceived with the help of Stephen Jones, no less) that had been inspired by Romeo’s baseball kits and David’s favoured headgear respectively. ‘I get so inspired by everyday life,’ she smiled, looking not at all everyday, but as uber glossy as it is possible to be, her long shiny hair tumbling in perfectly coiffed waves and wearing one of her signature dresses that emphasised how very, very tiny she is. ‘I really believe in this silhouette,’ she went on, ‘I’m not pregnant now, and these dresses are exactly what I want to wear now.’

So said the pro, but how did it look on the runway? It was an immaculate conception of VB style – that is to say a drilled-down, focused to within an inch of its life wardrobe for Victoria. The sex-bomb, body-contouring dresses, cut pristinely below the knee and zipped up the back, in panels of colour - grey-green and black, power-red and sporty blue – to better emphasise the (minute) curves of those who will wear them? Check. The narrow coats, with her signature sharp shoulder and, this season, a shiny python collar or two? Check. Other form-fitting dresses featured gold buttons on the shoulders or breast pockets – a nod to the military theme gathering pace in New York. Then a shorter, flirtier silhouette appeared, still buttoned-up at the neck but exposing a good deal of leg that drew the eye to those ‘football’ socks. She’d also carried through the sporty elements of her previous collection with the thick bondage-style straps that criss-crossed bare backs.

But this was all daywear, or ‘workwear’ as she put it. And not a red carpet gown in sight? ‘I just felt that 22 day dresses would capture the message,’ she said, pointing out that there would be eveningwear aplenty for buyers in the showroom – fear not, VB's celebrity friends! ‘Now that I’ve got the Victoria line, it gave me the opportunity to focus my attention on structure and detail,’ she was keen to explain. The show also offered the opportunity to unveil her new bag, The Harper, of course – a new oversized, but ‘unbelievably lightweight’ number, ‘like a feather, just like Harper!’ beamed Katie Hillier, the accessories designer who works on the bags with Beckham.

Given that this was only Beckham’s second full-scale runway show, it revealed an incredible force of vision. But she’s no beginner – all those showroom presentations, sitting with her microphone, and all that determined learning from her top-notch consultants and all her own wardrobe choices in the full glare of the public spotlight, have paid off. And that’s the difference with VB and other celebrity fashion brands; she took her time.

‘I just want women to feel good, empowered,’ she said. And you can’t say fairer than that.

Reviews: Nicole Phelps of Style.com

"I'm not pregnant anymore; these are the dresses I want to wear now," said Victoria Beckham after her excellent show today. The former pop star is so petite and in such great form you'd never guess she's had four babies. The models on the runway showed off equally trim mid-sections, but Beckham opted out of using the corsets that were an early hallmark of her label in favor of dense rib jerseys, canvases, and quilting techniques that suck it all in with the same power as old-fashioned boning and lacing.

The silhouette was familiar: long and as lean as you can get. But the collection's look was sportier, with contrast polo collars at the neckline of some dresses and bold stripes encircling the torso of V-neck styles. You can chalk up the new sensibility to her son Romeo's baseball outfits, Beckham explained. Toward the end of the show's 22 looks, a few shorter frocks with flippy cheerleader skirts marched out on flat ankle boots. It'd be a surprise to see the designer stomping around in that footwear, for sure, but the dresses' appealing, everyday ease felt of a piece with Beckham's elegant, sophisticated signature. A great-looking coat in olive green with black python collars and lapels was an argument for more outerwear next time around.

With the Oscars coming up later this month, choosing not to include any long evening dresses seemed like a missed opportunity. One possible explanation? Maybe she's working on something exclusive for Hollywood's big night.

Reviews: Nicole Phelps of Style.com

"I'm not pregnant anymore; these are the dresses I want to wear now," said Victoria Beckham after her excellent show today. The former pop star is so petite and in such great form you'd never guess she's had four babies. The models on the runway showed off equally trim mid-sections, but Beckham opted out of using the corsets that were an early hallmark of her label in favor of dense rib jerseys, canvases, and quilting techniques that suck it all in with the same power as old-fashioned boning and lacing.

The silhouette was familiar: long and as lean as you can get. But the collection's look was sportier, with contrast polo collars at the neckline of some dresses and bold stripes encircling the torso of V-neck styles. You can chalk up the new sensibility to her son Romeo's baseball outfits, Beckham explained. Toward the end of the show's 22 looks, a few shorter frocks with flippy cheerleader skirts marched out on flat ankle boots. It'd be a surprise to see the designer stomping around in that footwear, for sure, but the dresses' appealing, everyday ease felt of a piece with Beckham's elegant, sophisticated signature. A great-looking coat in olive green with black python collars and lapels was an argument for more outerwear next time around.

With the Oscars coming up later this month, choosing not to include any long evening dresses seemed like a missed opportunity. One possible explanation? Maybe she's working on something exclusive for Hollywood's big night.

Video: VB Spring 2012 Reviews & Interviews

This is a great review video full of interviews with fashion elite after the Victoria Beckham spring 2012 runway presentation on September 11th. There is snippets of an interview with Victoria also!



It looks to me like she is wearing this dress...

Video: VB Spring 2012 Reviews & Interviews

This is a great review video full of interviews with fashion elite after the Victoria Beckham spring 2012 runway presentation on September 11th. There is snippets of an interview with Victoria also!



It looks to me like she is wearing this dress...

V by VB Reviews: Hadley Freeman of The Guardian

"I'm not just that miserable cow, you know," announced Victoria Beckham to a room of somewhat startled fashion editors, all perched primly on white sofas in a large Manhattan loft, as they awaited her latest fashion show. "And here, this dress?" continued Beckham as one model walked out. "It looks like a giant Fabergé egg, doesn't it? And this is our moon print. Which is great."

Even if Beckham doesn't quite talk like a fashion designer of the classical couturier tradition, she is rapidly looking like one.

After a particularly strong show of what must now be referred to as her mainline collection over the weekend, and the debut of her secondary line, Victoria by Victoria Beckham, on Monday afternoon, which was possibly even better, there is no question that the Beckham brand is working in the fashion world.

But if the fashion industry has had to adapt a little to the Beckham modus operandi, and re-adjust their inbuilt cynicism about celebrity designers, Beckham herself is the one who is trying to evolve the most.

Victoria by Victoria Beckham – like Marc by Marc Jacobs and See by Chloe – is intended as an offshoot to the main, more expensive collection.

But lower prices – and to be clear, we're talking relatively low, Beckham-ishly low, with dresses starting at £650 and going up to £1,400 – means a greater reach in clientele which means bigger sizes, more practicality and more appeal for women who don't necessarily look like Victoria Beckham.

Just as her mainline collection for next season showed a marked development and did not seem to be mainly inspired by Beckham's own closet, the Victoria by Victoria Beckham collection was definitely a change from the body-clinging dresses with which most people associate Beckham.

Instead, the emphasis was on loose, crepe, satin, jacquard and something called "summer wool" shifts that barely skimmed the body, some in rich colours such as Kelly green and deep blue, and some spattered with sweet cartoonish prints, a look heretofore verboten in the Beckham wardrobe.

"I'm very into conversational prints this season," Beckham said, wearing one of the cat print dresses herself. ("I want a cat but David won't let me have one – he doesn't want them bringing mice in the house. He's a dog person," she revealed)

Other standout prints included moons and a particularly lovely long-sleeved shift covered in cloud prints.

"Having another cloud print on the back makes it more expensive, but it finishes off the fashion story," the pop star-turned-designer said, with the confidence of one who was suckled at the knee of a couturier.

Picking out a lovely black shift with scalloping around the neckline, she said: "I love this dress, I could wear this one with flats during the day and heels at night." It was a nice try on her part, but her claim to flats-wearing normality was slightly undermined by the fact that she was, at that moment, wearing gigantic stilettos while cuddling her nine-week-daughter, Harper.

The detailing is what really made the dresses stand out – a testament to Beckham's unquestionable love of fashion: zippers were visible, patch pockets sat elegantly on top of the silk, waists were dropped and seams stood out.

One of the last dresses was a simple white one which was downright Jackie O-like. Chic, simple and tasteful.

"And you see the neckline? There's a little V," said Beckham, indicating a tiny dip in the centre. "It's subtle branding." Oh, she's a wily one, that Victoria Beckham.

V by VB Reviews: Hadley Freeman of The Guardian

"I'm not just that miserable cow, you know," announced Victoria Beckham to a room of somewhat startled fashion editors, all perched primly on white sofas in a large Manhattan loft, as they awaited her latest fashion show. "And here, this dress?" continued Beckham as one model walked out. "It looks like a giant Fabergé egg, doesn't it? And this is our moon print. Which is great."

Even if Beckham doesn't quite talk like a fashion designer of the classical couturier tradition, she is rapidly looking like one.

After a particularly strong show of what must now be referred to as her mainline collection over the weekend, and the debut of her secondary line, Victoria by Victoria Beckham, on Monday afternoon, which was possibly even better, there is no question that the Beckham brand is working in the fashion world.

But if the fashion industry has had to adapt a little to the Beckham modus operandi, and re-adjust their inbuilt cynicism about celebrity designers, Beckham herself is the one who is trying to evolve the most.

Victoria by Victoria Beckham – like Marc by Marc Jacobs and See by Chloe – is intended as an offshoot to the main, more expensive collection.

But lower prices – and to be clear, we're talking relatively low, Beckham-ishly low, with dresses starting at £650 and going up to £1,400 – means a greater reach in clientele which means bigger sizes, more practicality and more appeal for women who don't necessarily look like Victoria Beckham.

Just as her mainline collection for next season showed a marked development and did not seem to be mainly inspired by Beckham's own closet, the Victoria by Victoria Beckham collection was definitely a change from the body-clinging dresses with which most people associate Beckham.

Instead, the emphasis was on loose, crepe, satin, jacquard and something called "summer wool" shifts that barely skimmed the body, some in rich colours such as Kelly green and deep blue, and some spattered with sweet cartoonish prints, a look heretofore verboten in the Beckham wardrobe.

"I'm very into conversational prints this season," Beckham said, wearing one of the cat print dresses herself. ("I want a cat but David won't let me have one – he doesn't want them bringing mice in the house. He's a dog person," she revealed)

Other standout prints included moons and a particularly lovely long-sleeved shift covered in cloud prints.

"Having another cloud print on the back makes it more expensive, but it finishes off the fashion story," the pop star-turned-designer said, with the confidence of one who was suckled at the knee of a couturier.

Picking out a lovely black shift with scalloping around the neckline, she said: "I love this dress, I could wear this one with flats during the day and heels at night." It was a nice try on her part, but her claim to flats-wearing normality was slightly undermined by the fact that she was, at that moment, wearing gigantic stilettos while cuddling her nine-week-daughter, Harper.

The detailing is what really made the dresses stand out – a testament to Beckham's unquestionable love of fashion: zippers were visible, patch pockets sat elegantly on top of the silk, waists were dropped and seams stood out.

One of the last dresses was a simple white one which was downright Jackie O-like. Chic, simple and tasteful.

"And you see the neckline? There's a little V," said Beckham, indicating a tiny dip in the centre. "It's subtle branding." Oh, she's a wily one, that Victoria Beckham.

V by VB Reviews: Nicole Phelps of Style.com

Victoria Beckham was looking out for two babies at Milk Studios' penthouse today: the infant girl on her lap—her fourth child with husband David Beckham—and a great-looking new diffusion collection, which she was debuting to small groups of editors. Only, VB would prefer it if you didn't call it a diffusion line, thank you very much. The clothes are significantly less expensive than those in her signature range—the dresses will retail from $450 to $1,250—and the differences only begin there. Whereas the high-end frocks are all about a sexy, hourglass fit, these shifts have a girlier look and a looser, A-line shape, with hems that hit above the knees, "so you can wear them with heels or flats," Beckham said. Colors are peppy (poppy red, royal blue, candy pink), and prints are what the industry calls "conversational": crescent moons and cats. Yes, cats. By way of explanation, Beckham said the collection was inspired by Emily the Strange, the comic-book heroine for alternative-minded young women the world over.

There's not much countercultural going on with these dresses, but there's no arguing that they're not cute. A very sophisticated kind of cute. The egg-shaped dress in blue and gold jacquard? Beckham called it a Fabergé.

V by VB Reviews: Nicole Phelps of Style.com

Victoria Beckham was looking out for two babies at Milk Studios' penthouse today: the infant girl on her lap—her fourth child with husband David Beckham—and a great-looking new diffusion collection, which she was debuting to small groups of editors. Only, VB would prefer it if you didn't call it a diffusion line, thank you very much. The clothes are significantly less expensive than those in her signature range—the dresses will retail from $450 to $1,250—and the differences only begin there. Whereas the high-end frocks are all about a sexy, hourglass fit, these shifts have a girlier look and a looser, A-line shape, with hems that hit above the knees, "so you can wear them with heels or flats," Beckham said. Colors are peppy (poppy red, royal blue, candy pink), and prints are what the industry calls "conversational": crescent moons and cats. Yes, cats. By way of explanation, Beckham said the collection was inspired by Emily the Strange, the comic-book heroine for alternative-minded young women the world over.

There's not much countercultural going on with these dresses, but there's no arguing that they're not cute. A very sophisticated kind of cute. The egg-shaped dress in blue and gold jacquard? Beckham called it a Fabergé.