Victoria Beckham and Anna Wintour at Vogue’s Forces of Fashion

What's the best thing

about being married to David Beckham?

[audience laughs]

Um.

[smooth uptempo music]

[audience claps]

Oh, thanks.

Hello again, everybody.

Thank you for coming back.

So I'm thrilled, Victoria,

to be talking with you this afternoon.

Thank you so much for coming.

I know you've just landed from somewhere exotic.

So I was thinking over the weekend,

knowing that this conversation was gonna happen,

that you and I actually go back a very long time.

And I first became aware of you through my children

who were huge fans

and insisted that I take them to see you perform

as a Spice Girl in New York City,

[audience laughs]

and then go backstage to say hello,

which is how the Spice Girls [laughs]

ended up on the cover

of Vogue 1998. [audience laughs]

[audience clapping and cheering]

And it was a very much discussed cover,

and extremely well-received.

And then a few years later, Victoria,

you and I would see each other

when you would hold those small presentations

for your Victoria Beckham collections.

And I remember thinking that was really brave of you,

because you were speaking directly

to a slightly too-cool for school group of journalists

about your vision of fashion.

But as Chloe just pointed out, this has clearly paid off

because your recent show was the most viewed

of the entire Spring 2025 collections.

[Attendee] Wow.

So, well, bravo. [audience clapping]

Thank you.

And as I mentioned to those of you

who were with us earlier this morning,

and as Chloe pointed out,

there is a film crew here today filming you

for your Netflix documentary

that's coming out, I think, next year.

Victoria, you and I have discussed your slight frustration

that you are seeing here in the United States,

particularly as a former Spice Girl.

And your family are currently now filming a documentary

that's based on you.

So did this come about

because of a perceived lack of recognition

for Victoria Beckham as a designer and an entrepreneur?

Was it a way for you to set the record straight?

Well, you started off by saying

how we go quite a long way back.

And I have to say that every time I come to New York,

I love to catch up with Anna.

And we quite often have a very early breakfast,

and you are always so kind

and generous when offering advice and help.

And I'm like a sponge.

And I remember sitting in this office with you saying,

Anna, how do I tell my story in America?

I think in the UK and Europe,

people don't look at me as a Spice Girl

first and foremost now,

because I do think that I've earned my stripes, if you like,

with fashion and beauty.

But I still think that I have to work on

that messaging here in America.

And I think we talked about a documentary,

and I think that I said something along the lines of,

Oh my goodness, absolutely not.

Filming 'Beckham' was hard.

And then you said to me,

But the power of Netflix,

and how I could use that

to really shine a light on my brand,

both fashion and beauty.

So the documentary that we're filming

is not a lifestyle documentary, it's not Beckham 2,

it really is about me building both fashion and beauty.

The crew have been following me

on the lead up to my show in Paris,

really showing what goes on behind the brand

and how I built it.

And David actually told me in Paris

that you were really enjoying it.

Is that right?

Well, I fought against it for a long time.

But, you know, once I decide to do something,

you know, it is what it is.

And I have the most wonderful crew,

all very, very talented.

I respect them all a lot.

And they're actually very nice to have around,

I have to say.

You know, it's not sit-down interviews.

I'm getting on with work, and they're filming.

Yeah, well, watch out.

You forget they're there after a while.

[both laugh]

When the actual feature film comes out on the Beckhams,

not the documentary,

what would be your ideal casting for you, Victoria?

Oh my goodness, I don't know.

Goodness, I wasn't expecting that question.

I don't know.

Who do you think would be a good one?

Well, I actually thought Margaret Qualley

would be a good one, yes?

And then what about for David?

Oh my goodness, I don't know.

[attendee laughs]

Oh my gosh, I wasn't expecting this question.

I mean, I don't know, let's say Brad Pitt.

[all laugh]

He looks good.

[audience laughs]

I was thinking Joe Alwyn, you know?

Maybe a little younger.

[audience laughs] Anyway, so, Victoria,

backstage you were talking about your children

and how proud you are of them,

and obviously they've grown up so much in the public eye.

And I'm just curious, as a mother,

how you've managed to navigate that?

And that must have caused you some concern at some point.

And obviously, except for Harper now,

they're out in the world,

but still, I know you're always a mother.

So I'm just wondering how you feel about that?

You know, being a mother is my most important role

and what I am most proud of,

and I think it's about making sure that we're, you know,

we're a very close family.

It's all about communication.

We talk all the time.

There's always this safe space

where all of the children can feel free

to talk about anything.

And our parents have always been very involved

with bringing the children up as well.

They're all very sweet, kind, funny, humble,

hardworking, driven young people.

And every time anybody meets one of the kids,

they will always compliment the children

on how nice they are, how humble they are.

And I think that that is such a compliment

when anybody says that your kids are great.

And they have excellent manners.

Absolutely, they had no choice. [laughs]

Okay, so let's move to fashion.

So Vera Wang has a wardrobe,

I have seen it, about as large as this room,

that is full of Prada and Comme des Garcons.

So when you're not wearing Victoria Beckham,

who do you go to?

My closet is what I would call organized chaos.

So I know where everything is

and I have a storage facility so I can rotate things,

because I do have more clothes than him.

Quite often, samples that I've borrowed for shoots,

you know, from work.

So what other brands do I wear?

I occasionally might wear a bit of Balenciaga,

I might wear a little bit of Saint Laurent.

But what I love now about what I'm doing after, you know,

when I first started my collection 17 years ago,

I focused just on dresses.

Now I'm doing knitwear and tailoring,

and really every element of the wardrobe,

including accessories.

So I don't often wear other brands,

because ultimately I'm creating what I want

and what I desire.

Well, Vogue is very curious about your closet policy.

Can family members borrow your vintage?

And what are the rules?

[audience laughing]

Do they have to check them in and out, or?

[audience laughs]

Yeah, I'm not too precious about those things,

unless it's Hermes.

[audience laughs]

And when Harper eyes up those handbags,

and not just yet, not just yet.

[Anna] But other than that, Lucky Harper.

I think that, look, I love my clothes,

and I look after my clothes,

but I think that clothes are also there to be enjoyed.

And if one of the young kids wants to borrow my clothes,

whether it's Harper or one of the boy's girlfriends,

that's flattery, right?

Because they're significantly younger than me,

so that's good. [audience laughs]

So, Victoria, recently you decided

to move your show to Paris, and obviously the many reasons

why people want to show in Paris,

beyond the fact that it's most beautiful city in the world,

but how has showing in Paris really changed your outlook

on what you do,

and obviously what we'll be seeing in the documentary?

I'm interested to know from those little shows

that we used to see here in New York,

and sometimes in bigger shows here and in London,

what made you decide to go to Paris?

Well, Paris was always the dream, you know?

I mean, you've gotta bring your A game

when you show in Paris.

And I felt that pressure.

I enjoy that pressure.

It's made a huge difference business wise to me,

you know, to be there amongst the biggest houses

and the most respected houses in the industry

has been really quite incredible.

And I have noticed a big, big difference.

And how it's affected the business in such a positive way,

you know, it really is the main stage, I believe,

during Fashion Week. So you'll be staying there?

I will be staying there. We won't welcome

you back to New York anytime.

No, but I love the fact that I can travel,

and there's so much that we can do.

I mean, when we had breakfast a few months ago,

we talked about, Do I show a pre-collection here?

You know, America is so important to me.

This is where I started.

I spent seven years living in America.

For nine years,

I showed my collections here in New York.

So having the opportunity to travel

and think outside of the box

is something that excites me as well.

But definitely main collections,

staying staying in Paris at the moment.

Our loss.

So you are good friends, of course, with many famous people,

but you also hang out with designers,

say, like Mark Jacobs.

And I'm just curious, who has given you good advice

over the years that you really remember?

You know, is it Tom, is it Marc?

Whose words do you remember?

You know, Marc Jacobs, right at the beginning,

he said to me, he said, You've gotta stop saying

that people left their preconceptions at the door

when they reviewed your collection.

And I said, But they did, you know?

I don't come from a traditional design background.

He said, They did not leave their preconceptions

at the door.

What happened is the product was good.

And he said, As long as the product

and the quality is good, no one can ever say it's rubbish.

So that stayed with you?

That did stay with me.

And Roland Mouret also was a mentor

right at the beginning.

You know, he really was.

He is probably the one designer

that believed in me right at the beginning,

and supported me and made me believe in myself as well.

In our Vogue 90s documentary,

you talk about the designers that inspired you.

But I'm just curious, what's your very first fashion memory?

Do you have one as a child?

Oh my gosh, I do.

When I was in the Spice Girls, Donatella Versace invited me

to go to Milan to a fashion show.

And I remember she sent a private plane.

I'd never been in a private plane before.

And I went to Milan

and she took me to the Versace store

to dress me in Versace for the fashion show

and for the party afterwards.

And I put the clothes on, and then I said,

Yeah, I like it.

But how about we change the length.

Take the... you know?

And I completely

redesigned the outfit. [audience laughs]

And I think back to it, I think, My goodness,

I can't believe I had the audacity to do that.

How was the show?

[Anna laughs] The show was great,

and I really liked what I was wearing.

But, you know, it was coming from such a sweet,

innocent place.

But I look back and I think,

How could I ever have said to Donatella,

'I like your dress, but how about we rethink it?'

I'm sure she liked you more for your honesty.

So people here in this room, they may not be aware of this,

but you've also walked the runway, Victoria,

for a British designer some years back.

Is that right?

I did two.

I did one for Maria Grachvogel,

and I walked in the Cavalli Show as well.

Oh, I didn't know about that.

So are we gonna see you back on the runway?

Absolutely not. [Anna laughs]

Do you know... [audience laughs]

Oh my gosh, no.

I remember phoning my mom just before I went on,

and I said, I'm so nervous.

And I don't know how old I was.

I must have been like 26 or something.

She said, Well, you've been walking for about 24 years.

[all laugh]

You should have it together by now.

And this is the same advice that I gave to Romeo,

our middle son, who is now modeling.

And he walked his first fashion show during fashion week.

He walked in the Balenciaga show.

That's a good first choice.

Last fashion question, then we'll move on to something else.

Is there anyone you're dying to dress

or to see in Victoria Beckham that you haven't yet?

I would love to dress Angelina Jolie.

I think she would look fantastic in Victoria Beckham.

I always feel very honored when anybody chooses

to wear my designs.

I think that people have so much choice.

And anytime anybody chooses to wear something of mine,

you know, even if I see someone walking down the street

or if I'm at a restaurant,

that makes me feel very happy and proud.

Right, so switching subjects away from fashion,

I know you went to theater school,

and I hear there was some pretty memorable performances.

So what was your favorite part you played as a teenager?

Oh my God, I honestly thought you were about to ask me

to sing Mein Herr

Well, I could do that. From Cabaret.

That's what I was expecting.

Gosh, my favorite role?

I think it probably would've been something from Cabaret.

I went to a theater school

and I grew up loving musical theater.

So that was, you know, Cats, Starlight Express,

Miss Saigon, and that was my passion.

That's what I wanted to do, to go into musicals.

And then I, you know, took a different route.

I found myself in a pop route.

Well, if you had continued along that route,

and I know that you once wanted to be a theater dancer

in the West End,

what would've been your dream role?

Oh my gosh, undoubtedly the white cat in Cats.

[all laugh]

I'm not sure I was good.

Well, I wasn't good enough,

'cause I auditioned and I didn't get it,

but that would've been my dream, absolutely.

Okay, so what was the last thing discussed

in the Beckham Family group chat?

Oh, the last thing in the group chat.

Gosh, what was that?

Well, we always message each other

when we're traveling, when we're flying.

And so probably just something really quite simple like,

Have a safe flight, something like that.

Because we are very, very close family.

We talk a lot.

Good.

So David has his bees and his honey,

I'm just wondering what your unexpected pastime

or hobby or passion is?

Oh gosh, what do I like to do?

What do I like to do in my part...

Oh my goodness.

I like to work out,

but that's not really in my spare time,

that's just something that I know

is very important to you as well.

It's just something that I do every day.

I like to read.

You know, we're both enjoying educating ourselves

with regards to art as well.

This is something we've been into for quite a few years now,

but I think it's something

that we're enjoying doing together.

But you don't join him in the bee house?

Is it a bee house?

Was it a hive?

A hive, yes. [all laugh]

Well, I mean, he's got one of the white outfits,

and we have had sort of, like, a family moment

where we've all had the white outfits on.

But, no, that's something that David is so passionate about,

and something that we can enjoy as a family as well.

I don't know, I find bees very terrifying.

[audience laughs]

I know you're a very avid reader.

So if I was in the Victoria Beckham book club,

what would we be reading?

Oh gosh.

Well, right now, I've been reading very, very easy reads,

because obviously we've been on summer holidays.

So I recently read The Housemaid.

Not the most academic read, but it's an easy, fun read.

Okay, I'm reading Intermezzo by Sally Rooney,

which I highly recommend.

Well, that's definitely different

to what I've been reading.

[all laughs]

So my last question, I did not think of it,

it came from another source.

What's the best thing about being married to David Beckham?

[audience laughs]

You know, David, he's a great dad.

He's a really, really great dad.

And he's very kind, very generous.

He has an amazing business mind as well

that I find inspiring.

And he's very kind and generous, and he's a lot funnier.

I mean, you know how funny David can be?

He's a lot funnier than anybody would ever imagine.

Do you know who the source was?

Probably David himself.

Yeah. [all laugh]

Oh, and, I mean, he's very humble.

[all laugh]

So, we were meant to record that answer,

which I'm sure we have.

Victoria, thank you so much.

[Victoria] Thank you.

For coming to talk to us all.

[audience clapping]

Thank you, thank you, Victoria.

[Victoria] Thank you so much.

[Anna] Thank you for listening.

[smooth uptempo music concludes]