Victoria Beckham Shares Her Fashion Story at the Vogue Festival

April 28, 2013

Victoria Beckham Vogue Festival

Victoria Beckham’s Vogue Festival appearance was easily the hot ticket of the weekend. The Queen Elizabeth Hall was packed full of her fans when she sat down with British Vogue’s editor, Alexandra Shulman, to discuss her eponymous brand and life in fashion.

Given her A-list stature, Victoria Beckham’s talk was much more controlled than the other Vogue Festival events. All photography was “strictly” banned and there was no opportunity for audience questions (instead Victoria answered some pre-approved questions sent in on Twitter). It was a bit of shame – as it definitely felt rehearsed and far less relaxed than the weekend’s overall mood – but Victoria was great, and seemed genuinely thrilled to be there.

Alexandra Shulman’s questions focused specifically on the Victoria Beckham brand, and there was little mention of her life before fashion. Victoria revealed she “always dreamt of being in the fashion industry”, but admitted there were “lots of raised eyebrows… from those that could raise their eyebrows” when she showed her debut ready-to-wear collection in 2008.

Although the talk focussed on her design career, Victoria regularly mentioned David and their children. Brooklyn actually watched the talk, alongside Victoria’s parents, and when she casually announced this the audience made the most over-the-top “oooooh” noise. Anyone would have thought she’d just revealed Barak Obama was in the room! But if that reaction went to Brooklyn’s head Victoria was quick to bring him back down-to-earth, later joking that she’s always up late because “I have a baby and a 14-year-old who refuses to go to bed properly.”

Victoria Beckham Vogue Festival
The hot ticket of the Vogue Festival weekend

Like Net-A-Porter’s Natalie Massenet, who spoke the day before, Victoria showed it takes hard work and dedication to make it in the fashion industry. “I’m not afraid of working hard,” she said. “You have to be disciplined.”

Victoria was also asked about how she deals with criticism (a fitting question, seeing as she’s spent most of her time in the public eye being told she’s too thin, too moody etc etc) and her reply showed a very healthy attitude. “I welcome constructive criticism,” she told Alexandra. “No one’s going to be nice all the time. That’s just not realistic.”

And if you’re wondering what’s next for Victoria, she spoke about her desire to open a Victoria Beckham flagship store in London; and when asked if she’d ever show her ready-to-wear collection at London Fashion Week she said “maybe one day.” So watch this space…

Image Morgan O’ Donovan

7 Things To Do This Weekend: The Dungarees and Easter Egg Edition

March 22, 2013

Another week has gone by, but in the UK it still feels like we’re stuck in Narnia’s eternal winter. Where has spring gone?! If you’re facing yet another weekend spent indoors here are some stylish suggestions on how to spend your time. Why don’t you make some fresh guacamole, try on a pair of dungarees (they might look good) and telephone and old friend…

7 Things To Do This Weekend

1. Watch an Audrey Hepburn movie… After a long week there’s nothing better than an afternoon spent on the sofa in your PJs with a couple of DVDs. I haven’t watched an Audrey Hepburn movie in just over a year, so I’ll be pulling out my copy of Sabrina and Funny Face, this weekend. Which Audrey films are your favourites?

2. Phone an old friend… When was the last time you spoke to your old school/college friends? Text messages and Facebook chat are not the same, so pull out the address book and get dialling! An hour spent on the phone, gossiping about shared memories and embarrassing old crushes is seriously mood lifting.

3. Try on a pair of dungarees… Sounds like an unappealing idea, right? But dungarees are a hot look for S/S 2013 and on certain women they look amazing. So it’s definitely worth giving them a go. 3.1 Phillip Lim showed a gorgeous pair of hot pink suede dungarees, this season, and on the highstreet ASOS and Topshop are loving the look. Give it a go!

4. Spring clean your makeup… If you’re a bit of a makeup hoarder, like me, find some time to have a spring clean, this weekend. Whilst searching through my beauty collection I discovered loads of forgotten, grubby and mostly out-of-date products lurking at the back of my makeup drawer. Get rid of all your unnecessary products, organise what you do keep (Ikea do great storage boxes) and you might even have room for a new lipstick purchase…

5. Make fresh guacamole… I’ve always wanted to learn how to make amazing guacamole, and I stumbled upon this simple recipe whilst browsing the food section on Pinterest. If it tastes half as good as the image looks then it’s sure to be a winner. Perfect your avocado-mashing skills this weekend, and then you can whip up a dish anytime someone has a party. People that make brilliant guacamole are ridiculously popular – it’s just fact!

6. Visit the Victoria Beckham Denim installation… This weekend the new Victoria Beckham Denim collection arrives at The Shop at Bluebird, and to celebrate the boutique has put together a Victoria Beckham Installation. On display you’ll find artwork and furniture created using the VB Denim fabrics and the latest denim collection will be available to shop as well. Check it out if you’re passing by Kings Road over the weekend.

7. Go Easter Egg shopping… I’m obsessed with chocolate. Honestly, I just can’t get enough of it! And with Easter just a week away I’ve been spending a dangerous amount of time on the Hotel Chocolat website. Their giant Easter Eggs are so chocolatey that you break them in half and there’s more chocolate inside! So dreamy… Order yours this weekend and try not to break into it before March 31st!

Victoria Beckham Loves Pointed-Toe Pumps. Here Are Three Pairs She Should Add to Her Collection

February 21, 2013

Last week Victoria Beckham was back in London for the International Woolmark Prize Final, which she judged alongside Donatella Versace, Natalie Massenet, Diane von Furstenberg and Franca Sozzani. To mark the occasion Victoria wore a design from her Autumn/Winter 2013 collection and a pair of pointed-toe Manolo Blahnik pumps. It was an incredibly chic look, and I’ve been thinking about the black and purple ankle-strap heels ever since. Victoria loves a classic, pointed-toe pump, and I’ve tracked down three more statement styles which would look great in her collection…

victoria beckham high heels
Victoria Beckham should own the… 1. Pour La Victoire’s strappy salmon pink pumps // 2. Nicholas Kirkwood’s metallic blue suede and leather heels // 3. Isa Tapia’s statement kitten heels

I’ve chosen three eye-catching designs, which would look great paired with Victoria’s favourite black dresses. The Isa Tapia pumps might even be special enough to tempt VB into kitten heels – although I wouldn’t bet on it!

Do you also love a pointed-toe pump? Which of the above styles are your favourites? Let me know…

Image Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

News From NYFW: Polo Necks, Prince of Wales Checks and Big Grins

February 11, 2013

Nothing can bring New York Fashion Week down, we discovered this weekend. Especially not a blizzard named after an animated fish! The Autumn/Winter 2013 shows continued despite the sub-zero conditions, with editors wearing wellies on the front row and ‘It’ girls doubling-up on coats. The collections were worth suffering numb toes for, luckily, with Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria Beckham and Diane von Furstenberg amongst the highlights. Here are the key trends to note, so far…

Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2013 Prince of Wales checks

Prince of Wales Checks at Tommy Hilfiger: The Tommy Hilfiger show opened with eight menswear-inspired outfits in Prince of Wales checks. The mixture of boyish tailoring and heritage prints was sassy and cool, reminding me a little of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. I hope Tommy has started a big trend here, as it’s a look I’d like to see more of!

Victoria Beckham Fall 2013 polo neck purple detachable

Polo Necks Make a Comeback at Victoria Beckham: This season Victoria Beckham is also feeling the menswear influence, sending oversized coats, boxy silhouettes and elements of suiting down her AW13 runway. But the polo necks somehow made the biggest impact. For such a small detail they certainly transform a look, and rumour has it Victoria’s polo necks are all detachable. I do love a garment that can be worn in more than one way…

Diane Von Furstenberg Fall 2013 smiles

Models Smile at Diane von Furstenberg: Here’s a fashion week shocker, if ever there was one… At the DVF show the models actually smiled as they walked down the runway. After years of expressionless faces this felt groundbreaking! Here’s hoping Diane’s influence will inspire a change in the industry, and we’ll see big, cheesy grins at every major show.

Are you enjoying New York Fashion Week, so far? Which collections have you liked best? Let me know…

Images style.com

Scarlett Johansson Covers ELLE UK February 2013 Modelling a Victoria Beckham Design

December 28, 2012

Scarlett Johansson covers the February 2013 issue of ELLE UK, modelling a white dress by Victoria Beckham and a pair of matching Manolo Blahnik for VB heels. The Hitchcock actress looks absolutely amazing in the Spring 2013 design, but I’m not so sure about the booties — they’re not the most flattering choice. Also, am I the only one who thinks Scarlett looks a lot like Fearne Cotton in this image? It’s not a bad thing, I’ve just never noticed any similarities between them before. It must be the hair…

ELLE UK‘s February 2013 issue hits newsstands on January 2nd, and I can’t wait to see the subscriber’s cover and Rankin editorial. This fabulous cover has definitely made up for the big Kylie disappointment.

Do you like Scarlett Johansson’s ELLE UK cover? Are you a fan of the Victoria Beckham booties?

Photo by Rankin, image facebook.com/elleUK

What’s Happened at New York Fashion Week So Far?

September 10, 2012
We’re already onto day five of New York Fashion Week (seriously, how did that happen so quickly?) and while there haven’t been any heart-stoppingly-fabulous moments yet I’ve noticed a few trends brewing. It looks like gladiator sandals are poised to make a comeback, and bra tops have so far appeared in at least two major Spring/Summer 2013 collections. Uh oh…
I’ve also spotted some fabulous accessories and finishing touches, which I hope will spiral out into mini trends. Here’s a quick run-down of the New York Fashion Week highlights so far:


Headphones at W118 By Walter Baker: Models zoned out at the W118 presentation. Each girl stood in the lineup wearing her own pair of colourful headphones. Some girls stood totally still, others couldn’t stop bopping their heads, tapping their feet and wiggling their hips…

Cage shoes at Alexander Wang and Altuzarra: It was only a matter of time before gladiator sandals and cage shoes made a return to the runway. Alexander Wang went for minimalist white styles and Joseph Altuzarra’s heels brought back fond memories of Balenciaga’s iconic gladiators. Expect to see Rihanna and Beyonce wearing these styles soon…

Dresses worn over trousers at Prabal Gurung: Designers are still channeling the 1990′s. The latest case point? Ruffled chiffon dresses worn over tailored trousers at Prabal Gurung. Approach this look carefully though, as I’m not even sure Prabal managed to rock it…

Bra tops at Jason Wu and Victoria Beckham: As if crop tops weren’t scary enough, VB and Jason Wu have gone one better, sending their models out in skimpy bra tops. High-waisted shorts and trousers toned down the nakedness, and seeing as Victoria Beckham never bares her torso in public I think it’s fair to assume this is a runway/editorial only trend.

Mirrored sunglasses at Rebecca Taylor: This isn’t a style I’d usually go for, but somehow Rebecca Taylor’s feminine designs make mirrored sunglasses look pretty cool. The key to rocking these shades clearly lies in your other accessories – or, should I say, your lack of them. Keep your style fuss-free and mirrored sunglasses aren’t so bad. Who’d have thought?

Cricket jumpers at Tommy Hilfiger: It’s hard to find a preppier knit than the cricket jumper, and Tommy Hilfiger’s Spring 2013 designs are absolute must-haves. Worn oversized, as dresses, they were paired with sporty raincoats, chunky white heels and perfectly tanned legs.

Which collections have you liked so far at New York Fashion Week? And which shows are you still looking forward to? Remember you can watch the NYFW livestream HERE.

Images style.com and Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz

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