Victoria Beckham is one of the most famous faces in the UK today, having carefully cultivated a circle of celebrity friends to cement herself as frontrunner in the fashion world.
At 50, the former Spice Girl has transformed herself from a popstar to matriarch of a celebrity family, and half of one of Britain’s most loved couples.
But, despite being a national treasure in her native UK, ‘VB’ – as she often calls herself – has never quite cracked America, despite decades of flirtation with US markets.
This week, Posh Spice made a surprise appearance on The Kardashians, as Kim Kardashian headed to a Victoria Beckham Paris Fashion Week show alongside her mother Kris Jenner and Kris’ partner Corey Gamble.
Victoria has known the family since 2019 and enlisted model Kendall Jenner to close her show, and it could perhaps be Kim that Victoria looks to find fame in the US.
Victoria Beckham is one of the most famous faces in the UK today, having carefully cultivated a circle of celebrity friends to cement herself as frontrunner in the fashion world
Disaster struck when Kim Kardashian , mother Kris Jenner and partner Corey Gamble got stuck in traffic on their way to the show, resulting in them being 20 minutes late (pictured with Anna Wintour and David Beckham)
Just like Victoria, Kim has family at the centre of her brand, they have both also made a foray from previous careers into the fashion world. SKIMS is now worth $4 billion, while Victoria Beckham’s brand is worth around £41 million.
So could VB lean on Kim K to truly make it in the US market? Here FEMAIL looks at the possible ways, Victoria could lean on her Kardashian connection to find further fame stateside…
FAMILY AS A BRAND
From the beginnings of her career, when she first starred on Keeping up with the Kardashians in 2007, family has been a key part of Kim’s brand
Alongside husband David, the former popstar has four children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. The family are often join her at fashion shows, and feature on her social media. Her sons Brooklyn, 25, Cruz, 19, and Romeo, 21, regularly gush about their mother online. Daughter Harper is yet to get her own social media profiles at just 12 years old, but is often pictured out with her lookalike mother
From the beginnings of her career, when she first starred on Keeping up with the Kardashians in 2007, family has been a key part of Kim’s brand.
The show began when Kim was just 26, and focused on her life with her sisters Khloe and Kourtney running their shop DASH in their hometown of Calabassas.
Still living at home with her mother Kris Jenner, and then step-parent Caitlyn Jenner, as well as then pre-teen half-sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner, family was the forefront of the show. It showed squabbles, birthdays and surprises between the now very famous family
Now, 17 years on, Kim is a mother-of-four and has kept her ever-growing family a huge part of her brand, featuring them on her TV show and regularly on her Instagram.
Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham’s family is key to her brand.
Alongside husband David, the former popstar has four children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. The family are often join her at fashion shows, and feature on her social media.
Her sons Brooklyn, 25, Cruz, 19, and Romeo, 21, regularly gush about their mother online. Daughter Harper is yet to get her own social media profiles at just 12 years old, but is often pictured out with her lookalike mother.
Since the 1990s, David has carefully be cultivating his image as a family man, even missing a training session at Manchester United to take care of his sick infant son Brooklyn.
The couple have often talked about parenting over the years in various interviews.
Even in the late 1990’s, David enjoyed the image of a family man who didn’t hesitate to miss a training session with Manchester United to take care of his sick infant son.
In interviews and magazines over the years, both Beckhams enthusiastically shared details about their parenting styles and private family life, once again reaching an audience beyond their respective fields.
‘Being a mother is simply the greatest achievement of my life. It has taken me on an unexpected journey that can constantly surprise, educate and confuse me,’ Victoria wrote in a 2015 letter for Mother’s Day.
FASHION SUCCESS
Both Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian have pivoted from entertainment careers into the world of fashion. Kim has gone from reality star to shapewear mogul, while Victoria has hung up her leotard for chic dresses, loved by the likes of Gigi Hadid, Eva Longoria and the Royal family
Victoria has hung up her leotard for chic dresses, loved by the likes of Gigi Hadid, Eva Longoria and the Royal family.
Both Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian have pivoted from entertainment careers into the world of fashion.
Kim has gone from reality star to shapewear mogul, while Victoria has hung up her leotard for chic dresses, loved by the likes of Gigi Hadid, Eva Longoria and the Royal family.
The brand has critical success – her recent collection branded a ‘dance of delight’ she has faced financial difficulties.
In December, the brand turned a profit for the first time, 15 years after launching.
A carefully orchestrated social media strategy which sees her post make-up tutorial videos on TikTok was seen as a key part of the success.
Financial accounts showed it was £200,000 in the black in 2022, as shoppers bought up her accessories after she launched a line of leather goods last year.
Part of the success was the popularity of a £890 clutch bag.
Kim grew up admiring The Spice Girls and claimed on the last season of Kardashians that she was once asked to fill in for Posh Spice on tour (L-R Geri Horner, Emma Bunton, Mel C, Mel B)
The chain pouch clutch bag, which comes in several colours including black, cream and lilac, has become a must-have item. While most of them are priced at £890, more specialised versions cost up to £1,550.
Meanwhile, her beauty arm, which Victoria began in 2019, has also been a huge success – in particular her satin kajal eyeliner, priced at £30.
The luxury label has borrowed more than £30 million from other parts of the Beckham business empire over the past 15 years.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian ‘s booming apparel brand Skims has been valued at a whopping $4 billion, just four years after it was created.
The reality star first launched the shapewear line in 2019 with Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede, 45, and it has since expanded into one of the most popular clothing companies on the globe.
It was initially created as an online retailer that sold undergarments designed to fit people of all sizes of colours, but it now offers a slew of other products like swimsuits, dresses, shorts, T-shirts, pyjamas, hoodies, leggings, and even socks.
While it began strictly online, a series of high-end retailers like Nordstrom and Saks have slowly been adding its items to their racks.
‘It has grown quickly and we’re so proud of that,’ Kim told the New York Times recently. ‘We’ve had a really good flow of product launches.’
Skims has certainly expanded rapidly. When it first came out in 2019, it was said that it sold more than $2 million of merchandise within 10 minutes.
By 2021, it was valued at $1.6 billion, and in January 2022 it was said to be worth $3.2 billion. Now, it’s estimated to be worth a whopping $4 billion.
And according to the publication, its on track to earn $750 million in sales this year – $250 million more than last year.
TV show appearances
Candid: The tell-all documentary, released on Wednesday at 8am, sees David and Victoria give an intimate insight into their marriage and early romance
‘Saving the world, stupid,’ Siobhan replied
A huge part of Kim Kardashian’s success is thanks to her reality TV career, with the businesswoman venturing into brand partnerships too.
Victoria also recently took part in the documentary Beckham, alongside her husband David for Netflix.
The pair also both have acting careers, with Victoria guest-starring as herself in episodes of Ugly Betty. She is also played a fictionalised version of herself in Spice World, the movie.
Kim has recently starred in American Horror Story, as well as taking voice roles in Paw Patrol.
On Wednesday, Victoria appeared on the Kardashians, in a scene that showed Kim Kardashian, mother Kris Jenner and partner Corey Gamble got stuck in traffic on their way to her Fashion Week Show, resulting in them being 20 minutes late.
Kim has long been a fan of Victoria’s, having grown up admiring The Spice Girls and claimed on the last season of Kardashians that she was once asked to fill in for Posh Spice on tour.
She told how bandmate Mel C asked her to help out after recalling how she once performed as Posh for a talent show.
‘They asked me if I would be her part. Mel C asked me,’ Kim told a group of friends while attending a football game with their kids in London.
‘Can you imagine? North is like, ‘Do it, mum!’ Kim added.
Kim elaborated on Mel C’s invitation in a confessional, stating: ‘Sporty Spice wrote a book and she signed it inside and she sent it to me.
‘It said they were going on tour and they needed a Posh and would I be the Posh? I am sure she was joking but when I was in high school would I ever have thought that this was like a thing?
‘I am just a girl from high school who loves the Spice Girls and now they are asking me?’
CELEBRITY PALS
Rey and Kim Kardashian attend The 2024 Met Gala
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria is perhaps Victoria Beckham’s closest friend in Hollywood. The Texan actress, 49, posted a sweet photo in tribute to the Spice Girl on Instagram to celebrate her 50th birthday in which the pair looked perfect in monochrome dresses
As well as their famous families, both superstars have a scurry of Hollywood pals.
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria is perhaps Victoria Beckham’s closest friend in Hollywood.
The Texan actress, 49, posted a sweet photo in tribute to the Spice Girl on Instagram to celebrate her 50th birthday in which the pair looked perfect in monochrome dresses.
She wrote: ‘I’m so lucky to have you in my life. Your friendship, loyalty, beauty and humor is endless! I wish everyone had a best friend like you. I wish you all the happiness in the world for you today and always! Love you.’
Eva’s friendship with David and Victoria also dates back to their move to LA, where they attended the same glitzy events together. At the time, Eva was married to French-American basketball player Tony Parker, and would often attend his games/
The Beckhams are also pals with Tom Cruise.
Cruise’s friendship with the Beckhams dates back to their welcome party in LA in 2007, which he himself organised – and he ensured Hollywood royalty came out in their droves to make sure the couple felt at home.
Stars including Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Jim Carrey and Brooke Shields were among the guests at the star-studded bash which was the most exclusive party in town.
Gordon and Tana were unsurprisingly among the guests at Victoria’s star-studded 50th birthday bash
Victoria and David posted with Eva and her husband José Bastón
David Beckham recently reminisced on the party, held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA, in his Netflix documentary The Beckhams.
He said: ‘The funny thing was, I was friends with Tom Cruise. I remember Tom turning round and saying, ‘me and Will are gonna throw you a party.’ I was like ‘Will?’ and he said ‘Will Smith’.
Recalling the bash, David’s close friend David Gardner said: ‘It was like being in Madame Tussauds, everywhere you looked there was a famous person.’
He added: ‘The next minute the piano starts going and Stevie Wonder startings singing him happy birthday. And I was like ‘f**k this, he’s gone, we’ve lost him.”
Over the years, Tom Cruise and his then-wife Katie accompanied the Beckhams to several exclusive events – and they also attended several of David’s matches.
Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday party was always going to be posh. Swanky Mayfair private members’ club Oswald’s was the venue for what proved a decidedly elegant black tie affair
And although the Beckhams are now based all around the world, Tom’s relationship with the couple has remained rock solid.
Not only was he one of the exclusive guests at Victoria’s party – he was reportedly the biggest star of the dancefloor.
Victoria is also close to Gordon Ramsay and his wife Tana.
Although not necessarily Hollywood royalty, the world’s most famous chef and his wife were a huge support to the Beckhams after their move to LA.
Gordon and Tana frequently hung out with the Beckhams in the US, after Gordon’s TV career took him stateside where he filmed series including Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen.
Perhaps it was the families’ expat status which drew them close to each other, as Tana and Victoria formed a very close bond and began spending time together.
David, Victoria and the children enjoyed weekend breaks in the sunshine with Gordon, Tana and their kids, and even spent Christmases together.
With children of similar ages, the families often spent time together, and keen cook David is known to have learnt a few kitchen tricks from his Michelin-starred best pal.
Gordon has previously spoken out about the closeness between the two families and the children in particular.
Speaking before the birth of his fifth child Oscar, the Michelin-starred chef said: ‘Three girls and a boy, and three boys and a girl – you’d be amazed at the synergy. We’ve promised that no one dates anybody!’
The couple were also frequently spotted at David’s LA Galaxy matches in the noughties.
Given the closeness between the families, it’s perhaps no surprise Gordon and Tana, who now have six children, were some of the most cherished guests at Victoria’s 50th birthday bash.
Kim meanwhile is still close to her friends from her non-famous days, but has also picked up a possy of Hollywood mates.
The reality star is also close pals with LaLa Antony, Lana Del Rey and Larsa Pippen.
In January, Lana Del Rey, 38, donned a satin blue and lace bodysuit as she posed seductively inside a giant heart with her hands clothed in gloves and a duo of matching bows in her hair for a SKIMS shoot.
Kim has talked about being a huge fan of Lana’s, and her track Young and Beautiful, and was performed by a brass brand when her now ex-husband Ye popped the question in 2013.
She even performed at Kim and Kanye’s rehearsal dinner inside the Palace of Versailles, singing her tracks Blue Jeans, Young and Beautiful, and Summertime Sadness.
Speaking with Vogue , Lana revealed her shoot with SKIMS came to be after she asked about obtaining the sold-out Swarovski dresses the brand was selling.
Coincidentally, SKIMS was also interested in working with her.
‘It was kind of a cool coincidence. I actually had asked a mutual friend [of Kim and I’s], Tracey Cunningham, if there was any way we could get one of the Swarovski [SKIMS] dresses that had sold out; At the same time, her friend Tracy Romulus asked if I’d be interested in doing a campaign. So it all happened at the exact same minute, which I took as a serendipitous sign. And I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ I didn’t really hesitate. Me and my girlfriends were pretty excited, actually.’
She also described her love for the clothing made by Kim and SKIMS: ‘Well, first of all, I just love how well it’s doing for her. And second of all, I do wear basics on most days; I like wearing the little rompers, or onesies with a big T-shirt. I’m always curious to see what they’re going to do; it’s an ever-evolving brand.
‘It started as kind of a niche brand, and I feel like it’s grown into a thing where now my sister and my best friend Margaret are wearing it. All of a sudden you’re like, ‘Oh, you’re wearing SKIMS too,’ and you show up in the same outfit as you’re getting a coffee. It’s really kind of sweet.’
