Victoria Beckham: Is This Really Fashion Or Noblesse Oblige?

Victoria Beckham (aka 'Posh Spice') has made good on her promise to expand her apparel line. For now, the project includes a collection of calf-length, figure-hugging dresses for day and evening in a minimalist palette of mostly black and ivory which she unveiled during New York Fashion Week at a party atop the Waldorf Astoria. The line of dresses is in addition to Beckham's line of high-end denim and sunglasses collection. It would be almost too easy to torpedo this "project" with catty comments. Any number of zingers come to mind given the woman behind it. That would be unfair. Beckham's project deserves to be judged on its merits.

All images courtesy of Victoria Beckham via Style.com.

To begin, it's worth noting that unlike many celebrity designed fashion lines, the dresses are in fact quite beautiful and (surprisingly) tasteful. It's also worth noting that unlike some celebrities who take the 'quick fix' route and play to the masses, Beckham is clearly aiming for the connoisseur crowd. Besides, there is something faintly endearing about her relentless quest for respect in the rarified world of high fashion where the social code rivals 18th century Versailles and retains a definite whiff of ancien regime exclusivity. Unfortunately for Beckham, she is nouveau regime through and through. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that unless of course, like Beckham, you're seeking acceptance from the aforementioned group.

Indeed, as beautifully restrained and well-made as her dresses reportedly are, that alone is not enough to elevate this offering from celebrity vanity project to legitimate fashion. If you take the time to peruse her collection, there is in fact nothing about this collection of dresses that sets it apart from what you could have your local (albeit talented) seamstress whip up based on an existing pattern. There is nothing innovative, nothing new and nothing to define a distinctive style per se. In fact, some of the dresses could easily be mistaken for l'Wren Scott, or Michael Kors, or Giambattista Valli, or Dolce & Gabbana, etc, etc. This begs the question: If there is nothing new or innovative or distinctive in her offering, what exactly is it other than the label bearing her name, that sets it apart from other fashion lines? Rien du tout. And that is precisely my point. It takes considerably more than celebrity and a well-financed appetite for fashionable clothing to be a fashion designer. With prices ranging from £650 to £900 GBP or $1,150 to $1,600 USD, why not buy a Roland Mouret 'RM' dress which is in fact innovative and distinctive? Incidentally, Beckham and Mouret are practically "family": Both Beckham's dVb by Victoria Beckham line and Roland Mouret's RM line are part of Simon Fuller's '19 Entertainment' company.

I suppose, the most eloquent review of Beckham's latest fashion offering comes from respected International Herald Tribune fashion critic and eminence grise of the fashion world Suzy Menkes. Ms. Menkes' review reads in many respects like a press release: brief, factual and composed mostly of self-serving quotes from Beckham herself. Menkes' own thoughts on the line are non-existent. In the coded language of the ancien regime, her silence speaks volumes.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Comments

[Helene]

Ahhhh. Beware Dahlia - once you get a little taste of RM, you can never go back. By the way, I do believe Net-A-Porter delivers to Montreal.

Helene

[Dahlia]

I think Victoria Beckham should just enjoy being able to wear high end designers rather than make her own label. I read that her denim line isn't doing very well due to lack of promotion, so I find this collection, there are cute dresses I must admit, to be nothing more than a passing hobby. But then the woman needs a day job since she's no longer a singer.

Speaking of RM, I've been obsessed looking at his fall collection on Net-a-porter (all thanks to you!) and can only daydream of wearing of his finely constructed skirts or dresses. I really do wish Holt Renfrew or Ogilvy would carry his line. Then I would only be obliged to splurge (just once!) on his creations.