MS. GIVHAN: Hi. Welcome to Washington Post Live. I’m Robin Givhan, senior critic-at-large here at The Post, and I’m really delighted to have with me today Victoria Beckham. She’s the creative director and founder of the brand that bears her name.
Welcome, Victoria.
MS. BECKHAM: Thank you so much, Robin.
MS. GIVHAN: Before we begin, I just want to acknowledge that you were scheduled to be here live, in person, for the conversation, but due to sensitivities with current events and an abundance of caution, we decided to take the conversation virtual. But we are still very happy to be able to chat with you.
MS. BECKHAM: Well, thank you for having me.
MS. GIVHAN: I wanted to start with probably what a lot of people have seen recently. You’ve been very busy. There was the Paris fashion show, there was the launch of the fragrances, and there was also the Netflix documentary, “Beckham.” And I would like to point out that there were two Beckhams in that documentary, and we didn’t get to find out how your sort of origin story for your brand really began. So I thought we’d start there, and I was hoping you could just kind of put into context in that timeline that the docuseries covered when you decided to launch the brand. Where were you? What was going on in your life?
MS. BECKHAM: Well, thank you, Robin. I actually launched my brand in 2008, but I was working on collections before that time. But 2008 was the first time that I actually showed what I’d been working on. I’m doing small presentations in New York and narrating through the collections, and so that was 2008. And since then, the brand has grown. You know, I started really focusing on dresses. The first ever collection really was just ten dresses, and pretty soon after that, we started creating a full wardrobe that then went on to include handbags, shoes, sunglasses, and then most recently–well, four years ago, launching my own beauty brand and very recently continuing and launching three fragrances.
MS. GIVHAN: Well, you know, I was at that first presentation of the collection, and one of the things that was so striking to me was that usually designers show a collection one of two ways. It’s an installation in which people just sort of walk around and they look at garments on models, or it’s a full-on runway show where you sort of–you know, you’re sitting there and the clothes just come down the catwalk. But you decided to do something that, as you said, was much more intimate, and you sat and you talked people through the collection. Why was it important to you to, one, be present in that space but also to talk about the clothes and not just sort of let them come down the runway alone?
MS. BECKHAM: Well, you know, Robin, these were presentations, and they were quite small presentations. I had two models, and like I said, just ten dresses and it all happened very, very naturally. It was never the plan that I would narrate through, through the collection, but, you know, I would just sit there. And it just happened, like I said, very, very naturally. I would start talking about the inspiration, the construction of the garments, you know, the corsetry, the fabrics, and it just happened very naturally, really, that I would just talk through and explain the collections.
You know, right from the beginning, I was very, very aware of people’s preconceptions, you know, coming from the Spice Girls. I was not in fashion. I always had a passion for fashion. It was always my dream, but I was very aware of those preconceptions. So it was very important to me that it was about the product, and so it just happened very naturally that way.
MS. GIVHAN: I’m curious. Were you nervous as you–as you sat there presenting? I mean, you had the experience, certainly, of being on stage in front of millions of people, but was that–was that daunting?
MS. BECKHAM: Do you know, I wasn’t nervous. I think that there was a naivety back then, that I think if I was doing it now, knowing what I know now about the industry, I’d probably be really nervous. But, at the time, I was so passionate about what I was doing. I had a point of view. I’d worked really hard, and like I said, there was a naivety that I think that the industry liked. But, like I said, doing it now, knowing what I know now, I would probably be very nervous.
MS. GIVHAN: Sometimes ignorance is like the best thing to be able to launch an adventure like that.
MS. BECKHAM: I agree. I mean, I was–I was just being really, really honest. You know, I was creating garments that I wanted to wear, what I couldn’t find myself, you know, and that’s why I–that’s why I started doing this. It’s always about creating ultimately what I want, whether that’s makeup, skincare, fragrance, or fashion. Ultimately, that is where it comes from.
MS. GIVHAN: I know when the line started, as you said, you began with the dresses, and it was a–you know, a very sleek silhouette. Some would say it was a very sort of controlled silhouette, and as over time I think it has loosened substantially. It has a, I think, greater freedom to it. I mean, is that, do you think, a reflection of where you always wanted the brand to go or, as you said, since you were designing what you wanted to wear, it was a reflection of changes in your life?
MS. BECKHAM: Well, I think that, you know, when I first started, we were a very, very small team. I have a larger team now, and we’ve learned so much more. And everything I do is very considered, and execution is key. And, at the beginning, it really was about focusing, focusing on that one silhouette. And then when I had the knowledge and the know-how internally, then I could expand on that.
You know, when I first started, I couldn’t think about tailoring because I didn’t have anybody in-house that could execute in the way that it needed be executed because I only ever want to put anything out there when I truly believe it is the best. Knitwear. Again, it’s not something that I could have done there. Shoes, bags. I mean, the list goes on. But, as the brand has grown and my team has grown, I have been able to do more and more.
You know, now I have an atelier, and I have an incredible amount of talent within my team, and so I think that combined with the fact my personal style has changed over the last 15 years.
But for me, it is always important as much as I want to expand the collections, I also have to stay true to myself and remember my brand codes, because I want to make sure that I’m always offering my customer what she expects from Victoria Beckham is always about the silhouette as well as what the fashion message might be that season.
MS. GIVHAN: I think for a lot of people, there is this assumption that you were coming to this with, you know, a really–a well-known name with financial resources, with the ability to reach out to other prominent people. I mean, why–what were the limitations that you faced, or in some–and sometimes people will say that given, you know, the ability to choose anything, that also makes it much more difficult to focus and to make smart choices.
MS. BECKHAM: Yeah. I mean, I think that, you know, me being in a position that I’m in and that I was then, obviously, you know, that people did have preconceptions, and that’s why it was very important to me that it was about focus and staying true to myself and being very, very honest and the product speaking for itself.
But I absolutely had limitations. You know, right from the beginning, I was very aware–I had to be aware–of budget with regards to the development of the collection, also how much the garments costed. You know, I wasn’t just given a free rein to creatively do whatever I–whatever I wanted. I was aware right from the beginning, not just the cost of the fabrics, but every time I spoke about, you know, an extra seaming detail or hardware, I was always very aware of how that would ultimately affect the final price.
And, you know, it wasn’t–like I said, it wasn’t a case if I could just do anything that I wanted. You know, right from the beginning, this has been about developing a sustainable business. It has never been a vanity project. I’ve never just been given the free rein to do whatever I want, not even when it comes to a show. Even now, it’s very important that ultimately, yes, I want to be creative, but I’m selling these clothes. It’s about creating garments that women can actually wear, and it’s getting the balance between things being wearable at the right price point without sort of stifling yourself with regards to ultimately dreaming, which is what fashion is also about. It’s about balance, and I have a great team of people that share the same–the same opinion as me that we can–you know, we can bounce ideas and be creative, but ultimately, it’s always about, you know, creating garments that people can wear.
MS. GIVHAN: You had mentioned that there were a lot of preconceived ideas because of your celebrity, and certainly, there have been a lot of celebrities who have entered the fashion world and, you know, put their names on a label. I mean, it seems, though, that the ones who have really succeeded–and they are few and far between–are the ones who have done it 110 percent. You know, they have–fashion has become their main–their only job. Do you–do you think that that is just some–the way that it works, that in order to really make the–get the fashion industry to embrace you, to get customers to believe in the legitimacy of your collection, that you really have to go all in?
MS. BECKHAM: I mean, for me personally, you know, I always dreamed of being in the fashion industry, and this is now what I do. And I think that there’s–look, I think that there’s room for everybody. I think that a lot of celebrities have license deals, whether that’s fashion, fragrance, accessories, whatever that might be, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. And I have the ultimate respect for anybody that is trying to make it in this industry, but that was not my approach, you know, even when we–you know, we just launched fragrance, as I said. You know, to launch a fragrance as an independent brand and be doing it independently and it not be a license is an enormous–it’s a big commitment. It’s something that I take very, very seriously, and I really, really focus.
So I don’t know. For me, there was only one way about doing this, and this is my–this is my job. This is what I do. You know, I’m not–I’m not singing anymore, have no intention of singing anymore. So this really is my passion. This is what I love to do, and I’m very, very involved with every single aspect of the business, right from the start, right through to the end.
You know, some might say maybe I’m a control freak. I would say that I’m just very passionate. I take my job very, very seriously, and I think people would probably be surprised how involved I am, whether that’s fashion, beauty, fragrance, whatever that is, and that’s just the way that I am. That’s the way that I work.
MS. GIVHAN: When you say that people would be surprised, I mean, are you–are you like in the atelier pinning fabric swatches? Like what does that entail?
MS. BECKHAM: Oh gosh, I mean, absolutely. You know, for me, right from the beginning of the collection, when we’re talking about the inspiration, whatever it might be, to creating mood boards, to fabric boards, to, my goodness, creating the actual garments, absolutely, I’m there every single step of the way working with my team, you know, to when we actually come up with the collections. You know, the attention to detail with regards to a show, not just the garments, the models, the music, the venue, the flooring, literally the flooring–
MS. GIVHAN: [Laughs]
MS. BECKHAM: –the casting, the lighting, the makeup, the hair, and then after that, you know, the selling campaign., I’m very involved with the selling campaign as well. Imagery. If we do look books, for example, I’m always on set. I select the models with my pre-collections. I style those pre-collections myself. Social content. Social is very, very important, and again, I’m very hands on with that as well. And this is exactly the same for both beauty and fashion. I say I feel like I have two children as well as my own children.
MS. GIVHAN: [Laughs]
MS. BECKHAM: On the one hand, I’ve got beauty; the other hand, I’ve got fashion. And my time is spent equally between the two of them, and I am as involved with both of them.
MS. GIVHAN: At what point did you feel that finally, you know, your brand was no longer referred to with the adjective “celebrity” in front of it?
MS. BECKHAM: Well, gosh, I mean, that’s a tricky one because right at the beginning, you know, for my first collection, the reviews–and for a few seasons, the reviews would say, “She was a Spice Girl. We’re surprised. We like the collection.” And I remember someone saying to me, “You are finally being taken seriously when they stop saying that, and they just start describing the garments and the inspiration.” So I would say that whilst I was still showing in New York, I definitely felt that I was being taken seriously.
Moving back to London to celebrate my tenth anniversary was the next step for me, to go back to England, and I was–I was a little nervous to go back to England, you know, because I was–I’d never showed there before. And I love showing in New York, but I think for me, the ultimate dream was always Paris. And I was nervous about that. You know, we’d just come out of covid. We restructured the whole business during covid. I had a whole new team, design team, atelier. In fact, my entire team was completely new. We are independent, and that’s when we decided was the right time for us to show in Paris, my ultimate dream and probably the most challenging, I would say. And I was nervous for that. I was very, very nervous. It was the first time I’d worked with this new team. But I–
MS. GIVHAN: Why was Paris particularly challenging? I mean, I know that it is–it’s so–it’s very–it’s more international than any other city, certainly.
MS. BECKHAM: Yeah. Well, I think that Paris is–for me personally, you know, it was always the dream. That’s where you’ve got the big, big brand showing. You know, that was the ultimate dream for me, and as an independent brand, it’s a big step to do that, but I was excited by that challenge. And we’ve just celebrated our one-year anniversary, and I felt very proud of how I was welcomed by the industry there, how they accepted me, and how I really feel that I’ve worked very hard on–you know, I’ve earned the right to be there, and I feel very, very proud of what we’re achieving, how the brand is growing. And I truly feel that I have found where I belong.
MS. GIVHAN: And what kind of response did you get from viewers when they saw the collection in Paris? Did you feel like it was received in a different way than it had been in New York? Was it judged differently, do you think?
MS. BECKHAM: I don’t know if it was judged differently, but I do feel that I have taken the brand to the next level. And that’s what I try to do each season is better myself, and I think we did that this season. We really did take it to the next level, and it was such an exciting collection because I was also using the show to launch my three fragrances, which, by the way, I have been working on for the last eight years. And I think this is a good example of how, for me, it’s really important that I don’t put anything out there until I’m totally, totally ready, until I feel that it should be released. And also, it’s about executing things in the right way, not just creatively. I needed to make sure that as a business, we were in the right position to launch these fragrances. To launch fragrances in an independent way is challenging, and it’s something that I find very exciting. But I think that also that was another reason why Paris this season was such an exciting one, because yes, the collection was one of my favorites that I’ve ever worked on, but also to be launching these fragrances, it was a really, really big moment for us as a brand, because everything I do–you know, beauty and fashion go hand in hand. They really do. And so to be celebrating both on such a large stage is very, very exciting.
MS. GIVHAN: I want to talk more about the fragrances, but you had mentioned that there were a lot of changes within the company before you showed in Paris, that happened during covid, and I remember when covid first sort of shut everything down. There was this really intense conversation within the industry about taking the opportunity to slow down, to produce less merchandise, to, you know, allow creative people to sort of take a breath. And then it seemed when things opened up again, fashion was back to its old tricks.
Did you–how did your business change during that period? I mean, did you sort of rethink how you were doing things and how much you were producing and the speed at which you were producing?
MS. BECKHAM: Well, I was never a brand that was producing enormous collections anyway, you know. So for me, it was about taking that moment to restructure the business which would have happened and which was happening before covid anyway.
You know, I used to have two collections. We decided to merge the two and have just the one collection but have a lower entry price point, and that was happening before covid. So it’s very important for me to restructure the business but then to restructure the team as well, you know. For the new structure, I needed a new team that–that sort of–that could really align with me on what the new Victoria Beckham brand, on what those collections looked like.
MS. GIVHAN: And when you talk about a different price point or a slightly lower entry point, what did that mean? Were you then rethinking like fabrics? Were you thinking–rethinking silhouettes, rethinking details in the clothing? I think for a lot of people, you know, they go into a boutique, and they wonder why one dress is, you know, exponentially more expensive than another or incrementally more expensive. Like what were the tweaks that you were making with the collection?
MS. BECKHAM: Well, I mean, you know, yes, I’m always very aware of fabrics and the prices of fabrics, and I think that what our customer really appreciates is how she really feels that she’s getting the ultimate in luxury at an affordable luxury price point. So I consider my fabrics all the time to make sure that I’m giving my customer the best quality, but at an affordable price point is something I have to be very mindful of as well. I mean, you know, even the fabrics that we’re using for linings, for example, you know, where we’re manufacturing the clothes, working with our mills, trying to bring the prices down as much as we can, but then also recognizing that my customer, she might want tailoring. She might want a high price point dress, but then she also wants a simple T-shirt as well. But everything I do is very considered. Even if it is that entry price point, simple T-shirt, it is considered.
I have worn that T-shirt. I’ve really thought about that T-shirt, and I think that’s what my customer really appreciates, the love and the care that goes into absolutely everything that we do, no matter whether it’s the starting price point or, you know, the high fashion pieces that we see on the runway. Every single piece is considered, is loved, and execution is key.
MS. GIVHAN: And now about the beauty business, I know that the main focus when you launched was on the eyes, and tell us why that was the decision. I mean, it’s something very personal.
MS. BECKHAM: Yeah. Well, you know, I was asked a few years ago to do a collaboration with Estée Lauder, and as someone who has always loved makeup, this was the ultimate dream.
And I remember the first meeting that I had with Estée Lauder. I was living in Los Angeles at the time. I had an entire dining room table full of makeup that I collected over the years, little tiny samples that I had made with makeup artists, things that I had collected that have been discontinued. I was absolutely obsessed with makeup and really had a point of view of what I wanted in my makeup bag that I couldn’t find.
So I started working with Estée Lauder and had so much fun, learned so much, and what we did together was so successful that at that point, I realized there was a real appetite for Victoria Beckham Beauty but to do it in my way with a strong focus on inclusivity and clean beauty as well. I knew I had to do that on my own independently. So we then decided–
MS. GIVHAN: Sorry. What does that mean for you, “clean beauty”?
MS. BECKHAM: So clean beauty, you know, when I first started looking into what does clean beauty mean, you know, it was a bit of a gray area, and I wanted to learn more. So I spent a lot of time educating myself, and I was a little shocked by some of the ingredients that were in formulas and things that I was putting on my face. So I did a lot of research, like I said, really educated myself.
So now what we do is that we are–you know, we share the information that we found out. We are–you know, we have a website, and we talk very openly about what is and what is not in our formulas. So it’s something that’s very important to me, not just how clean something is but, you know, taking sustainability into consideration as well; for example, using minimal plastics without outer packaging, using a hundred percent post-consumer waste. So it’s really recognizing that we have a responsibility and acting on that, and I knew to do that at the level that I felt that it should be done, I had to do that independently. And I knew there was an appetite for Victoria Beckham Beauty after the success of what I did with Estée Lauder.
So then I decided to launch my own beauty brand, and it was interesting, you know, working very closely with my labs, challenging the labs, because as much as I wanted clean formulas, I didn’t want it to compromise the product. And so that was challenging, and it was a challenge that I really embraced. And I’m absolutely blown away by the success of the Beauty brand.
You know, ultimately, it’s all about the product. I don’t believe that people are buying Victoria Beckham Beauty because it’s me. They’re buying Victoria Beckham Beauty because the products genuinely are, in my opinion, the best, you know, in the market.
MS. GIVHAN: [Laughs]
MS. BECKHAM: And, you know, we know that this is–
MS. GIVHAN: Not that you’re biased. [Laughs]
MS. BECKHAM: –the feedback that we hear from the industry, the awards that we win, because I am so passionate about these products, and like I said, you know, I constantly want to make sure that I’m just creating the best for my customer. And the sales are proving and how the business is growing is proving that we’ve got some–we’ve got some strong supporters, and like I said, the brand is growing very quickly.
MS. GIVHAN: Well, I know that you mentioned that you’re doing it independently, which is really unusual for a company to do that, and beyond sort of control, I mean, how challenging is that being it–trying to do it or doing it independently and also managing the price points, managing–making sure that the production is up where you need it to be? I mean, a lot–some independent beauty brands really struggle to sort of get their production up to meet customer demand.
MS. BECKHAM: I have a great team of people around me. I’m not going to say I’m doing this all on my own, Robin. I mean, I’m–you know, I’m very involved every step of the way, but I have a great team of people around me helping me, advising me. But, of course, it doesn’t come without its challenges, but I really–I enjoy those challenges, and I love what I do. But it’s about–it’s about surrounding yourself with the right people.
MS. GIVHAN: I mean, one of the things that I found fascinating is that, you know, the company recently became profitable, certainly on the beauty side as well as the fashion side. The first thing I wanted to ask about that is really just if you can talk a little bit about how hard the fashion business is in order–you know, to build a business that is, in fact, profitable. I mean, you’ve been at this for well over a decade, and I think for some people, they see press coverage, they see red carpet coverage, and they presume that that is equal to profitability. And nine times out of ten, it is not. So why is it so hard to get to this point?
MS. BECKHAM: You know, I’ve been doing this for 15 years now, and I’m very proud that, you know, the Victoria Beckham House is registering a very strong, profitable growth, and we–because we have been through so much as a brand, we really have. And I think when you look at everything that the world has been through in the last few years, to come out of that as an independent brand and to be able to announce that, it shows hard work, a lot of hard work. I don’t know what else to say other than just a lot of hard work, determination, and focus. But it’s a very, very–it’s a hard–it’s a hard industry, as you know. It really is.
MS. GIVHAN: I mean, one of the things that people talked about during–certainly during covid was that because people weren’t really buying clothes, because they didn’t have anywhere to go, they turned to beauty as a way to sort of uplift the spirits. In hindsight, did it–was it sort of a blessing that you decided that that was sort of–just prior to that was when you launched the beauty brand, that it sort of benefited in a way from people turning to that particular part of the market in order to bring themselves a little joy?
MS. BECKHAM: I think that where I felt that we were very lucky when we launched our beauty brand, it was always the strategy to go direct to consumer, and I think that that’s–that really worked in our favor because, obviously, at a time when a lot of people were so reliant on retail, you know, we were not. That was always the strategy.
But I think that there were also lots of challenges with beauty during covid. You know, supply chain, for example, I mean, people are only just recovering from those challenges. So I think it was a little bit of a, shall we say, myth that beauty as a whole did well during covid. Some brands did; some brands didn’t. And like I said, it was still affected. But I was very lucky that I was set up for direct-to-consumer at that time.
MS. GIVHAN: And you’re focusing right now on eye and color. I’m wondering–I assume that down the line, there will be sort of foundations and all of that. What are the–what makes–what is–what are the differences now in going and moving into that when the industry, the beauty industry has been really pushed to have a variety, a wide variety of colors to work on many different complexions? You know, I think of a brand like Fenty, which sort of really pushed that envelope. I mean, how much more of a challenge is it now to go into that part of the beauty business?
MS. BECKHAM: To be honest, it’s no–it is no challenge because it was always for me very important to be inclusive. That’s how we started Victoria Beckham Beauty. No matter whether it’s eyes, lip, complexion, whatever it is, it’s about being inclusive, and that was the strategy right from the beginning.
You know, I will be going into complexion in the future, and obviously, you know, of course, we have to be inclusive. But, like I said, that was always the strategy, whether that’s eyes, lips, whatever it might be, and it’s something that I’m really excited about. You know, my team is growing. My development team is very small but so, so talented, and we’re very excited to be expanding our offer.
MS. GIVHAN: And now on to your most recent project, which are fragrances. There are stories behind each of the fragrances, and you are also starring in the advertising campaign for some of–for them. It’s incredibly personal, both literally and figuratively. Can you tell us a little bit about the story of the–of each of the names for the fragrances? There’s San Ysidro, Suite–
MS. BECKHAM: 302.
MS. GIVHAN: Thank you.
MS. BECKHAM: So I started working on these fragrances eight years ago with an incredible nose, as they like to be called, called Jerome, and right from the beginning of the process, the stories that went with the fragrances were as important as the scents themselves.
This isn’t just something that happened sort of, you know, just before launch. Like I said, the stories right from the beginning have always been key. So it’s been a great learning experience the last eight years, and like I said, I wanted to wait until I knew I had the knowledge to execute in the right way.
So we waited this long, and they’ve been out for about two weeks now. And you’re right. There are three of them. So there is Suite 302, which the story is about myself and David and our love affair with Paris in the ’90s. We used to often go to Paris, and everything felt very opulent. I remember we used to stay at a hotel. I remember the smell of black cherry tobacco. I remember the heavy burgundy drapes and the couches that were like a heavy velvet as well. I remember I was wearing lots of Dolce & Gabbana at the time.
MS. GIVHAN: [Laughs]
MS. BECKHAM: All the flashbulbs going off every time we left the hotel, being chased by paparazzi, and I just remember how opulent and how that felt. And so for me, Suite 302 and how that smells really does take me back to that time and those weekends in Paris with David. It’s the heaviest, I’d say, of the three fragrances. It is a black cherry, a leather, tobacco, and every time I smell it, it really does take me back to those days with my husband in the ’90s.
And we still go on those trips to Paris. More recently, we renewed our wedding vows, and we went to Paris to celebrate just for 24 hours. And we stayed in the Ritz in Paris, and we stayed in Suite 302. So that’s why Suite 302 was given that name.
MS. GIVHAN: And I’m assuming San Ysidro is from when you were living in California.
MS. BECKHAM: Correct. So San Ysidro Drive was our address when we lived in Los Angeles, and when we moved to L.A., you know, it was–it was a time in my life where I really learned to love myself. It was a start of a personal journey for me. I learned to meditate. I used to love going to the crystal farm in Malibu, collecting crystals and educating myself about crystals and about creative visualization. I did a lot of work on myself. There’s that real sense of wellness in Los Angeles that I loved.
But the things we used to do as a family, hiking with the children in the canyons, surfing with the children in Malibu, it was also a time when I started showing my collections in New York. So that move to L.A. for me personally was such–such a special time. It really was, and so San Ysidro Drive being a saffron rose with a wood undertone, it just–it just takes me back to my time in L.A. And the bottle actually is a color–you know, it’s a lovely yellow color, which reminds me of–you know, of the sunsets in L.A. So it’s very–it was a really interesting time in my life and something that I wanted to celebrate.
MS. GIVHAN: Well, as we’re getting a little close to the end of our time, but I wanted to get in at least one audience question, which kind of dovetails with a question that I had about the dearth of creative–female creative directors in the industry and how those numbers seem to be decreasing as opposed to increasing. And this question is from Isabella in the UK who asks, “What role do you think the creative director now plays in major fashion houses, and do you think the role is more blurred and interwoven with other disciplines of the brand that come to represent vision and ethos and an image?”
MS. BECKHAM: I would say that every creative director’s role is different. You know, for me, my name is on the label, and as a creative director, I am involved every step of the way with both fashion and beauty. Like I said to you earlier, you know, right from the starting point of the collection, the inspiration, right through to how is that garment photographed, styled, merchandised, how is it shot and how do we–how do we show that through social media, how do we–how do we use social media to communicate with our community. And I suppose that everybody–everybody is different. You know, there might be some creative directors that literally do just set the direction of the collection.
So I suppose I do a lot of things subconsciously, I would say, as well. I mean, I–for me, I couldn’t work any other way. I have to be involved every single part of the way.
MS. GIVHAN: So I am going to end with a question that I sort of cribbed from Oprah Winfrey.
MS. BECKHAM: Oh.
MS. GIVHAN: What do you–
[Laughter]
MS. GIVHAN: What do you know for sure now about the fashion industry that you didn’t know when you started?
MS. BECKHAM: Oh gosh. What do I know now? I don’t know what I’ve learned. I mean, look, I continue to learn because I want to learn. Goodness, I don’t know what I’ve learned.
[Laughter]
MS. BECKHAM: I don’t know what I’ve learned other than–
MS. GIVHAN: Victoria, surely you’ve learned something.
MS. BECKHAM: Someone said to me yesterday, they said–it was someone that used to be in the fashion industry, and they said, “My gosh, I don’t miss it at all. Do you still love it?” And I genuinely love what I do and love it more and more every day.
I don’t know what I’ve learned. I need–you need to ask me another question.
MS. GIVHAN: Well, I’ll put this this way.
MS. BECKHAM: We can’t end on that one: What have I learned?
[Laughter]
MS. GIVHAN: I’ll put it this way. What do you love even more about the industry?
MS. BECKHAM: What do I love? You know, I love that this is my creative outlet. I feel very lucky that I have a job that has never felt like a job, even when times were very, very difficult for the business. I’ve never stopped loving what I do and ultimately creating what I want and what I believe my community wants, and it’s about empowering my customer, whether that’s through fashion or beauty, making him or her feel like the best, most powerful version of themselves. You know, when I see someone wearing something of mine or–you know, or using an eyeliner and saying, “I love this. I love how this makes me feel,” that makes me feel really good.
MS. GIVHAN: Well, I think we will end it there, then. Thank you so much for joining me.
MS. BECKHAM: Thank you so much. Thank you, everybody.
MS. GIVHAN: And for more information about upcoming events, please go to WashingtonPostLive.com, and I am Robin Givhan. Thank you again for joining me.
[End recorded session
