Like her attitude she has ^ ^
As one half of possibly the world's most famous celebrity couple, it's hard not to assume that Victoria Beckham's success as a fashion designer was somehow fast-tracked. Surely all that money and all those industry friends played a part? Apparently not. According to the woman herself, it was all down to her work ethic, and certainly not her bulging address book."I don't have to work, I need to work," she tells the March issue of Elle UK . "All these people [fellow fashion designers], they've not just been given anything. They've worked hard. And I've never been given anything either. But I have a good work ethic; David has an incredible work ethic. I want my kids to have a good work ethic. I believe you can achieve anything if you work hard enough to get it."
But although the former Spice Girl's eponymous label is quickly becoming a super-brand, Beckham says she still finds it hard to delegate, explaining that her want to "micro-manage absolutely everything" can cause issues.
"I can't hand over. But I'm trying to do that more. It's hard because I have such a specific vision," she says.
It's this dedication which has reportedly prompted the Beckham clan to leave Los Angeles , where they've lived for the past few years, and return to Britain - so that Victoria can be closer to her brand's headquarters in Battersea, south west London. It's the start of a "new chapter" for the world-famous family, and they're "all very excited about what lies ahead for 2013," says Beckham, suggesting more Romeo-for-Burberry style surprises are in the pipeline.
READ: Romeo Beckham models for Burberry
In the fashion industry the 38-year-old says she's finally found a place where she feels she belongs. "When I was on stage with the Spice Girls, I thought people were there to see the other four and not me," she says of her time in the world-conquering girl group. Similarly, hanging off David's arm as his ever-faithful WAG didn't, and apparently still doesn't, sit comfortably with her: "When I go out with David and people take pictures I think, 'They're here to take David's picture.'"
While we're not entirely convinced by that one (there's a headline-grabbing outfit history that definitely suggests otherwise), it looks like she really has found her path.
The full interview appears in the March issue of Elle UK, on sale Wednesday, January 30.
What made you decide to design clothes?
It's just always been something that I've wanted to do. It's my passion. I love women's bodies. I love luxury. I've waited a long time to do this, and I didn't want to do it until I could do it properly.
Do you design for a particular body type or with a particular woman in mind?
Everything that I design I would wear myself. I get a lot of inspiration from the '40s and '50s, so corsetry plays a huge role in the collection. It can help give an illusion of shape by using a bigger shoulder pad, and having a corset gives the illusion of having a tiny waist. But there are dresses that will cater to a lot of different shapes and sizes.
You did a tour recently with the spice girls. would you ever return to music?
No. I'm very respectful of the Spice Girls. What we did was fantastic. Actually, I'm seeing all the girls tomorrow night, which I'm excited about. But fashion is my passion; music isn't anymore. Everything I do revolves around my husband and my children. So I just wouldn't have the time, but on top of all of that, people change, and I've changed a lot, and it's just not where my heart is at anymore.
You seem to wear only high heels. would you ever design a line of shoes?
I would love to. Shoes and handbags, like most women, are something I have a little bit of an obsession with.
Your personal style has evolved a lot since your early days in the media with the spice girls. how do you feel when you look back at pictures of yourself?
People always say, "Do you cringe?" And I say, "Not at all." —Everybody changes. I love fashion, and I love changing my style, my hair, my makeup, and everything I've done in the past has made me what I am now. Not everyone is going to like what I do, but I look back at everything, and it makes me smile.
How do you feel when you look at those armani underwear photos that just came out?
I love those pictures. I worked very hard. I worked out for about four or five months previous to the shoot because I knew I'd be standing there in my knickers and a bra. So when I'm 50, I can look back and say, "Hey, Mommy didn't look too bad after having three kids."
You always seem unfazed by the paparazzi, and they're trailing you all the time. how do you maintain that sense of calm with all these people taking pictures of you?
It is what it is, and I don't like to get too stressed. I like to consider myself a relatively spiritual person, and I just do my thing. I'm very focused on what I do professionally, and I'm very focused on my family, and I don't really get too stressed out about what people say or what other people think. In fact, it's not on my radar at all. If there's anything negative, I don't want to know about it. I just do my own thing and get on with my life. We've got many more important things to think about — such as if something is happening with the children's school or have I paid for the swimming lessons?
Who is your favorite designer?
Antonio Berardi is one of my good friends. I've known him for 10 years, and he made one of my wedding dresses. We had lunch this afternoon, and he took me to the showroom, and his precollection is absolutely amazing. So I'm a big fan of his at the moment.
Who are other people you admire in other fields?
You know myself and David, we both love art. We have a lot of respect for Damien Hirst and Julian Schnabel, and we've met them both, and they're very interesting characters. I also have a lot of respect for the working women out there. As you know, it's not easy when you're looking after children and you have a career as well.
In this rough economic climate, what kind of steps are you taking to cut back?
Everyone is cutting back in lots of different areas, and we are too. I wouldn't want to go into detail, because obviously that's personal, but I think it is something that is affecting absolutely everybody.
