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===Fashion=== |
===Fashion=== |
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In 2000, Beckham made a guest appearance on the catwalk for [[Maria Grachvogel]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/2000/02/17/nfash17.html Victoria is Scary Spice on catwalk]. ''[[The Telegraph]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-04-24]] </ref> Beckham has also acted as British "[[ambassador]]" for ''[[Dolce and Gabbana]]'' |
In 2000, Beckham made a guest appearance on the catwalk for [[Maria Grachvogel]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/2000/02/17/nfash17.html Victoria is Scary Spice on catwalk]. ''[[The Telegraph]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-04-24]] </ref> Beckham has also acted as British "[[ambassador]]" for ''[[Dolce and Gabbana]]'' in 2003<ref>[http://www.vogue.co.uk/vogue_daily/story/story.asp?stid=10395 Posh sticks with D&G]. ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> and was briefly the face of [[Rocawear]].<ref>[http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/posh%20ousts%20naomi%20as%20rocawear%20queen Posh outs Naomi as Rocawear Queen]. Contact Music. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Beckham produced a range of handbags and jewellery in association with the [[Japan|Japanese]] store ''Samantha Thavasa''.<ref name="bare">[http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline=posh-laid-bare&method=full&objectid=17890928&siteid=62484-name_page.html Posh laid bare]. ''[[Daily Mirror]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> |
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In 2004, Beckham designed a fashion line for [[Rock and Republic]] called '[[VB Rocks]],' consisting mainly of [[jeans]] for the high end of the market, retailing at approximately $300 in the U.S.<ref name="biography"/> She has also worked on a range of women's clothes including shirts and skirts. The clothing features a logo of a crown with the letters "VB". In September 2006, Beckham ceased working with Rock and Republic in order to launch her own denim label of which she acts as "creative director". The new line of Beckham's jeans collection is called ''DVB Style''.<ref>[http://designer.denim.in.th/article.php/Victoria-Beckham-to-launch-denim-label Victoria Beckham will launch her own denim label]. Designer Denim, [[2007-01-16]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-18]].</ref> |
In 2004, Beckham designed a fashion line for [[Rock and Republic]] called '[[VB Rocks]],' consisting mainly of [[jeans]] for the high end of the market, retailing at approximately $300 in the U.S.<ref name="biography"/> She has also worked on a range of women's clothes including shirts and skirts. The clothing features a logo of a crown with the letters "VB". In September 2006, Beckham ceased working with Rock and Republic in order to launch her own denim label of which she acts as "creative director". The new line of Beckham's jeans collection is called ''DVB Style''.<ref>[http://designer.denim.in.th/article.php/Victoria-Beckham-to-launch-denim-label Victoria Beckham will launch her own denim label]. Designer Denim, [[2007-01-16]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-18]].</ref> |
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In July 2006, Beckham released a line of [[sunglasses]], called ''DVB Eyewear'',<ref name="biography"/><ref name="bare"/> which she was seen wearing at the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] games. In September 2006, ''Intimately Beckham'', a his-and-her [[fragrance]] line, was launched at a lavish pres conference in [[Venice]].<ref name="bare"/> Around the same time Beckham launched her new official website ''dvbstyle.com'' which promotes her fashion work. |
In July 2006, Beckham released a line of [[sunglasses]], called ''DVB Eyewear'',<ref name="biography"/><ref name="bare"/> which she was seen wearing at the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] games. In September 2006, ''Intimately Beckham'', a his-and-her [[fragrance]] line, was launched at a lavish pres conference in [[Venice]].<ref name="bare"/> Around the same time Beckham launched her new official website ''dvbstyle.com'' which promotes her fashion work. She has also walked the runway for [[Roberto Cavalli]] and was for a period exclusively dressed by him for 'red-carpet' and social events.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/fashion/posh-on-the-catwalk/2006/01/17/1137260029558.html Posh on the catwalk]. The Age. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> |
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On [[5 June]] [[2007]], she won two [[United Kingdom|British]] ''[[Glamour Magazine]]'' Awards: one for "Woman of the Year" and another for "Entrepreneur of the Year," which celebrated her fashion achievements. On [[14 June]] [[2007]] Beckham launched her ''DVB Denim'' collection in [[NYC]] at the high-end [[Saks Fifth Avenue]], along with unveiling her eye-wear range in the U.S. for the first time. In the same month Beckham was a judge at [[London]]'s annual "Graduate Fashion Week" alongside [[Zandra Rhodes]]. |
On [[5 June]] [[2007]], she won two [[United Kingdom|British]] ''[[Glamour Magazine]]'' Awards: one for "Woman of the Year" and another for "Entrepreneur of the Year," which celebrated her fashion achievements. On [[14 June]] [[2007]] Beckham launched her ''DVB Denim'' collection in [[NYC]] at the high-end [[Saks Fifth Avenue]], along with unveiling her eye-wear range in the U.S. for the first time. In the same month Beckham was a judge at [[London]]'s annual "Graduate Fashion Week" alongside [[Zandra Rhodes]]. |
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Victoria started dating soccer player [[David Beckham]] in 1997 after she attended a [[Manchester United]] game, prompting David to request a meeting with her.<ref name="biography"/> The couple were dubbed "[[Posh and Becks]]" by the media. He proposed to her on [[24 January]] [[1998]] in a restaurant in [[Alderley Edge]], [[England]]. The two were married at [[Luttrellstown Castle]], Ireland on [[4 July]] [[1999]], and the wedding attracted tremendous media coverage.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/383151.stm David and Victoria tie the knot]. [[BBC News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Beckham's teammate [[Gary Neville]] was the best man, and the couple's four month old infant son Brooklyn was the ring bearer.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243091,00.html Beckhams Coming to America]. [[Fox News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Most of the media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with ''[[OK! Magazine]]'', but the couple released photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/387126.stm Sun pips OK! to Posh wedding photos]. [[BBC News]], [[1999-07-06]]. Retrieved on [[2006-05-25]].</ref> 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost £500,000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/385866.stm Wedded spice]]. [[BBC News]], [[1999-07-05]].Retrieved on [[2005-12-02]].</ref> |
Victoria started dating soccer player [[David Beckham]] in 1997 after she attended a [[Manchester United]] game, prompting David to request a meeting with her.<ref name="biography"/> The couple were dubbed "[[Posh and Becks]]" by the media. He proposed to her on [[24 January]] [[1998]] in a restaurant in [[Alderley Edge]], [[England]]. The two were married at [[Luttrellstown Castle]], Ireland on [[4 July]] [[1999]], and the wedding attracted tremendous media coverage.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/383151.stm David and Victoria tie the knot]. [[BBC News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Beckham's teammate [[Gary Neville]] was the best man, and the couple's four month old infant son Brooklyn was the ring bearer.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243091,00.html Beckhams Coming to America]. [[Fox News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Most of the media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with ''[[OK! Magazine]]'', but the couple released photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/387126.stm Sun pips OK! to Posh wedding photos]. [[BBC News]], [[1999-07-06]]. Retrieved on [[2006-05-25]].</ref> 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost £500,000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/385866.stm Wedded spice]]. [[BBC News]], [[1999-07-05]].Retrieved on [[2005-12-02]].</ref> |
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The couple have three children in total, Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born [[4 March]] [[1999]] in London),<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1999/03/05/nspic05.html Posh Spice gives birth to baby boy called Brooklyn]. ''[[The Telegraph]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Romeo James Beckham (born [[1 September]] [[2002]] in London),<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/showbiz/2228641.stm Posh gives birth to second son]. [[BBC News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Cruz David Beckham (born [[20 February]] [[2005]] in [[Madrid, Spain]]).<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4281405.stm Beckhams celebrate birth of Cruz]. [[BBC News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref><ref>[http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1029920,00.html David, Victoria Beckham Have a Third Son]. ''People''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-05]].</ref> The couple lived in the affluent village of [[Alderley Edge]] in [[Cheshire]]. In 2004, allegations surfaced that David Beckham had had a brief affair with a former personal assistant, [[Rebecca Loos]].<ref name="holiday">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1-1066358,00.html Beckham flies back to Madrid from holiday]. ''[[The Times]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> The affair had apparantly taken place when David had moved to Madrid, although he denied all the allegations.<ref name="holiday"/> After the Rebecca Loos scandal Victoria Beckham moved and joined David in [[Madrid]], [[Spain]],<ref name="bare"/> adamant that their relationship would survive, stating "We have been through a lot worse than this."<ref name="holiday"/> |
The couple have three children in total, Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born [[4 March]] [[1999]] in London),<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1999/03/05/nspic05.html Posh Spice gives birth to baby boy called Brooklyn]. ''[[The Telegraph]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> Romeo James Beckham (born [[1 September]] [[2002]] in London),<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/showbiz/2228641.stm Posh gives birth to second son]. [[BBC News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> and Cruz David Beckham (born [[20 February]] [[2005]] in [[Madrid, Spain]]).<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4281405.stm Beckhams celebrate birth of Cruz]. [[BBC News]]. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref><ref>[http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1029920,00.html David, Victoria Beckham Have a Third Son]. ''People''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-05]].</ref> The couple lived in the affluent village of [[Alderley Edge]] in [[Cheshire]]. In 2004, allegations surfaced that David Beckham had had a brief affair with a former personal assistant, [[Rebecca Loos]].<ref name="holiday">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1-1066358,00.html Beckham flies back to Madrid from holiday]. ''[[The Times]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> The affair had apparantly taken place when David had moved to Madrid, although he denied all the allegations.<ref name="holiday"/> After the Rebecca Loos scandal Victoria Beckham moved and joined David in [[Madrid]], [[Spain]],<ref name="bare"/> adamant that their relationship would survive, stating "We have been through a lot worse than this."<ref name="holiday"/> |
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Victoria and David Beckham moved to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]] on [[12 July]] [[2007]] because David had been signed to play for the [[LA Galaxy]] soccer team. On arrival in America on 12 July 2007, the couple were met by hundreds of [[paparazzi]] and media representatives, causing a media frenzy.<ref name ="storm">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=468094&in_page_id=1773&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5 Beckham-mania! Posh and David take the US by storm]. ''[[Daily Mail]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-07-13]]</ref> They are now residing in a $22 million [[Beverly Hills]] mansion with 10 security guards.<ref>[http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23404118-details/Beckham-mania!+Posh+and+David+take+the+US+by+storm/article.do Beckham-Mania! Posh and David take the US by Storm]. ''[[The London Evening Standard]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> To create publicity for their move to America, the couple were photographed in their underwear for the fashion magazine, ''[[W (magazine)|W]]''.<ref name="storm"/> In an interview for the magazine, Victoria Beckham said that David's supposed affair with [[Rebecca Loos]] made their relationship stronger.<ref name="storm"/> Beckham has stated "I think we are a very strong family. We love each other to pieces. You work things out if you really love someone."<ref name="bare"/> |
Victoria and David Beckham moved to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]] on [[12 July]] [[2007]] because David had been signed to play for the [[LA Galaxy]] soccer team. On arrival in America on 12 July 2007, the couple were met by hundreds of [[paparazzi]] and media representatives, causing a media frenzy.<ref name ="storm">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=468094&in_page_id=1773&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5 Beckham-mania! Posh and David take the US by storm]. ''[[Daily Mail]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-07-13]]</ref> They are now residing in a $22 million [[Beverly Hills]] mansion with 10 security guards.<ref>[http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23404118-details/Beckham-mania!+Posh+and+David+take+the+US+by+storm/article.do Beckham-Mania! Posh and David take the US by Storm]. ''[[The London Evening Standard]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-12-19]].</ref> To create publicity for their move to America, the couple were photographed in their underwear for the fashion magazine, ''[[W (magazine)|W]]''.<ref name="storm"/> In an interview for the magazine, Victoria Beckham said that David's supposed affair with [[Rebecca Loos]] made their relationship stronger.<ref name="storm"/> Beckham has stated "I think we are a very strong family. We love each other to pieces. You work things out if you really love someone."<ref name="bare"/> |
Revision as of 21:39, 19 December 2007
Victoria Beckham |
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Victoria Caroline Beckham (née Adams; born 17 April 1974)[2] is an English pop singer, songwriter, dancer and occasional actress turned fashion designer and businesswoman. During her rise to fame with 1990s pop sensation the Spice Girls, she was dubbed Posh Spice. Since the Spice Girls followed separate careers, Beckham has dabbled with Pop music, scoring four UK Top 10 singles. However, she has found more success as an internationally recognized and photographed style icon. Universally referred to as "Posh", a moniker first coined by the British tabloid press, she is married to English football icon David Beckham with whom she has three sons.
Career
Spice Girls
Victoria Beckham (then Adams) joined the all-girl group Spice Girls, first called "Touch," in 1994, with Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown and Melanie Chisholm. The group's first single, "Wannabe," went to number one in the UK and the U.S., and would be followed by eight other successful number one singles from their albums Spice and Spiceworld. Each member of the group received a nickname from the media; Victoria became "Posh Spice". The group was one of the most successful pop acts of the 1990s, selling over fifty-five million records worldwide.[3] After the release of their third album, Forever (UK#2), which was much less successful than their previous two albums, the Spice Girls stopped recording, leading Victoria to try to build a solo career.
In 2007, the Spice Girls reformed and announced plans for a comeback tour.[3] Beckham had previously stated that she and her former Spice colleagues were enjoying their solo careers in various fields. She said: "We're all still doing our own thing."[4] The Spice Girls embarked on a world tour in 2007, and their "Greatest Hits" album was released in early November. Filmmaker, Bob Smeaton, will direct an official documentary on the reunion. It is entitled Spice Girls: Giving You Everything and will be aired on BBC One.[5] Beckham has stated "I wanted my children to see that Mummy was a pop star. It was the last opportunity for them to stand in a crowd full of people screaming for the Spice Girls."[2]
Solo artist
On 14 August 2000, Victoria released her first solo single, "Out Of Your Mind".[2] The week of release coincided with the release of "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" by Spiller ft. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, resulting in a chart battle dubbed 'Posh vs. Posher' by the tabloids.[6] Following a huge publicity campaign, "Out Of Your Mind" was outsold by Ellis-Bextor, and debuted at number two.[7]
Beckham then signed a recording contract with her group label Virgin Records. Her next single as a solo artist, "Not Such An Innocent Girl", was released on 17 September 2001.[2] Again, she faced competition in another hugely hyped chart battle, this time with Kylie Minogue's single "Can't Get You Out Of My Head".[8] Despite a huge promotional campaign, Beckham was outsold eight to one.[9][2] During a live performance in Birmingham, Beckham wore a fake lip ring, drawing criticism from many groups, including the British Dental Association for behaving as a poor role model.[10] Beckham's debut album, eponymously entitled Victoria Beckham, was released on1 October 2001 and reached number 10 in the UK album chart.[11] The album cost a reputed £5 million to produce and it sold 50,000 copies.[12]
The second and final single to be released from the album was "A Mind of Its Own" on 11 February 2002. The single reached number 6 in the UK[13] and sold 56,500 copies.[14] Rumours soon started spreading that Beckham was soon to be dropped by her label for not charting in the top 3. These were strongly refuted at the time.[15] Beckham commented "You know what newspapers are like, they just like to put all the negative stuff in, but as far as I'm concerned and the record company is concerned it is all great."[15]
A third single, "I Wish", was promoted but never materialized. The single version was a remix featuring Robbie Craig, and was performed on TV on Friday Night's All Wright.[16] Following the announcement of Beckham's second pregnancy, the single was shelved. Beckham was then departed from the label Virgin Records.[17][18] A statement was issued, which read "No-one has been dropped. The Virgin deal has come to a natural end and both parties have decided not to continue."[17]
Telstar Records signed Beckham in 2002 in a deal made with Simon Fuller's 19 Management.[12] Beckham spent much of 2002 recording a 'pop-influenced' album, but she allegedly chose not to release it after being disappointed with the results.[19] Instead of pop, Beckham wanted to record tracks with a more RnB and hip hop influence, creating a more urban sound.[13] She began working with urban producer Damon Dash.[12] During this time, it was reported that Dash slighted Beckham, stating "If we can make Victoria hot, we can make anybody hot."[13] A Dash-produced track "It's That Simple" featuring M.O.P. was created, and received a premiere on radio stations in July 2003.[13] This generated mixed reviews,[13] and further criticism, with the feeling being that Beckham was far from convincing as an urban act.[20]
Beckhams first single with Telstar Records, "Let Your Head Go / This Groove",[13] was released in the UK on 29 December 2003, following heavy promotion and many TV appearances across the Christmas period. The single charted at number 3 in the U.K.[2][13] This double A-side remains Beckham's last single release to date. She is currently the only Spice Girl never to have had a British solo number one, though she is also the only Spice Girl to have all her single/album releases go Top 10. Outside of the UK, Damon Dash had plans for Beckham in the United States, including a potential release of "Let Your Head Go / This Groove" under the name of "Posh Spice Victoria Beckham". The release was proposed for sometime between March to May 2004, but never occurred.[21]
With the UK media describing her solo music career a failure, and combined with a rumored fall-out between Dash and Fuller, remaining plans for Victoria's music career were cancelled anc her album, Come Together, was not released.[2][22] To try and salvage her music career, Beckham again began work on pop-styled tracks in 2004. It is known that she recorded a track she had written with Cathy Dennis entitled "My Love Is For Real" (not to be confused with the Paula Abdul song of the same name). Amidst the collapse of Telstar Records, the Rebecca Loos scandal and the announcement of Beckham's third pregnancy, this song was not officially released. A remix by Armand van Helden leaked and floated around the web, until August 2007, when the original mix of the song was leaked.
Author
Her autobiography, entitled Learning to Fly,[23] was the third best-selling non-fiction title of 2001 and the total UK sales stand at more than 500,000 copies.[24] When the book was first released, it went to number 1 in the book charts after four weeks of release, sending Robbie Williams' book to second.[9] A high-profile appearance on Parkinson, watched by 9 million people, helped to promote the book.[9] The title was taken from a line in a song from the musical Fame, which Beckham enjoyed as a child. The verse goes "I'm gonna live forever, I'm gonna learn how to fly".[2]
Beckham was quoted by a Spanish journalist in 2005 as saying "I've never read a book in my life".[25] She later claimed this was a mistranslation from the original Spanish in which the interview was printed, saying she actually stated she never had time to finish reading a book because she was always running around after her children.[26]
Her second book, about fashion, was called That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything In Between,[27] was published on 30 October 2006. It was co-written by Hadley Freeman, deputy fashion editor of The Guardian and a contributing editor of Vogue and includes photography by Mario Testino, Annie Leibovitz and Steven Meisel. On the Sunday Times Book Charts, the book reached number 2.
In September 2007, a paperback "handbag" sized updated version of That Extra Half an Inch was published. The book will be released to US stores in November 2007 with a number of new photographs.
Television
Beckham has shot five official reality documentaries. The first, dated January 2000,[28] is called Victoria's Secrets, a programme only shown in the UK which involved Victoria being followed by cameras while also discussing and interviewing other British celebrities. The second of the reality shows, aired in March 2002, was called Being Victoria Beckham and showed Beckham discussing her career as a solo artist, with the release of her first album, also showing her at various photo shoots and recording sessions. The third, The Real Beckhams, focused on the Beckhams' move to Madrid from London after David was signed to Real Madrid. It also featured Beckham re-launching her solo career and showed her mocking the tabloid stories she reads in the paper every day. This particular special was released on DVD in December 2003.
The fourth was called Full Length & Fabulous: The Beckhams' 2006 World Cup Party, which followed Victoria and David Beckham organising and making preparations to host a World Cup Party at a marquee in the grounds of their mansion in Hertfordshire, which aimed to raise money for their charity. The documentary also filmed the event itself, where the menu was designed especially by friend and chef Gordon Ramsay and the charity auction was hosted by Graham Norton.
To document Victoria Beckham's preparations for her family's move to America, she signed a deal with NBC for six episodes of a half-hour unscripted reality tv series. The show, called Victoria Beckham: Coming to America, aired on 16 July 2007 in America and Canada. It was savaged by the American media and critics, with The New York Post describing it as "an orgy of self-indulgence"[29] and also describing Beckham as "vapid and condescending".[30] However, it was the third-most-watched programme in its time-slot and received viewing figures of 4.9 million in America, beaten by a repeat of Wife Swap and two sitcoms.[30] Despite the originally planned six episodes, the show was cut to a one hour special only.[31] The programme aired in Britain on 17 July 2007 on ITV with 3.5 million viewers tuning in.[32] The programme was produced by Simon Fuller who will be managing her and the Spice Girls on their come-back tour, which will begin in November of 2007.[33] Despite her forays into television, Victoria has denied plans to embark upon an LA movie career.[34]
In July 2007, it was announced that Beckham was shortly to begin filming a cameo appearance playing herself in an episode of the second season of ABC's TV series Ugly Betty.[35] The episode, "A Nice Day for a Posh Wedding", aired on November 9, 2007 in the United States and on November 23 in the United Kingdom.[36]
Fashion
In 2000, Beckham made a guest appearance on the catwalk for Maria Grachvogel.[37] Beckham has also acted as British "ambassador" for Dolce and Gabbana in 2003[38] and was briefly the face of Rocawear.[39] Beckham produced a range of handbags and jewellery in association with the Japanese store Samantha Thavasa.[40]
In 2004, Beckham designed a fashion line for Rock and Republic called 'VB Rocks,' consisting mainly of jeans for the high end of the market, retailing at approximately $300 in the U.S.[2] She has also worked on a range of women's clothes including shirts and skirts. The clothing features a logo of a crown with the letters "VB". In September 2006, Beckham ceased working with Rock and Republic in order to launch her own denim label of which she acts as "creative director". The new line of Beckham's jeans collection is called DVB Style.[41]
In July 2006, Beckham released a line of sunglasses, called DVB Eyewear,[2][40] which she was seen wearing at the World Cup games. In September 2006, Intimately Beckham, a his-and-her fragrance line, was launched at a lavish pres conference in Venice.[40] Around the same time Beckham launched her new official website dvbstyle.com which promotes her fashion work. She has also walked the runway for Roberto Cavalli and was for a period exclusively dressed by him for 'red-carpet' and social events.[42]
On 5 June 2007, she won two British Glamour Magazine Awards: one for "Woman of the Year" and another for "Entrepreneur of the Year," which celebrated her fashion achievements. On 14 June 2007 Beckham launched her DVB Denim collection in NYC at the high-end Saks Fifth Avenue, along with unveiling her eye-wear range in the U.S. for the first time. In the same month Beckham was a judge at London's annual "Graduate Fashion Week" alongside Zandra Rhodes.
In September 2007, Beckham released Intimately Beckham Night a new range of His & Hers fragrances and her debut cosmetics line V-Sculpt was unveiled and launched in Tokyo. Around the same time, Intimately Beckham hit the U.S. stores for the first time. Victoria Beckham has stated "We are not just saying, 'We are celebrities, put our name on it.' I love to be involved with the whole process."[43] The Intimately Beckham line has been predicted to sell over $100 million dollars worth of sales internationally, doubling this estimate in 2008.[43]
Beckham is the brand ambassador for RM by Roland Mouret. Giambattista Valli has recently named a platform heeled shoe, The Victoria after her. She features on the January 2008 cover of U.S. ELLE magazine in a shoot by Gilles Bensimon. It has been announced that Beckham will be the new face of Marc Jacobs for Spring 2008 in a campaign shot by Juergen Teller and that she has styled Jack Nicholson for a forthcoming shoot in Parade magazine.[citation needed]
Victoria Beckham has voiced her anti-fur beliefs and promotes an animal friendly wardrobe filled with faux/synthetic furs. Beckham's stand against the fur industry has generated admiration from animal rights organizations, including PETA. Of PETA's anti-fur campaigns, Beckham stated that she is "supportive of its high-profile anti-fur campaigns," and pledged "never to work with fur in any of [her] own fashion collections".[44]
Personal life
Beckham was born to Anthony Adams and Jacqueline Adams. Due to the success of their family business, they provided a wealthy upbringing for Beckham and her siblings.[2] She has a younger sister, Louise, and a younger brother, Christian.[2] Beckham attended St. Mary's High School in Cheshunt and Jason Theatre School in Hoddesdon. After Beckham had watched the musical Fame, she herself decided she wanted to become famous, and it was then that her parents enrolled her at Jason Theatre School in 1980.[2] At 17, she attended Laine Theatre Arts College in Epsom, Surrey and studied dance and modelling.[2]
Victoria started dating soccer player David Beckham in 1997 after she attended a Manchester United game, prompting David to request a meeting with her.[2] The couple were dubbed "Posh and Becks" by the media. He proposed to her on 24 January 1998 in a restaurant in Alderley Edge, England. The two were married at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland on 4 July 1999, and the wedding attracted tremendous media coverage.[45] Beckham's teammate Gary Neville was the best man, and the couple's four month old infant son Brooklyn was the ring bearer.[46] Most of the media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with OK! Magazine, but the couple released photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones.[47] 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost £500,000.[48]
The couple have three children in total, Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born 4 March 1999 in London),[49] Romeo James Beckham (born 1 September 2002 in London),[50] and Cruz David Beckham (born 20 February 2005 in Madrid, Spain).[51][52] The couple lived in the affluent village of Alderley Edge in Cheshire. In 2004, allegations surfaced that David Beckham had had a brief affair with a former personal assistant, Rebecca Loos.[53] The affair had apparantly taken place when David had moved to Madrid, although he denied all the allegations.[53] After the Rebecca Loos scandal Victoria Beckham moved and joined David in Madrid, Spain,[40] adamant that their relationship would survive, stating "We have been through a lot worse than this."[53]
Victoria and David Beckham moved to Los Angeles, California on 12 July 2007 because David had been signed to play for the LA Galaxy soccer team. On arrival in America on 12 July 2007, the couple were met by hundreds of paparazzi and media representatives, causing a media frenzy.[54] They are now residing in a $22 million Beverly Hills mansion with 10 security guards.[55] To create publicity for their move to America, the couple were photographed in their underwear for the fashion magazine, W.[54] In an interview for the magazine, Victoria Beckham said that David's supposed affair with Rebecca Loos made their relationship stronger.[54] Beckham has stated "I think we are a very strong family. We love each other to pieces. You work things out if you really love someone."[40]
In October 2007, it was reported that Beckham had turned down the opportunity to appear in the Sex and the City film. She stated in an interview: "...asked to be in the Sex and the City film, which I would have loved to have done, but because I am in full-on Spice Girls rehearsal mode, unfortunately, I can't do it."[56]
Beckham's marriage and career as a singer have made her both the fifty-second richest woman in Britain[57] and the six hundred and nineteenth richest person in Britain with husband David, with an estimated joint wealth of £112 million.[58]
Discography
Albums
- 2001 Victoria Beckham #10 UK
Singles
Year | Single | Album | Chart positions | Audio | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | IRE | AUS | SPA | PHI | ||||
2000 | "Out of Your Mind" (Truesteppers & Dane Bowers featuring Victoria Beckham) | Truestepping (Truesteppers album) | 2 | 4 | 27 | 4 | 5 | Audio file "OutOfYourMindSample.ogg" not found |
2001 | "Not Such An Innocent Girl" | Victoria Beckham | 6 | 23 | 36 | 15 | 1 | Audio file "NotSuchAnInnocentGirlSample.ogg" not found |
2002 | "A Mind of Its Own" | 6 | — | — | 32 | — | Audio file "AMindOfItsOwnSample.ogg" not found | |
2003 | "This Groove"/"Let Your Head Go" | Let Your Head Go | 3 | 17 | — | — | — | Audio file "ThisGrooveSample.ogg" not found Audio file "LetYourHeadGoSample.ogg" not found |
See also
References
- ^ "Victoria Beckham". IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved on 2007-08-08.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Victoria Beckham]. People. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ a b Spice Girls announce reunion tour. BBC News, 2007-07-13. Retrieved on 2007-07-14.
- ^ Victoria Beckham Confident In Spice Girls' Reunion. Softpedia. Retrieved on 2005-08-05.
- ^ New Spice Girls documentary on BBC One on 31 December. BBC Press Office. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ Here One She Made Earlier.... Dooyoo. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Being a full-time mum was great, but now the limelight beckons for Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Daily Mail. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Kylie and Beckham begin chart race. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ a b c Posh Spice tops book chart. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Posh lip ring was 'fake'. BBC News, 2001-08-28. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Double chart triumph for Kylie. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ a b c Beckham producer slights her talent. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g Beckham misses out on number one. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Victoria Beckham - A Mind Of Its Own. foreverspice.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ a b Beckham: 'I'm staying with label. BBC News, 2002-02-17. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Is this Mr Right?. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ a b Posh parts with label. BBC News, 2002-06-05. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Fuller scores Beckham brand deal. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Victoria Beckham's scrapped album leaked. Female First, 2006-09-08. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ 1Xtra celebrates birthday presence. BBC News, 2003-08-16. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ MTV News Round-Up 25/05/2004. MTV, 2004-05-25. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Damon Dash used Victoria Beckham. Female First. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Learning to Fly. Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Tough-love diet book in the spotlight after plug from Victoria Beckham. The Independent. Retrieved 2007-07-15.
- ^ I've never read a book in my life, admits Victoria Beckham. The Independent. Retrieved on 2007-04-24
- ^ Beckham Reads First Chapter. SFGate.com Retrieved on 2007-04-24
- ^ That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything In Between. Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Release dates for Victoria's Secrets IMDB
- ^ Posh doc gets mauling in US. Broadcast Now. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.
- ^ a b Victoria Beckham show ripped, barely watched. CNN. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
- ^ Beckham Special Spices up NBC on Mon. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
- ^ Posh doc gets an unglamorous 3.5m. Broadcast Now. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
- ^ Victoria Beckham to Star in NBC Reality Show. People.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-24
- ^ Victoria Beckham Says No Plans for LA Movie Career. ABC News. Retrieved on July 16, 2007.
- ^ Victoria Beckham Ugly Betty cameo confirmed. Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 2007-08-07
- ^ Victoria's closet: Posh gets locked up but still steals the show in Ugly Betty cameo. Daily Mail. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Victoria is Scary Spice on catwalk. The Telegraph. Retrieved on 2007-04-24
- ^ Posh sticks with D&G. Vogue. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Posh outs Naomi as Rocawear Queen. Contact Music. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ a b c d e Posh laid bare. Daily Mirror. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Victoria Beckham will launch her own denim label. Designer Denim, 2007-01-16. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Posh on the catwalk. The Age. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ a b Smell like Posh and Becks with new fragrances. MSN. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Victoria Beckham says 'No' to Fur. Contact Music. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
- ^ David and Victoria tie the knot. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Beckhams Coming to America. Fox News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Sun pips OK! to Posh wedding photos. BBC News, 1999-07-06. Retrieved on 2006-05-25.
- ^ Wedded spice]. BBC News, 1999-07-05.Retrieved on 2005-12-02.
- ^ Posh Spice gives birth to baby boy called Brooklyn. The Telegraph. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Posh gives birth to second son. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Beckhams celebrate birth of Cruz. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ David, Victoria Beckham Have a Third Son. People. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ a b c Beckham flies back to Madrid from holiday. The Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ a b c Beckham-mania! Posh and David take the US by storm. Daily Mail. Retrieved on 2007-07-13
- ^ Beckham-Mania! Posh and David take the US by Storm. The London Evening Standard. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Victoria Beckham Turned Down Sex And The City. Entertainment Wise. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Women's rich list - Victoria Beckham. The Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
- ^ Britain's rich list - David and Victoria Beckham. The Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.