The sky’s the limit regarding Victoria Beckham’s namesake luxury clothing collection. After taking a nearly seven-year hiatus to debut her collections in London and now Paris, the founder and creative director got an itch to show her latest offerings for pre-Spring/Summer 2026 in New York City.
She took the collection to new heights, literally, partnering with American Express’ exclusive Centurion card members lounge at One Vanderbilt (across from Grand Central) on the 55th floor. The vantage point put attendees in an up-close and eye-level view to take in the Chrysler Building’s magnificent spire on its east side and gaze at the Empire State Building in its entirety to the south.
While Ms. Beckham herself was not in attendance, the complete takeover of the glitzy club with her designs displayed 180 degrees around the massive paned-glass room gave the sense that, in the words of Judith Krantz, “I’ll Take Manhattan” may well be the former Spice-Girl-turned-fashion-maven’s new mantra.
Though in a guided tour of the latest collection, a spokesperson for the brand described the inspiration for the latest offerings run wide and deep. For instance, the color palette for the offerings that featured neutrals such as black, white, stone and grey were accented by a mint green, green and touches of deep teal and navy was inspired by Francis Bacon’s 1979-80 self-portrait Triptych that was on display earlier in the year in the brand’s flagship store in London as part of collaboration with Sotheby’s that involved work from Bacon and fellow artists such as Richard Prince, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yves Klein and George Kondo, among others. Art also played a role in the sole print of the collection, a graphic flower in white or red borrowed from a Gary Hume from Beckham’s personal collection.
Despite these artistic leanings, the creative director’s relationship to dance informed the concept described as “effortlessness is an exchange between elegance and ease.”
Beckham studied classic and contemporary ballet and musical theatre, where the construct was demonstrated best. The collection’s muse was French ballerina Sylvie Guillem, known for her modern and independent approach to the craft.
Thus, the offerings ran the gamut from her signature tailoring and the fluid evening dressing as a “series of conversations between discipline and freedom,” according to show notes.
Tuxedo dressing, still a bit outsized, was spiffed up with contrasting fabric of grain de Poudre and satin, raw edges, and often with a B-buckle waist for definition, or worn with satin mini ballet bottoms ticking the underwear-as-outerwear trend, which are seemingly for styling purposes only. A classic pintucked men’s tuxedo shirt in several shades and cumberbund trousers completed the idea.
Tailored dressing for day focused on a Prince of Wales print but avoided suit status. A cumberbund waist skirt was paired with the ultimate in delicate pointelle wool cami twinset, and the slightly oversized boxy suit jacket, with razor sharp lapels, was paired with a leather A-line skirt given a subversive edge with a half-zipped zipper.
Power dressing was exhibited in a white blazer paired with a thigh-high slit skirt or Bermuda short look and a boxy khaki belted jacket and utility trouser.
More casual styles hinted at a dancer’s pre- and post-training session look. A Japanese wool utilitarian jumpsuit was half-off and tied at the waist; cushy bomber jackets were worn three different ways, especially interesting paired with an insulated red silk skirt with open leg, which oozed coziness. Accessories’ focus was a new double-handle Pliè bag, the V-Tote, and hyper-exaggerated pointy toes with blade heels.
Evening perhaps made the most sense for the space with Beckham’s signature fluid, bias cuts, and twist detail. A crepe back satin gown in the soft green hue with long sleeves and twist detail at the waist, and a reminiscent teal style with plunging zip neckline and ruched hips evoked the Art Deco era of the skyscrapers that surrounded the room’s vista. Hume’s flowers appeared in various silhouettes, including a chain neck detail halter gown and a cutaway sleeve midi length dress style. Black fishnet with Basque-embroidered floral motif demonstrated a unique spin on the textile usually reserved for hosiery.
They’re the kind of dresses that guests of the private event for Centurion card members (and ostensibly Victoria Beckham would-be clients) would clamor to wear to philanthropic-minded events and galas. Luckily, the partnership between the designer collection preview, a first for the space, will include a fireside chat with former In Style editor-in-chief Laura Brown and a chance to pre-order the collection while floating above Manhattan.
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