From Pop Singer to Fashion Designer—Victoria Beckham’s Successful Transformation
In the eyes of most people, Victoria Beckham will always be ‘Sexy Spice of the Spice Girls’, or ‘wife of superstar footballer David Beckham’. In 2006, then, when she decided to start her own fashion brand, many people looked on with amused skepticism.
Who would have thought that in seven short years she would become a successful fashion designer with an established reputation in the industry? When she talks about her identity as fashion designer, she can be playful and self-mocking: “I bet only now does he (David Beckham) realizes I’ve found myself a real job.” The ‘he’ refers not only to her husband: Many people still don’t know that the former Spice Girl and the exquisitely made-up wife of the famous footballer has now become a successful fashion designer.
First secret to success: Focus on your strengths, downplay your weaknesses
Taking a close look at Victoria’s daily attire, you realize: Although it’s gorgeous, it’s actually not very complex. She usually wears a simply-cut, tight-fitting dress, a pair of dark sunglasses, high-heeled shoes and a handbag. These outfits are extremely simple yet outstandingly alluring. Along with sticking by the principle ‘less is more’, Victoria understands the importance of focusing on what you’re good at: “If you try to do too many things at once, you won’t do any of them well. You should only have one focal point at any given time. It’s the same with fashion—I’ll always remember this—focus on one thing, you can’t do everything at once.” For this reason, whenever she appears at an event, her attire instantly brings our attention to her dignified posture and alluring figure.
Second secret to success: Maintain your uniqueness but be practical
In the brand’s first two years, VB didn’t enjoy the same success as DVB—to the point of being disappointing. The clothing was designed around Victoria’s personal style, and many people thought the attire was too tight and slim-fitting—women with slightly fuller figures couldn’t manage to feel comfortable in it. Victoria, however, was agile in her response to this feedback—faced with suffering sales, Victoria made changes to her business model. In the following seasons, Victoria put forth not only her classic hourglass-shape designs, she also threw some new elements into the mix. In her 2012 spring-summer series, for example, she included practical designs as well as athletic wear—some of her models even wore flat-heeled shoes. Even the authoritative fashion media group Women’s Wear Daily gave positive reviews: “All skeptics take note: Victoria Beckham’s designs are not the flashy product of a fashion queen’s latest impulse. They are true manifestations of high fashion—elegant, slender, graceful and unique.”
Third secret to success: Advertise intelligently
Ever since starting her own brand, Victoria always wears her own products when attending a public event—regardless of the event’s size. This provides the new brand with free, easy advertising. Many celebrities of various ages and body types also wear her designs. They include established stars such as Kate Winslet, Eva Longoria and Demi Moore, along with up-and-coming celebrities like Mila Kunis and Camilla Belle. When attending international events, these superstars act as living billboards for VB. This may be the biggest sales success for the brand, as well as the biggest secret for advertising in the fashion industry.
If we want to complete a successful transformation in our own careers, we should look to Victoria’s example: While maintaining your individuality, know how to capitalize on your strengths, compensate for your weaknesses, and stick to your values as you move steadily along the road to success.
