LONDON • Exaggerated collars, leopard print and a strong colour palette: British designer Victoria Beckham turned to "pinches of the 1970s" as she showcased her latest collection on Sunday at London Fashion Week.
The former Spice Girl chose the rarified galleries of the Tate Britain museum, a neoclassical building home to some of the country's most treasured art, for her second catwalk show in the British capital.
"I have been thinking about what women want, about modern femininity," she told audiences in show notes describing her autumn/winter 2019 collection.
"There are touches of retro, pinches of the 70s. Yet it's all brought together into something encapsulating what we call the modern feminine alphabet," the 44-year-old said.
The audience was, as expected, packed with fashion industry celebrities, including Vogue magazine heavyweights Anna Wintour and Edward Enninful.
Meanwhile her family, from husband David Beckham to children Romeo, 16, Cruz, 13, and seven-year-old Harper, were in the front row to show their support.
Mrs Beckham celebrated a decade of her brand - previously exhibited only in New York - by showcasing in London for the first time, in autumn last year, in a homecoming of sorts.
"The studio is based here, as is our flagship store and I felt I wanted to continue to be a part of London Fashion Week," she told The Guardian of the decision to feature in Britain again.
This time around, the designer said she wanted to accentuate "lots of colour, lots of pattern" in her collection, with a bold palette ranging from absinthe green to lipstick red, dusty pink to pale teal.
Tweeds, wools and silks were "matched and mismatched", in everything from blazers and trousers to sweaters and scarves, alongside a plethora of high-heeled boots, closed or open-toed.
"Throughout, there is a celebration of the inherent femininity of dresses - ideas of their past and proposals for the future," the designer explained in her show notes.
Despite being a respected figure in the fashion landscape, Mrs Beckham is still sailing in troubled financial waters, with losses for her eponymous fashion label rising to £10.3 million (S$18 million) for 2017, according to figures published in December.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
