NEW YORK (AP) — Here’s something you may not quite believe. About Victoria Beckham Glam Spice Girl turned famous fashion designer: At drama school, she was deliberately placed in the back row. Because she was too heavy.
“It was really tough,” she says, recalling her youth while drinking soda water at a Manhattan hotel on a break from work. “We were all judged by how we looked. I was young, my skin was bad, my weight was up and down, and my hair was really thin.”
Beckham was bullied at school and told that she was bad at studying, a new documentary, Victoria Beckham, reveals. The three-part Netflix series follows her career, particularly her rise in the fashion world, culminating in her grand runway show in front of an audience of 600 people at a Paris palace.
That show in 2024 was presented as the culmination of a career for a designer who has proven herself alongside the giants of the field over the years, showing that she’s more than just a celebrity who slaps her name on a label, even as storms threatened to cancel everything. ( Anna Wintour in Vogue magazine Beckham is one of the biggest names in fashion to attest to his hard-won industry acceptance in the documentary).
Of course, the show also features plenty of Beckham’s soccer legend husband, David. Just like Victoria did in her recent movie. Netflix’s popular documentary “Beckham” (Both were produced by David Beckham’s own Studio 99).
Some reviews have stated that Victoria’s documentary feels more measured and less revelatory. Either way, Victoria Beckham says she wanted to tell her own story in her own way. She focuses only a little on what a certain generation knows her best about, the four years she spent as Posh Spice, and mostly on the two decades she spent building her eponymous fashion and beauty brand.
Other revelations: Although she was the wealthier partner when they married in 1999 and actually bought their first home, it was David Beckham who later invested in her label and helped run it.
She also tells how her company nearly collapsed due to bad management decisions, including spending £70,000 (about $94,000) on an office plant and another £15,000 (about $20,000) on watering, and how she learned how to right the ship with investors.
Beckham, 51, spoke to The Associated Press during a visit to New York this week. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
AP: Another Beckham documentary was released just two years ago. Why did you feel the need for yourself?
BECKHAM: Well, his documentary wasn’t about me. I’m David’s wife in this documentary and I’ve been a part of his journey, so it was a great honor for me to talk about it. People’s reactions to me in that really surprised me, and there was something quite liberating about that, because when I looked at myself… I didn’t like how I came across. But I think I’ve always felt that way about myself. I think that gave me the confidence to do it myself.
AP: What kind of story did you specifically want to tell?
Beckham: I’ve been in the fashion industry for almost 20 years. I was in the Spice Girls for four years, and those four years really shaped my life. It’s an era that I’m very proud of, but one that has helped me fight some preconceived notions. I feel like this is the only time I’m in a place where talking about my past doesn’t affect the brand I’ve built.
AP: You say this is a moving story. Why?
Beckham: I’m not ashamed to say that I’m really ambitious. And this is the first time I’ve looked back and looked at my journey and even realized that what I’ve done has been an inspiration… the fact that I’ve been told “no” so many times, I’ve been told I’m not good enough, I’m not good enough. By the way, it started when I was a child, when I was in school. If someone watches this documentary and I can give them the confidence to follow their dreams, that’s also a really good reason to do so.
AP: Do you think people have misconceptions about you?
BECKHAM: Oh, absolutely, I think I was misunderstood all these years. Before social media, the media told the story, and then the paparazzi photos rolled around, and most of the time I looked incredibly unhappy. And I think watching the documentary that tells my story from me will explain why. I can’t blame people looking at pictures of me looking really grumpy.
AP: You talk about your struggles with weight as a girl in drama class. Have we talked about it before?
Beckham: This will never happen. That opportunity never really presented itself. And I think a lot of people can relate to my story because of the message I’ve been sharing since watching this documentary. …Yes, from people I know, but also from people I don’t know who say, “I can relate, I’ve been through that too.” It was through this process that at my age, I was finally able to feel proud of what I had accomplished and believe that I was enough.
AP: It seems like you spent relatively little time on this series during your time with the Spice Girls.
Beckham: I have a lot of respect for my time with the Spice Girls. I still get to see all the girls. I wouldn’t be who I am now…The Spice Girls gave me the confidence to be who I am. I remember Geri (Halliwell) saying to me, “You’re funny, be funny.” I’m shy. And they really gave me back my personality. …I think people would be surprised to know that I’ve only been a Spice Girl for four years. I’ve been in fashion for almost 20 years, and people like to categorize.
AP: After 20 years, do you think people still wonder if you really design?
Beckham: Maybe. I don’t know. …I think I’ve earned a position to show where I belong. I think I’ve proven myself and earned the right to be there. Now I have to work hard to maintain it.
AP: You’ve talked about the business mistakes you made even when you were getting the best reputation for your fashion.
Beckham: I learned a lot. I know what I know, and I really know what I don’t know. We reached a point where investors told me that we needed to re-strategize, not only on the business side but also on the creative side. And it was tough. … A lot of things have to change to improve the business, and I accepted that. Of course it means compromise, but I wanted to save the business.
AP: How is the fashion and beauty business going now?
Beckham: Fashion has its own benefits. And I’m very proud to be able to say that under these circumstances. I’m also an independent brand, so I’m very proud to be able to say that this fashion is profitable. Beauty is also doing surprisingly well. And now I’m building the house I’ve always dreamed of.
AP: You talk about family on the show, going back to your father and his influence on your entrepreneurial spirit. But is it annoying that people want to write about your current family relationships?
Beckham: I feel truly blessed. I’m so grateful for my life. You have to take it with other things.
