Below is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Victoria Beckham at London Fashion Week 2018.
TB: We're backstage here, it's all happened..
VB: It is hot, it is SO Hot!
TB: And how are you feeling now after the show, relieved...?
VB: I feel relieved because you know there's only so many times you can rehearse. We didn't even get the final music mix until an hour and a half, well not even, an hour before the show. I am relieved. I'm looking forward to the rest of the day celebrating with my customer. We've got lots of activity going on and it's just great to feel part of London Fashion Week. I really do feel the support. There's a lot of people that have been on this journey with me and I haven't done this on my own. It's not just my team it's certain members of the press that have been there right from the start.
TB: The first time you've ever been at London Fashion Week. How does it feel?
VB: You know I've been so excited to come back to London and feel part of London Fashion Week. To have my family here, my friends here. There are some family members that have never seen what I do, so for everybody to feel included is exciting, to really bring my customer in as well. I've got customers that have come in from Australia and Mexico and I really wanted this season to celebrate with my customer as well so she can come and she can watch the show, she can preorder from the show, so she's part of the experience of not just the show, but celebrating what is 10 years. I cannot believe it has been 10 years! I can't believe it.
TB: When you look back to 10 years ago when you first started in 2008 and you were in New York and you were showing a few of the editor's bits of your collection and it wasn't a catwalk show or anything, what was it like then, do you remember, how did you feel? Were you excited were you nervous?
VB: If anything I get more nervous. I'm very passionate about what I do. I love what I do, I wake up every day and I pinch myself, I've got the best job in the world. I've learned an enormous amount and I was probably quite naive at the beginning whereas now I know much more about the industry, I've learned so much. I was very aware at the beginning the preconceptions that people would have because of where I came from, but I've always been very focused and very honest. Most importantly I've got to know my customer more and more over the seasons so I get a good idea of certainly what my customer wants out of her wardrobe. And when I look back at the last 10 years, you know we've established very strong codes over the years. Whether that's color palette or masculine versus feminine, and so I've been able to learn from that and pull from that and that's how I got the collection that I presented today.
TB: When you look back at that ten years as you say there were preconceptions at the time, what do you think gave you that courage that determination to say OK guys you know what yeah, so I've had this career as a pop star, now I'm going to be a designer?
VB: I didn't know then what I know now. So I look back and I think wow that you know that took guts. I just felt you know I was very focused and I don't know, I worked hard, and I love women. You know this season it's about women, it's not about the woman. People always say to me who's the VB woman. It's not the woman. It's women. And I really showed that in the casting this season with using an older girl as well. I mean who'd have thought 10 years ago Stella Tennant would be opening my show. I mmean that's crazy! I feel very proud right now of me and my team.
TB: What are some of the biggest challenges do you think, looking over the 10 years. I know every business its up, it's down, it's in and out. What was the biggest challenge so far, do you think, that YOU feel?
VB: I think creatively there's always going to be challenges you know. There was two of us when I first started and it was just dresses. Whereas now we've grown, it's not just dresses it's tailoring, it's knitwear, it's a complete wardrobe plus accessories as well. So I've learned a lot from my team and I've learned a lot about the business. I've had to you know I hadn't done this before so I've surrounded myself with the right people and the team has grown each season. I got a new CEO two weeks ago which I'm very excited about. I've got an incredible Chairman in Paris, I've got incredible investors so I've learnt a lot and I've had to learn very quickly about building a business. You know how to construct a collection as well there are details like that. I didn't know at the beginning. It was 10 dresses and I showed the dresses and then I sold the dresses. Now it's so much more complicated. So I continue to learn and each season there are challenges. We've actually just launched our new website which is shipping to over 100 different countries as of three weeks ago and digital is key for me, and I've learned an enormous amount from my digital team and how important that is and how important the communication between me and my customer is. So I've learned, whether it's digital, marketing, the creative. I'm learning quick. I'm like a sponge.
TB: Victoria you say that digital is so important, E-commerce is important. You've got your bricks and mortar here. There's a lot of challenges on the high street, how do you feel those challenges come into the brand?
VB: You know I think that there's always going to be challenges but I think that for me being able to communicate directly with my customer and she can just get what she wants and the shopping experience can be enjoyable and it can be fast and she can get what she wants quickly. That is key for me.
TB: What about 'shopping the show' because they've seen the collection today and they can go straight on and preorder..
VB: Exactly. And again that's something that's exciting you know. I haven't been able to do that in the past whereas that was something I was excited to be able to do this season. So she can literally see a look and she can purchase it immediately. Which is great you know, people they want things and they want it quick.
TB: You're passionate about it Victoria as we can see, the business side, the creativity, any differences from New York to London that you've found?
VB: A lot of differences. I would say it's been more stressful but maybe that's just because I'm coming home. It's a very different way of working, which is challenging but I've learnt a lot and I'm proud, I'm so proud to be from England. You know I'm so proud of what I have built. I've always said that my aesthetic is very British.
TB: Were you nervous last night pre show? You're just back in London everyone's waiting for the return, celebrating a milestone. Last night what were you feeling, what were you doing?
VB: Well I got in late. So if I'm not making a lot of sense it's because we haven't slept a lot this week. You know I think this whole week you're constantly questioning yourself about the collection. Is it a flat shoe, is it a high shoe, is it a bag, is it a no bag, you know what is the music like you know, so it's just questions going round and round and round in my head. But you know ultimately by the time I suppose one or two o'clock in the morning I had to just say there is no more that I can do. Get some sleep, get up early the next morning. I've given as much as I can, I really have.
TB: How important is it for you to have your family here because they've been at both shows?
VB: It's really important to have the support of my family. I always love to see them, but also to have you know, my parents, David's family as well, that have never actually seen the show. My sister was here with her children that don't know what I do. They know I go to the studio every day but they don't know what I do. So to really include them in the celebrations as well. We've got lots going on over the next few days. I've got an event at the store which I'm excited about this afternoon where people can you know have fun with me with my Tee shirt. I have to say, I shot a campaign I don't know if you saw it with Juergen Teller of my legs coming out of a bag.
TB: Yes I did.
VB: And so this week while we've been in the studio, and its getting later and later and later, it's been so great to go on Instagram and see all the hilarious pictures that people have tagged me in of themselves hanging out of bags. I see it all by the way, and it's been hilarious. So thank you for that.
TB: You take everything with a pinch of salt, with a sense of humour Your Vogue video, you know you made fun of yourself. Does it ever bother you though being under so much scrutiny?
VB: You know I've grown up with this ever since I started with the Spice Girls, and so I try to not think too much about that. You know I'm doing the best I can, creatively, as a wife, as a mum you know, I'm working hard. I'm quite hard on myself because each season I want my collection to be stronger and better than the last season.
TB: What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs like yourself that are juggling families and the school runs and everything?
VB: You know what it's not easy and everybody says do you ever freak out? Yeah absolutely. Absolutely. We all do. You know when you're a working mum you feel torn, you feel guilty, but you know I just do the best that I can do and my kids and David will always come first. But it's no different for me to how it is for other working women. But you know that's why we need to support each other first and foremost.
TB: Do you feel that way that we should support, because there's a lot of judgment in the industry. Do you feel that there's not enough support?
VB: I think that you know there can never be too much support you know. I mean I don't know, you know when women don't support each other then I have no time for that, you know I think we're all juggling, we're all trying to do the best that we can do.
TB: And today obviously is a big day for you Victoria, but you have plans to expand, what's the vision for the brand because there's children's wear and men's wear and all sorts of things in the works?
VB: You know this is the start of a new chapter. I bought on investors. I got a new CEO that started two weeks ago. There is so much that I want to do to really put my foot on the gas. You know I'm building my team spending a lot of time focusing on the digital side of things. There will be more retail, there will be more categories as well. You know beauty is something that is key for me, whether that's makeup or fragrance or skincare. So it really is building the brand and taking it to the next level which I'm going to be able to do now that I have the right people around me.
TB: You've got the investors as you say from last year, the new CEO you've brought the team. It's the most notoriously difficult business even though it hugely contributes to the GDP in the U.K. There have been losses, what do you hope for the future?
VB: I hope that I can build the business. I hope I can give my customer what she wants and you know, I don't want to tempt fate, let's hope the best!
TB: And just finally when you meet your customer and you see them wearing your outfit. How do you feel?
VB: I feel so excited. I really do. You know the fact that she has chosen to invest in me as a luxury brand is a huge compliment. It makes no difference if that's a celebrity or if that is somebody that just so happens to be popping in my shop and investing in me. So it's very exciting. I still get excited now, that hasn't been lost at all.
TB: Next 10 years?
VB: The next the next 10 years. More categories, and just to build the business at a steady pace. But to now be able to really do a lot of the things that I have dreamt of. I would say beauty will be the top of my list of priorities you know. So we'll see.
TB: Victoria, thank you so much.
VB: Thank you so much.
ENDS
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