Highlights from Victoria Beckham’s Highly Exclusive — and Surprisingly Personal — Gathering at Neiman Marcus

“My husband owns a football club in Miami,” Victoria Beckham tells us casually, as if the intimate group who’d gathered round a lavender settee in Neiman Marcus wasn’t thoroughly aware. The statement was part of a charming anecdote about testing her Future Lash Mascara alongside leading formulas in the Florida humidity — hers was the only one that didn’t give her “panda eyes on the football pitch.” But the offhandedness also speaks to her openness, a quality that’s been crucial to the success of Victoria Beckham Beauty.

Launched online in 2019 and recently expanded to La Samaritaine (Paris), Selfridges (London), and Neiman Marcus (Beverly Hills, Houston, and, of course, Dallas), Victoria Beckham Beauty is a meticulously designed collection of clean makeup, skincare, and fragrances that has managed to break through today’s barrage of celebrity cosmetic lines. That’s mainly because the brand is genuinely good (particularly the eye category), but it helps that the celebrity in question is Beckham, who is as invested behind the scenes as she is in her shopper. From her charming front-facing Instagram videos — treat your ears to Beckham’s delightful pronunciation of “Satin Kajal Eyeliner” on a loop — and her genuine joy in meeting with customers IRL, Posh Spice feels as accessible as ever. (A scene-stealing turn in an extremely popular Netflix documentary certainly doesn’t hurt.)

To celebrate her fashion house’s beauty expansion, Victoria Beckham sat down with PaperCity and several VIPs at Neiman Marcus in NorthPark Center this October. Ahead are highlights from the intimate conversations.

On becoming more accessible to the public with a beauty line.

While a Victoria Beckham bag or dress may be out of reach, beauty products broaden the mogul’s potential customer base.

“I like the fact that I now have access to a whole new demographic with beauty,” Beckham shares with PaperCity. “I love the opportunity. All I’ve learned about beauty and the business and the people I’m surrounding myself with… I feel like we’ve really taken the brand to the next level.”

On the autobiographical nature of her fragrances.

“There’s a story behind each fragrance that is very true to my path and has been part of the creative process since the beginning eight years ago,” Beckham explains. “Each product reminds me of a moment in my life that I want to talk about through fragrances.”

Suite 302 (a sumptuous mix of black cherry and tobacco) reminds Beckham of the opulence of Paris the ’90s. “There were paparazzi everywhere,” she recalls. “We would stay at the Hotel Costes. I remember the thick burgundy drapes and the couches and how dark and sexy it was. And I remember that smell of cherry tobacco.” 302 was the number of the Ritz Paris suite she and David stayed in when they renewed their vows in 2006.

The yellow San Ysidro Drive, where the Beckhams lived in Los Angeles, is reminiscent of the family’s time in California. “We were going to name it my actual address, but when we tried to legal it the team didn’t think it would be a good idea,” Beckham laughs. “Someone does live there now and they might not be thrilled.”

On her perfectionism.

“When I release a product it has to be excellent, which is tough on the team,” Beckham says. “But we consider everything with our formulas… they have to be clean and sustainable without compromise.”

Victoria Beckham Beauty CEO Katia Beauchamp chimed in, “They can’t make it until it meets Victoria’s standards.”

On the success of VB Beauty’s Baby Blade.

“I over-plucked my eyebrows in the ’90s and it’s hard to get them back,” Beckham says. “So many brow products are so big and thick. I was searching for one that could create a precise, feathered effect that looks natural.”

Her recently launched Baby Blade brow pencil just won an Allure Best of Beauty award.

On her relationship with Neiman Marcus. 

“I’ve had a relationship with Neimans since 2008 when I showed my first collection in New York,” Beckham explains. “Ken Downing…. he was really the guy that spread the word right at the beginning. He left the presentation and went, ‘OK. This is good.'”

“We had been more direct to consumer originally as a strategy, but the wholesale response has been quite overwhelming,” Beckham notes. “I think as much as we all like online shopping, it’s great to have a destination for people to actually visit, try the makeup, and smell the fragrance.”