Victoria Beckham’s relationship with soccer star David took two years from dating to marriage, but her courtship with Australian wool growers has been much slower, culminating after eight years in an exclusive knitwear collection for adults and children.
Victoria Beckham wearing a sweater from her collaboration with The Woolmark Company in New York.Credit: Getty
The former Spice Girl has collaborated with The Woolmark Company on a 34-piece capsule range in a selection of bold, block colours and simple patterns using plant-based dyes and non-mulesed Merino wool that can be traced back to five Australian farms.
“I don’t have any plans to introduce a childrenswear range which is why it was so exciting to create one with The Woolmark Company,” Beckham said via email. “As a mum of four I’ve been dressing children for a long time so I know what fabrics they like.”
It’s the same line about mother’s wisdom Beckham used in 2017, when she teamed up with Target in the US on a 200-piece, all items under $US70 ($90) fast fashion collection for adults and children, except this time the prices range from $240 to $845, reflecting the quality of the material. In other words, it’s properly posh.
I first met Beckham in 2013 when she was on the judging panel for the revitalised International Woolmark Prize, which helped launch the careers of Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent in its original incarnation. Even then the petite performer with a captivating stare and wicked grin demonstrated a keen awareness of the benefits of Australian wool.
“Quite early into my fashion industry career I realised that Merino wool was an essential natural fibre to the luxury fashion world – so I didn’t hesitate to collaborate with the team when the opportunity came to create a capsule collection,” she said.
The fully-traceable Victoria Beckham x The Woolmark Company capsule collection features knitwear for women and children.
“After my time spent judging the International Woolmark Prize, collaborating with The Woolmark Company felt like the natural next step in our longstanding partnership.”
Ribbed raglan sleeve cardigans in bright yellow with unexpected intarsia details, slim-line sweaters in pale pink and warm brown with bursts of red and cosy scarves and beanies are targeted at adults and children aged 6-12 in the northern hemisphere, but are available in Australia through Belinda, Harrolds and Grace boutiques, for those with room in their camphor chest until winter.
This unique collaboration is the culmination of years spent developing effective fibre-trace technology, alongside a relationship with Beckham, for Stuart McCullough, chief executive of The Woolmark Company since 2001.
McCullough first met Beckham in 2013 at the International Woolmark Prize in London, alongside fellow, fierce-faced judges Donatella Versace and Diane von Furstenberg. That year Australian designer Dion Lee narrowly missed out on the top prize, which went to Belgium’s Christian Wijnants.
Donatella Versace, Victoria Beckham and Diane von Furstenberg at the International Woolmark Prize, London, 2013.Credit: Dave Bennett
“I was definitely the odd one out in that group,” McCullough said of the judging line-up. “Victoria Beckham has always been generous with her time and just wanted to be involved with this project all the way through. She is a style leader and someone who understands the importance of this space.”
For McCullough being able to trace each of Beckham’s items from stores around the world to an Australian farm is an important part of the wool’s survival as a premium product.
“Transparency and supply chain integrity are top of mind for Gen Y and Gen Z consumers. They want to know everything and are no longer happy buying a garment and sourcing it from a hanger. We can now answer the questions their asking about where it came from, how it came about and how many chemicals are in it.”
While the relationship with Victoria Beckham took eight years to result in a collection, The Woolmark Company has been seeing other labels on the side, including Zegna, MaxMara, Jacquemus and developing an 100 per cent traceable collection with Australian brand Albus Lumen.
For McCullough, the luxury market is where Australian wool belongs. “Fashion filters down, it doesn’t filter up. The mass brands will always follow luxury. ”
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