This Week's Wow: Victoria Beckham Gives Us a Glimpse Inside Her First Store

In this weekly feature, InStyle’s Fashion News Director Eric Wilson shares his favorite fashion moment of the week, and explains how it could shape styles to come. Look for it on What’s Right Now every Friday.

The Moment: As you may have heard, Victoria Beckham opened her first store in London this week. Normally, on the scale of big deals for designers, that would fall somewhere between launching a lower-priced collection and designing your own shoes (things Beckham has already checked off the list, by the way). But having dropped by the store while it was under construction during the London collections earlier this month, I can tell you that it was such a big deal that paparazzi were hanging out in the street trying to get a glance inside.

“Victoria Beckham tries to go incognito in large hat as she checks out her London store,” trumpeted the Daily Mail.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Beckham is a celebrity, since she’s so focused as a designer, and that’s probably to her credit. The store, anyway, is the latest step in her methodical approach to brand-building, designed to reflect her signature style. “I really focused on creating something very unique to me and my brand,” she says.

Why It’s a Wow: The main things I noticed on a very brief visit were that the ceiling of the first floor is covered with mirrors and the dominant feature of the store is an enormous polished concrete staircase, more than 13-feet wide. I couldn’t even fathom walking up those steps, and Beckham was already heading up them in heels, trailed by a pack of international fashion press. She designs primarily for an active, fit clientele, so perhaps it’s the challenge of such an imposing façade that will be most appealing.

“I’d like the store to reinforce what my collections have hopefully already established, a modern but feminine aesthetic,” Beckham says.

The stairs, she says, were designed to create a bit of drama, and the mirrored ceiling “create height and bring a feeling of luminosity.” And I just thought she was being cheeky.

Learn More: Revisit Beckham’s smashing spring collection shown at New York Fashion Week, where she introduced her first self-created shoe designs, and if you happen to be in London, be sure to drop by her new store on Dover Street.

For real-time insider insights, make sure to follow Eric Wilson on Twitter (@EricWilsonSays).