Key Points

Victoria Beckham opened up about nearly losing her entire fashion business during a dark period. She revealed the brand was tens of millions in debt and she cried daily before work. Having David as both husband and business partner created immense pressure when she needed financial help. Ultimately, investor David Belhassen saved the company after seeing his wife's enthusiasm for the clothing line.

Key Points: Victoria Beckham Nearly Lost Fashion Brand in Dark Time

  • Victoria Beckham's fashion brand was tens of millions in debt and near collapse
  • Working with husband David as business partner created additional pressure and tension
  • Investor David Belhassen initially rejected then reconsidered after wife loved the clothes
  • Beckham admitted people were afraid to tell her no and she had lost her way
3 min read

Victoria Beckham opens up about dark time in her career when almost she lost everything

Victoria Beckham reveals her fashion brand was millions in debt, crying daily before work and struggling with David as business partner before investor rescue.

"I almost lost everything, and that was a dark, dark time. I used to cry before I went to work every day because I felt like a firefighter. - Victoria Beckham"

Washington, DC, October 9

Famous singer and TV personality, Victoria Beckham, talked about her namesake fashion brand nearly failing in her three-part Netflix docuseries, and also shared how having husband David as a business partner increased the pressure on her, according to People.

"I almost lost everything, and that was a dark, dark time. I used to cry before I went to work every day because I felt like a firefighter. We were 10s of millions in the red," she said.

Victoria added, "Yes I'm going home to my husband, but I'm going home to my business partner as well. And so I would talk to him about it. I had to. He was invested. And I hated it. I absolutely hated it."

According to David, his discussions with Victoria regarding the company's failure "broke" his heart because she is a "proud woman." He added that it was much harder to inform Victoria that he could no longer invest because she was earning more money than he was when they first met.

"She was a lot richer than me. She actually bought our first house in Hertfordshire, known as Beckingham Palace," he said, adding, "So for her to have to come to me and say, 'Can I have some -- we need some more money. The business needs more money,' that was hard for both of us because I didn't have the money to keep doing this and eventually I was like, 'This cannot continue'."

Victoria persisted in trying to save the company by seeking outside investors, and she finally found David Belhassen to be a business partner.

"Victoria was not looking for a partner who would just put money," the investor recalled. "She needed a partner that knew the business, understood her dream and was capable of making it happen... Frankly, I had never seen something as hard as that to fix."

However, after a particular time, even he decided not to invest in her company, which left Victoria "absolutely heartbroken."

However, an incident changed his mind, and he once again considered investing in her company after seeing his wife in Beckham's company's outfit, according to People.

"When I go out with my wife on Saturday night, and I see her stunning. And I said, 'What are you wearing?' 'Victoria Beckham.' I said, 'Are you buying a lot of Victoria Beckham?' And she said, 'Tons. I love it. It's amazing,'" he recalled. "And the flame lit there. It became like a fire. And on Monday, I gathered the team and say, 'We have to do it. If we fail, we fail.' So we signed. I remember she was very emotional and she told me, 'I won't let you down.'"

Belhassen later told Victoria that she had to "change everything" and "restructure the business" so it could survive.

"Part of the problem was people were really afraid to tell me no," she explained. "People thought that I wasn't used to hearing, 'no.' I'll hold my hands up and be accountable for things that I have done that I should have done and could have done differently, and I was in debt. There was a lot I had to change. I realised I'd lost my way," as quoted by People.

Victoria Beckham is streaming on Netflix.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Interesting how the investor changed his mind after seeing his wife wearing her clothes. In India, we say "pehle istemaal karo, phir vishwas karo" - first use it, then trust it. Smart move by Belhassen! 😄
S
Sarah B
As someone who runs a small boutique in Delhi, I completely understand her struggle. When your passion becomes your business, the emotional investment is huge. Her resilience is inspiring for women entrepreneurs everywhere.
A
Arjun K
While I admire her journey, I wish she acknowledged her privilege more. Most entrepreneurs don't have a famous footballer husband or access to such networks when their business fails. The struggle is real for ordinary people.
M
Meera T
Her admission that "people were afraid to tell me no" shows great self-awareness. In our culture too, successful people often get surrounded by yes-men. True growth happens when we accept criticism. 👏
V
Vikram M
The Beckhams' story reminds me of many Indian business families where personal and professional lives merge. It takes real courage to admit failure and rebuild. Looking forward to watching this on Netflix!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50