Portugal Colonial - Victoria Beckham makes star-studded debut in Paris

The former Spice Girl, 48 -- who has been away from the catwalk for two years -- is hoping that joining the most prestigious date in the fashion calendar can help pull her business out of debt.

She sent superstar model Bella Hadid out in an elegant green dress with long latex gloves, while her sister was dressed in a black trouser suit.

Beckham herself did not appear on the catwalk at the end of the show as is normal at fashion week.

Instead, she mixed with the crowd afterwards in the courtyard of the venue, the Val-de-Grace abbey, on the arm of husband David Beckham -- a rare move in the usually cordoned-off world of high fashion, and underlining her down-to-earth approach.

"It's London coming to Paris, and it's cool," she was heard saying to the crowd as she posed for pictures with son Brooklyn and his new wife Nicola Peltz.

On the catwalk, it was all heightened feminity: stilettos, cutouts, sheer tops, tight dresses -- and presented with a very traditional array of rake-thin models, not far from the stylist's own image.

Pink, blue, mauve and lilac -- there were spring colours among the black that is most dear to Beckham.

- French makeover -

Beckham's sophisticated office and evening wear has been a surprise hit with fashionistas ever since her debut show in 2008, confounding those who expected her to be another celebrity dilettante.

She has mostly presented her clothes in New York, apart from a brief dalliance with London.

But despite having 250 global outlets selling her clothes, 30 million followers on Instagram and one of the most famous husbands in the world, Beckham's company has always struggled to turn a profit.

In a bid to turn things around, she has recruited top French talent: her chairman is Ralph Toledano, ex-president of the French Federation for Haute Couture and Fashion, and her CEO is Marie Leblanc de Reynies, former lead buyer at Paris shopping mecca Printemps.

"Victoria is not from the fashion world. She threw herself into the business and at a certain point, she needed to structure, organise and bring some order to the house, which is what we've been doing for the past four years," Toledano told AFP.

Chic office and evening wear was always going to struggle during the pandemic, and reports this summer showed the label had £54 million in debt, and had to cut prices and staff to stay afloat.

But a successful cosmetics line, launched in 2019, has helped trim losses, and the team hopes to break even in the coming months.

"We've defined a strategy, combined two pret-a-porter lines, found the right price-point... now it's time to enter the big league," said Toledano.

Paris Fashion Week is a way for Beckham to validate her status "as a designer and not just a celebrity," said Benjamin Simmenauer, a professor at the French Institute of Fashion.

She joins fellow Brits Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney in the official Paris calender, as well as rising stars such as Craig Green.

P.L.Madureira--PC