Why Victoria Beckham Is Planning To Tackle America – Again

Last week, David and Victoria Beckham filled our Instagram feeds with an envy-inducing stream of shots from a family holiday in Puglia, showing them cycling through golden fields, dining on a nine-course Italian feast and wearing matching outfits that harked back to their ’90s beginnings. But behind the scenes, preparations were mounting for the greatest shake-up to their family life in recent times: their move to Miami.

David, who officially hung up his football boots in 2013, now co-owns a new franchise in the Florida city, and is busy securing players and sponsors in time for a March 2020 kick-off. Reports last week stated that David and Victoria had purchased a £36 million apartment in downtown Miami’s Scorpion Building, which has every A-lister’s essentials: a swimming pool, a salon, a spa and sunbathing area and a Raw Republic juice bar.

Victoria and the children will still be based in the UK during term time (three of her four children are still at school) and there are no plans to reduce her fashion brand’s British presence – but there are firm plans in place to ensure that the family remain as close as ever while David works from Miami. Grazia understands that the couple have vowed to ensure no more than a five-day period of absence from the kids – or each other. ‘It might sound like there will be an astounding amount of air miles being clocked up,’ a source says of the regular transatlantic flights required to keep this pact in place. ‘But this is a norm for the Beckhams.’

It’s logistically far from straightforward, but Victoria is the queen of reinvention and is already taking control of the next chapter of Brand Beckham. Indeed, further news last week that she has parted ways with her long-term manager Simon Fuller to sign with WME, a US talent agency, is clear evidence she’s determined to see the US move herald a new era in her own career. Nick Ede, a PR and brand expert, says it’s a smart move. ‘WME are brilliant at negotiating some of the biggest TV and endorsement deals in the lifestyle space, and I suspect this move will see VB going in to sign some lucrative contracts,’ he says.

Furthermore, a source tells Grazia that Victoria feels she has ‘unfinished business’ when it comes to America – and is seeing this move as a ‘second chance’ to expose her brand to a US audience. The family have, of course, lived in the US before, when David joined the LA Galaxy team in 2007. Then, the Beckhams arrived in a blaze of publicity – appearing on the cover of W Magazine, with Tom Cruise hosting a Welcome to LA party, and NBC commissioning a fly-on- the-wall documentary Coming To America. But the show wasn’t picked up for a full run, and the family were thought to be missing the UK. When David’s contract with LA Galaxy ended in 2012, they swiftly returned to London, and David finished his career on the pitch at Paris Saint-Germain.

An insider close to Victoria tells Grazia that this time the move is more personal, as she now has her sights set on her own work, rather than just his. ‘Victoria is not playing second fiddle to David’s projects,’ they explain. ‘She is very much in the driving seat, and will be as prominent as David as he settles into his new position.’

In many ways, Miami will be a strong base from which to grow her fashion empire. Laure Hériard Dubreuil, founder and creative director of luxury multi-brand fashion house The Webster, says the city’s draw is ‘contagious’. ‘Miami is one of those cities that has endless opportunities. It is deeply rooted with connections to art, fashion and culture, thanks to Art Basel, and the city’s reputation has changed over the years.’ Designers like Johanna Ortiz and Silvia Tcherassi have made their mark in Miami, and Dior is offering its vital stamp of approval later this year by hosting its menswear Pre-Fall 2020 show there – style credentials Victoria will no doubt appreciate; and help elevate.

When the Beckhams first strove to settle in as A-listers in the crowded market of LA, the resulting mania didn’t quite translate into longevity. Now, though, with Victoria in control, they won’t accept anything less than US success.