Goodbye Posh Spice, hello Victoria Beckham, posh frock maker

Ex-Spice Girl has forged a fashion empire with hard work, sharp business sense and a real understanding of how women want to dress.

One midsummer evening not long ago, I rang the buzzer of a Holland Park mansion, wedding-cake white with black railings. The lady of the house, barefoot in a floral-print dress, opened the door and politely held out a hand for me to shake. (It was her left hand, but it’s the thought that counts.) “Hello! I had a party,” she said. “It was so good. It was my birthday. And now we’ve got goldfish. Have you got goldfish?” And with that Harper Beckham, three, hopped on to her lilac scooter and led the way into the sitting room.