An intimate portrait of Victoria Beckham is what we were promised by the lavish publicity surrounding the release of the three-part documentary – entitled Victoria Beckham – about the female half of the enduring power couple, and an intimate portrait of the singer turned mogul is what was not delivered. It is about as intimate as a Pret sandwich, and if anyone thought for a moment it was going to be otherwise, well, let me introduce you to With Love, Meghan, whose searing insights into life as a duchess in Montecito are going to blow your mind.
Victoria Beckham the documentary is as immaculately groomed, polished and controlled as Victoria Beckham the person. It is a puff piece for her, for husband David, her beauty line and, above all, her fashion business. It charts her evolution from stagestruck child and teenager (“You got a callback for Starlight Express!” mum Jackie recalls proudly), to Spice Girl, to most famous of the England football team’s WAGs, to increasingly successful fashion designer and businesswoman. Against a background of preparations for her biggest show yet, in the grounds of a Parisian castle, a variety of big names in the industry – including Anna Wintour, Tom Ford and Donatella Versace – talk about what is needed on top of talent to make it in a competitive (not to say vicious) field, the snobbery she faced as a newcomer from the world of entertainment and the scepticism she has overcome.
