Victoria Beckham, who has been showing her signature collection at Paris Fashion Week since 2022, was honored by the French Ministry of Culture on Monday.
Rachida Dati, France’s minister of culture, pinned a green ribbon and medallion on Beckham’s slim black dress, decorating her as a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters at a ceremony that fell at the end of the first day of Paris Couture Week.
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François-Henri Pinault, Antoine Arnault, Haider Ackermann, Farida Khelfa, Cindy Bruna and the artist J.R. let out a cheer as Beckham gave a shout out to her famous husband, soccer star David, who beamed alongside their children Romeo, Cruz and Harper.
Dati recounted Beckham’s career: Her rise to international fame in the ’90s as a member of the Spice Girls and the launch of her signature fashion brand in 2008, encouraged by French-born designer Roland Mouret and initially backed by her husband.
The politician lauded Beckham as a “true role model, inspiring for each and every one of us a taste for freedom and boldness.” Meanwhile, her life lived on the stage, always scrutinized, helped her develop “a keen sense of image, silhouette and details” she would later apply to her brand, which also entered beauty in 2019.
“You have developed your own unique design language,” Dati said, describing a “meticulous, almost architectural work” behind her apparently simple designs. “You have made this precision your DNA.”
Not forgetting a reputation for a warm welcome in her boutiques. “As you say, the most important person in your boutiques is the security guard,” Dati related.
In her acceptance speech, Beckham said: “Showing on the most important stage in the fashion calendar, and feeling such acceptance and belonging is something I really don’t take lightly, and I will continue to work very hard to honor it.
“I have always greatly admired the French esthetic, and to be recognized here and embraced in this way is a profound privilege, one that reflects years of commitment and dedication,” she added.
Established in 1957 to recognize artists and writers, as well as others who have contributed significantly to the arts in France, the Order of Arts and Letters has been awarded to the likes of Demna, Iris Van Herpen, Giambattista Valli, Simon Porte Jacquemus, architect Peter Marino and the late fashion editor André Leon Talley.
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