The front row of a fashion show is probably one of the most ‘kissy kissy’ places on earth.
A place where affection – even if it’s entirely insincere – is often on full display. And yet, at Victoria Beckham’s inaugural show at Paris Fashion Week yesterday, that was noticeably absent. Shortly before the show of Mrs Beckham’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection, modelled by Bella Hadid among others, came the spectacle of the Beckham family’s oh-so-public reunion.
For the benefit of those who’ve not been keeping up, there’s said to be bad feeling between Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer Victoria and Nicola Peltz, the model/heiress and new wife of eldest Beckham boy Brooklyn.
Since Brooklyn and Nicola’s wedding in April, the family seems to have only seen the newlyweds once, for dinner in July.
Tellingly, each side has been rather childishly declining to ‘like’ any social media posts put up by the other side – the ultimate insult in the world of celebrity.
Multiple sources say tensions that arose during the planning of the mega-bucks wedding have proved difficult to overcome in the months that have followed.
Brooklyn, 23, and Nicola, 27, took their seats at the show around half an hour before it started.
It was Victoria’s debut and held at the 17th-century church and monastery of Val-de-Grace in the 5th arrondissement.
The couple sat just a few seats away from the rest of the family.
They have been highly visible during Paris Fashion Week, posting a series of pictures on Instagram of them enjoying their stay in the city.
Both have been wearing a lot of the designer Balmain. Yesterday they also wore expressions that oscillated between sulky and terrified.
After a seemingly interminable wait, the rest of the Beckham clan trooped in, David dressed in a modish iteration of the Milk Tray Man’s get-up (polo neck, sports jacket, disco-glasses).
He was arm in arm with daughter Harper, 11, her hair in plaits, and wearing one of her mum’s designs.
David was followed by the gangling figure of son Romeo, a professional footballer, plus younger son Cruz wearing improbable plastic trousers and holding hands with his girlfriend.
For just a moment, as David worked his way along the row of invited guests kissing hello to everyone – including Vogue supremo Anna Wintour – it looked as if he might take his place without even reaching his eldest son, sitting quietly hand in hand with his wife, as grave as miscreant schoolchildren.
In the event, Romeo bounded past David to greet his brother with a hug.
He was followed quickly by David who grasped Brooklyn in a big bear hug. Wife Nicola hung back, and was rewarded when father and son broke their embrace with what seemed to be the most perfunctory possible hello from Becks before she took her seat again. There was no further interaction.
The Beckham-Peltzes watched the show solemnly, filming it on their phones as is the custom.
At its close, they joined in the applause. When Victoria eventually appeared at the end of the show, wiping away a photogenic tear of triumph, she darted into the front row to give husband David a hug and did the same for best pal, actress Eva Longoria. There was nothing for anyone else aside from a general kiss blown at the crowd.
British Vogue editor Edward Enninful and Victoria’s parents, Jackie and Tony, were there to celebrate yesterday’s event, which Mrs Beckham regards as the pinnacle of her career as a designer so far.
Afterwards, it’s said that the family had cocktails together with their guests and that there were ‘lots of hugs’ and a ‘lovely family atmosphere’.
Perhaps by that point everyone had warmed up to the idea of playing nicely: only time (and Instagram) will tell if that’s the case.
Aspiring chef Brooklyn is fostering the impression that he’s half out of the family as he now goes by the name Peltz Beckham and has been completely embraced by his new family,who are a tight-knit bunch, rallying around billionaire patriarch Nelson Peltz.
Mr Peltz, according to Nicola, has been teaching young Brooklyn the basics of being a businessman and is said to be supporting him in an ambition to launch a range of hot sauces. In the process, David and Victoria have felt rather cut out.
In the run-up to the show this impression has only been reinforced. Brooklyn has been staying at the George V with his wife Nicola and her mother, former model Claudia.
Also in tow – lending family support – have been Nicola’s brothers Brad and Diesel.
Somewhat tactlessly in the circumstances, Nicola posted a picture of Brooklyn and his mother-in-law looking delightfully happy in each other’s company on Instagram on Thursday night. ‘I love my mom,’ she wrote.
Miss Peltz has made matters worse recently by discussing why she didn’t wear any of Mrs Beckham’s clothes at her wedding, the implication being that the task was a) beyond her mother-in-law and b) declined by her mother-in-law.
It’s all created a tricky situation, and David apparently ‘read the riot act to his son over the upset.
Friends say that the Beckhams have privately compared their family situation to the schism in the Royal Family between Prince William and Prince Harry,with some blame attached to the American wives Nicola and Meghan Markle.
One added: ‘What is being said is that Brooklyn has forgotten that he is a Beckham.’ Well, yesterday he was reminded that he is one – even though the experience looked about as much fun as a stubbed toe.
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