Victoria Beckham has named Lara Barrio as design director of her brand.
Barrio, who has previously worked at Chloé and was formerly Head Designer of Salvatore Ferragamo, will unveil her first collection for the eponymous label during pre-spring 2023.
In preparation for her new role, Lara is said to be in the process of building her new team at the London-based brand, which has undergone a restructuring over the past year after Beckham consolidated her fashion offer under a single ‘Victoria Beckham’ fashion label.
Under the new strategy, the label now has an average price point of around £550, lower than the previous £900 of the old mainline collection. The company has also been working on revamping its sourcing, supply chain and manufacturing to ensure “product quality”.
Like many brands, Victoria Beckham is on a rebound attempting to recover losses brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Figures published by Companies House reveal that turnover fell 6% to 36.1 million pounds in the 12 months to December 31st 2020, while losses after taxes were almost cut in half to 8.6 million pounds from 16.6 million pounds.
As the the brand now looks to the future, Beckham will launch her new Made in Italy bag collection at Paris Fashion Week this coming week.
Presented in leather and fabric, with the new VB logo, the bags range in price from £490 for the small version of the bucket bag to £1,350 for the rectangular frame bag with a thick, sporty shoulder strap.
Though Beckham has created bags in previous collections, the majority of which were designed to complement the ready-to-wear, this new line is the result of working with dedicated accessories designer, Raphaelle Hanley and an in-house team to specially manage production and supply chain.
Speaking ahead of the the new bags unveiling, Beckham says in a statement: “A handbag is very personal, it’s a status thing, an extension of the home and of the person who’s carrying it. I am so proud of these bags, and excited about every single silhouette.”
