Victoria Beckham responds to her son Brooklyn’s recent accusations about the family brand and parenting pressures during an appearance on entrepreneur Emma Grede’s Aspire podcast.
Brooklyn, 27, distanced himself from the family in January, criticizing what he called ‘performative’ social media posts, events, and relationships. He described feeling controlled by a family prioritizing public image. Victoria, 52, counters that ‘Brand Beckham’ emerged organically, not by design.
Origins of the Family Brand
Victoria explains the brand’s evolution. ‘When David and I first met, it was never our intention to start a brand,’ she states. David began with endorsements like Brylcreem, Adidas, and Pepsi, while Victoria gained branding expertise through Spice Girls deals including Walker’s crisps, Pepsi, Chupa Chups, and deodorant.
‘True story, my mother still has a Spice Girls pizza in her freezer—thirty-odd years later,’ she adds. As careers advanced, David focuses on Inter Miami, and Victoria builds her fashion and beauty lines. ‘We don’t have any deals together. David does what David does, I do what I do,’ she emphasizes. ‘The outside world talked about Brand Beckham; that’s never how we saw it.’
Parenting Amid Public Scrutiny
Victoria acknowledges the challenges of raising children in the spotlight. ‘Our children have had a very different upbringing than David and I did, and the world is a different place now,’ she notes. ‘We’ve always tried to protect them as much as we can; we’ve always been very close.’
She denies being a pushy parent. ‘Ultimately, we want the kids to be hardworking and kind. I’ve always wanted to be the best mum I could be and look after the kids,’ Victoria says. ‘It’s never about being pushy; it’s about being there to support and help them fulfill their potential.’
David and Victoria have not spoken to Brooklyn since May last year, following his and wife Nicola Peltz’s absence from David’s 50th birthday. Lawyers then mandated communication through legal channels. Brooklyn cited additional tensions, including claims Victoria called him ‘evil’ for his wedding seating and ‘hijacked’ their first dance.
Victoria reflects on evolving roles: ‘Parenting adult children differs from parenting smaller ones. I’m just trying to do the best I can—my job is to ensure my kids are the best versions of themselves.’
Supporting the Next Generation’s Ventures
Younger children pursue independent paths. Cruz, 21, tours with his music, having mastered multiple instruments and built a band humbly. ‘The most important thing is to learn your craft,’ Victoria advises. ‘He’s incredibly talented and building his brand.’
Harper, 14, draws from personal struggles with severe acne to launch HIKU BY Harper, a beauty line targeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha with South Korean-inspired products this summer. ‘She came to me two or three years ago struggling with her skin,’ Victoria shares, relating from her own acne battles.
Harper pitched via PowerPoint presentations—one for the brand, another seeking permission for a perm. ‘I’m so proud of all my children, but Harper is very ambitious,’ Victoria says. ‘She’s been sitting on my lap in beauty development meetings since she was little.’
The family proactively trademarks children’s names for products like makeup, toys, and clothing—Harper’s registered at age five—an unusual step typically for established celebrities.
