Inside Victoria Beckham's emotional wedding dress fitting as she reveals shock insecurity
As the most fashion-conscious member of the Spice Girls, there was, of course, feverish speculation about what Victoria would wear for the celebrity wedding of the decade.
Under strict secrecy, she and her mum Jackie invited OK! along to the penthouse suite at London’s Berkeley Hotel in May 1999 for an exclusive preview, as New York fashion designer Vera Wang jetted across the pond to made sure everything was planned to perfection.
Only eight weeks after the birth of her son Brooklyn, Victoria had measurements taken, with Vera making sketches as they chatted. Victoria’s trusted Spice Girls stylist Kenny Ho was also on hand, as was esteemed corset maker Mr Pearl, whose skilled handiwork provided the basis for Vera’s creation.
If she was feeling nervous about the preparations, the bride-to-be certainly wasn’t showing it, laughing and joking as she finalised details with the legendary designer.
Victoria said that it was the warmth of the woman herself - in stark contract to many of the designers she encountered - which persuaded her to entrust Vera with her dress design.
“When I was in New York, on tour, I met her for the first time,” she said. “I’d seen her work previously - other celebrities that she’d dressed - and I’d always really respected her.
"But I thought she was such a nice lady, open to ideas, which I think is important: there are certain ideas I’ve got, little things that I’d like to put on the dress and she’s really open to that. I couldn’t work with anyone who’s got a big ego and won’t listen to anyone else’s opinion.”
As with many brides, Victoria chose a dress which was very different to the one she’d first imagined, explaining, “Vera didn’t make me change my mind but I went and I tried so many different dresses on and the sort that I thought I was going to want, well... I’m going completely the other end of the scale! I think everyone is going to be very surprised by the dress I’ve chosen.”
We know now what a beautiful, fairytale gown was already being designed, but Victoria confided there was one element of the final look that she felt unsure about - her hair.
“I just want to look pretty,” she said. “I am a bit nervous because you see brides and usually they’ve got all this long, pretty hair and I’ve got, like, no hair - and what I have got is spiky!”
Much to Victoria’s amusement, her mother Jackie jokingly added, “She’ll be Johnny Rotten in a frock!”
