Victoria Beckham demands frocks back from Matches Fashion after online retailer collapses

Victoria Beckham is demanding the return of her fashion label stock after the collapse of the luxury retail group Matches Fashion, it has been reported.

The former Spice Girl, who launched her eponymous label in 2008, has asked the retailer to give back all the summer stock she sent to them in March after learning that the e-commerce retailer would be closing down.

Luxury e-commerce retailer Matches was put into administration in March, just months after it had been acquired by Fraser Group, owned by retail entrepreneur Mike Ashley, for £52 million ($66.6 million), The Business of Fashion reported at the time.

A source at Beckham’s label toldThe Mail on Sunday that bosses have asked for the clothes back out of fear that Matches will not pay them before it shuts down its website.

The source said: “Matches is continuing to sell designer clothing online, and has promised to pay for it all. But some brands, like VB, have insisted on getting the stock back so they can sell it themselves. Not everyone is convinced Mike Ashley’s outfit – and the administrators – will pay up.”

The Independent has contacted Matches fashion and Victoria Beckham’s representatives for comment.

Currently, there are 68 products from Beckham’s label for sale on the website, which range from a plain long-sleeve black T-shirt starting at £190 to a forest-green gown made out of jersey for £1,450.

When the Fraser Group announced Matches collapse in March, it said it had run out of ways to stabilise the business and “it has become clear that too much change would be required to restructure it”.

“The continued funding requirements would be far in excess of amounts that the Group considers to be viable,” said the statement.

“In light of this, Frasers has been informed that the directors of Matches have taken the decision to put the Matches group into administration. Frasers remains committed to the luxury market and its brand partners.”

Beckham launched her label in New York in 2008 with the aim of creating wearable yet sophisticated ready-to-wear pieces for “the modern woman’s wardrobe”. The brand has since expanded, and today it offers footwear, eyewear, and leather goods. It also has an off-shoot brand Victoria Beckham Beauty, which specialises in makeup and skincare.

In November, Beckham launched a £110 T-shirt printed with the slogan “My dad had a Rolls-Royce,” which is a reference to a comment she was widely mocked for saying in the Netflix documentary Beckham.

In it, Victoria claimed to have come from a “working class” background, despite being driven to school in a Rolls-Royce by her father. Her husband David was quick to point out the hypocrisy of her statement, and the exchange, which was caught on camera, went viral on social media.

One month later, Beckham released the T-shirt. The product description on her label’s site reads: “Made from soft, organic cotton, the ‘My Dad Had A Rolls-Royce’ slogan T-shirt embodies the brand’s playful side.”

“Designed with dropped shoulder seams and a classic crew neckline, it has a relaxed fit and refined feel.”