Anna Wintour reportedly told Victoria Beckham that she would have to remove her breast implants to become “Lady Beckham” and make it in the fashion world, an explosive new biography has claimed.
In The House of Beckham, celebrity biographer Tom Bower claims that while the Vogue editor approved of the former Spice Girl’s self-depreciating humour, she offered her some advice to help guide her in the world of haute couture.
“Victoria had only just entered the fashion business,” he wrote of the time Wintour is said to have volunteered the remarks.
“She had met Marc Jacobs, an adored New York designer. At his fashion show she had modelled three of his outfits in three hours.
“Fashion queen Anna Wintour approved of size 6 Victoria. Her self-mockery won Wintour’s approval, but subject to her accepting some firm advice. Boob jobs and hotpants were definitely Essex and not East Side.
“To rebrand her image, her breast implants needed to be fixed.”
It was at this point that Victoria reportedly said she was “done with music” and insisted that she was “not a WAG”.
Bower added: “Fashion would be her new career.
“‘I’ve always been the girl next door who got lucky,’ she laughed, but she knew that success was difficult. Becoming ‘Lady Beckham’, she admitted, would be ‘fabulous’.”
Beckham appears to have heeded Wintour’s advice and she proceeded to have her implants removed in 2014.
Wintour’s comment was not the only explosive revelation made in the new book about apparent social class.
Bower also claimed that as a soon-to-be duchess, Meghan Markle believed herself to be of a higher social standing than the former Spice Girl.
He said that the now Duchess of Sussex was “irritated” at the time to discover that Victoria was wealthier than herself.
“In Meghan’s celebrity world, ranking depended on wealth and fame,” Bower wrote. “As a seasoned operator, Meghan deluded herself that her status in the Royal family placed her above Victoria in the social pecking order.
“She was irritated to discover that the Beckhams had considerably more wealth than herself. They owned five homes, had constant access to private jets, invitations to sail on yachts and much more money. And she was soon to be a duchess.”
But despite Meghan’s apparent annoyance at the Beckhams’ wealth, she did reportedly make an effort with the couple until The Sun ran a story that claimed she had been given makeup advice from Victoria.
“Harry was ordered to complain to David Beckham,” Bower claimed before revealing that Meghan accused the couple of leaking information about her to the press.
This was denied and Victoria suggested that the information had been given by a beautician “although the culprit was probably a boastful publicist.”
The Independent has reached out to a representative for Anna Wintour, Victoria Beckham and Meghan Markle for comment.
The House of Beckham: Money, Sex and Power is out today (20 June) with HarperCollins.