Victoria Beckham shows her stuff at New York Fashion Week

Victoria Beckham, the former Spice Girl and wife of England footballer David Beckham, sought to consolidate her new career as a designer at New York Fashion Week on Sunday evening, when she gave a sneak preview of her new designs in a suite at the Waldorf Towers hotel.
 
Hilary Alexander, the Daily Telegraph's fashion writer, was impressed by the 23 dresses on display, which she described as "finely-structured and perfectly-tailored to within a centimetre of their lives."

While Beckham, 34, attracted some negative criticism when she launched her fashion range last year, her creations, which sell for as much as £4,900, have been warmly taken up by the buying public.

Writes Alexander: "She has a personal relationship with each one which almost amounts to a love affair. She knows every stitch, every seam; the construction of the fabric and the inner ‘secrets’ such as the shoulder pads and the paneling details which make for perfect posture and a strict, hourglass silhouette with no lumps and bumps."

And to prove the point, la Posh even modeled one of the dresses, replete with a lightly-boned corset which sits under the bust, and does not, in her own words "push your boobs up too high" because "that's vulgar". Get her.

Meanwhile, most of the talk in New York is of the raft of young designers who have received the patronage of America's latest style icon, Michelle Obama.

One of the key beneficiaries is New Yorker Jason Wu, who made the one-shouldered ivory gown the First Lady wore to the Neighbourhood Inaugural Ball last month. There was standing-room only at his catwalk show on Friday (above) – though a seat was found for Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, which has Michelle in a magenta silk dress by Wu on its latest cover. Designs by two other Obama favourites - the dress label Thakoon and chic, minimalist Zero + Maria Cornejo – will be shown later today.  

The First Lady is careful about her vocal endorsements. Thus far she has given only one: to J Crew. During an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, she turned to the audience and said: "Ladies, we know J Crew. You can get some good stuff online."
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