Celebrity Mound

In terms of their super-slick public images, these cover shots are a bit of departure.

Multi-millionaire footballer David Beckham may have been fantasising about living a simpler life, as he got his hands dirty masquerading as a macho mechanic for a magazine shoot.

And Victoria’s buttoned down fashion style was sexed up as she struck a sultry pose, looking unusually curvy, in a nude body-con slip by Roland Mouret for fashion and art magazine 10.

The pair feature in the new double cover issue of 10 magazine, marking the publication’s 10th anniversary.

The high-brow style bible is an arty mag about high fashion, rather than about celebrities and dieting – so the Beckhams appearance on its cover is a surprise choice.

Inside there is a 40-page spread of the smouldering couple, shot by photographer Cedric Buchet.

Victoria’s cover pose showcases her new hairdo, which she wears in curls, while David, playing the tattooed mechanic, wears an oil-stained white T-shirt after a hard day’s graft at the garage.

In the accompanying interview, Victoria talks about her fashion line, saying: ‘My dresses are for women of all different shapes and sizes.

‘Actually, the one I tried on yesterday was the one Jennifer wore. And who’d have thought I’d be the same size as Jennifer Lopez!’

Victoria also revealed that she has no intention to leave the fashion world. ‘I still plan to be doing this in 10, 15, 20 years time, so it’s got to be done right,’ she said.

Beckham admitted that he still hasn’t got used to being looked up to as a sex symbol.

Speaking about his time as an Armani underwear model, a role which Cristiano Ronaldo took over this month, David said: ‘I still feel quite shy when I see a poster or campaign like that.

‘It was a daunting experience stripping off in front of a room of people but after a while you get used to it – although my mum still hasn’t.’

Call the fashion police!

In a heist executed last Thursday in London, two armed thieves hijacked between 50 to 75 dresses from Victoria Beckham’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection from a van. The shipment of designer duds was bound for Nieman Marcus in New York.

The dresses are estimated to be worth over $575,000.

“This operation was meticulously planned. The thieves must feel they can make a fortune selling the collection on the black market,” a source told the Daily Mail. “Victoria was informed straight away about the incident and was shocked and deeply saddened, although her first priority was the well-being of the driver.”

The thieves shattered the padlocks after the driver stopped on his way to Heathrow to make another delivery. When he returned to the van and saw that someone had broken in, the culprits jumped out of the back doors with oversize boxes of frocks.

The van’s driver was banged up but not seriously hurt.

A spokesperson for the former Spice Girl said that she hopes the collection can be remade in time for delivery to Nieman’s.

Police are investigating.

(source)

Victoria Beckham spoke out about childhood poverty today after taking her eldest son to visit some of the poorest children in America.

The former Spice Girl and 10-year-old Brooklyn engaged in a number of activities run by the Save the Children charity during a two-day trip to Clay County, in the state of Kentucky.

Mrs Beckham said the visit had shown her the need for all children to have an equal start in life and helped her son learn about the responsibilities of his generation.

The mother-of-three and Brooklyn took part in a number of programmes last week, including teaching football, reading to toddlers and providing literacy and nutrition tools to parents on home visits.

At Manchester Elementary School, in Manchester, Kentucky, they participated in an after-school programme involving reading and healthy snacks and handed out Adidas shoes and backpacks.

And during a visit to Big Creek Elementary School, in Oneida, the pair took part in a book bag exchange, where toddlers were given bags filled with books, and read one of their favourite stories, Duck In The Truck.

Beckham also met school principals and teachers to try to understand the challenges they face and the support provided by Save the Children’s programmes.

Clay County, in the south-east of Kentucky, is one of the poorest counties in America, with a childhood poverty rate of 47.8 per cent and an average household income of $19,728.

Beckham said: ‘What I saw in Clay County was the hope and promise inherent in every child. That’s why we have to make sure every single child has a fair and equal start in life.

‘Seeing Save the Children’s innovative programmes in action, I know that we can begin to reverse the childhood poverty crisis.
‘I’m pleased Brooklyn is learning that, by helping and joining other children, he can play a role in making his generation the greatest yet.’

Mark Shriver, managing director of Save the Children’s US programmes, who accompanied Beckham and Brooklyn on the visits, said: ‘By advocating a fair start for all children, Victoria is setting a powerful example for learning about and understanding the challenges confronting too many children in America today.

‘Instilling in Brooklyn the value of generational responsibility, she knows that a better sense of unity among children will make a future America and global community even greater.’

Mr Shriver continued: ‘These trips create invaluable awareness- building and advocacy. We look forward to continuing to work with Victoria to ensure that every child in America gets a fair start in life.’

Save The Children’s US programmes serve 50,000 in nearly 200 of America’s poorest and most remote communities.

(source)

Not many pet owners can spend it like Beckham.

The Posh family reportedly dropped more than $2,000 on a pair of micro pigs, according to the U.K. Daily Mail.

The teacup-sized swine are said to being pampered at David and Victoria Beckham’s Hertfordshire estate.

While the former Spice Girl reportedly wants to name the costly crossbreeds Elton and David, after her close friends Elton John and his partner, David Furnish, the football star would prefer to call them Pinky and Perky.

The pedigree pigs weigh just nine ounces at birth and grow to be about 14 inches tall.

The Beckhams join other celebs including “Harry Potter’s” Rupert Grint in getting in on the micro pig-craze.

Breeder Jane Croft, 42, tells the Mail, “Demand for micro pigs is soaring and we are inundated with inquiries every day. It’s amazing how popular they have suddenly become and just how many people want pigs as pets.”

(source)

With her new fashion collection and three boys to look after, Victoria Beckham has had rather a lot on her plate.

But only, it seems, figuratively speaking.

The former Spice Girl star looked more gaunt than ever as she attended an exclusive dinner party in London’s Mayfair last night.
As she mingled among the crowd at the London Fashion Week affair she looked by far the thinnest there – no easy feat in a room full of models.

But the 35-year-old seemed unconcerned by her weight critics as she flaunted her tiny frame in a bandeau-style bubble mini-dress.

The off-the-shoulder confection is from her new Victoria Beckham collection, which she unveiled at New York Fashion Week earlier this month.

She was certainly eager to network in the fashion crowd, stealing chats with superrmodels Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer.

Mrs Beckham arrived in London this morning after jetting off from her LA base where she lives with David and their three sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.

Posh, whose dress collection has won critical acclaim, is now a regular on the fashion circuit having carved out a successful career as a designer.

(source)

Lulu Kennedy and Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham and Alexandra Shulman

Victoria Beckham says she’s “beyond excited” at being an “American Idol” judge.

In fact, Victoria, 35, even says her joy is ruining her usual miserable persona.

“When I got the phone call, I just couldn’t believe it,” the former Spice Girl told Ryan Seacrest in an interview on his radio show.

“I feel like I got the best job that there is. I’m still grinning from ear to ear.

“I’m going to try hard to pout and not shatter the illusion that I’m a moody cow, but I don’t know if I can – I’m just so happy,” she said.

London’s Daily Mail reports that the mother-of-three will appear in one episode of series nine of the show for a rumoured $219,000 fee.

Her first scenes at the call back auditions of the show were filmed at a hotel in Denver Friday.

Wearing a purple strapless gown, she shook hands with fans on her way in.

Victoria’s inclusion on the hit program comes after the departure of judge Paula Abdul, who announced her decision to quit in a rumoured row over her pay.

When asked if she felt guilty at filling Paula’s seat by the show’s host, Victoria said: ‘You know, I don’t. I’m a spiritual person, and I believe you get back what you put out there.

“I hope she does something that’s bigger and better, and I hope she’s going to be happy. She’s great so she’s going to be good at whatever she does.”

Like Paula, Victoria says she wants to be a kind judge.

“I want to be nice to people,’ she said. ‘I know how it feels to be stood there and be judged and how it can feel when nerves get the better of you.

“I don’t want to shatter anybody’s dream. But at the same time, there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of constructive criticism.”

And sitting alongside Simon Cowell? “He is the only man in the music industry who turned down the Spice Girls and said that we would never work,’ she said. ‘I’m looking forward to a bit of banter.’

The appearance will be a prime opportunity for Victoria to endear herself to America following the Beckham family’s move to Los Angeles in 2007.

(source)