EXCLUSIVE: Victoria Beckham denies plans to ‘sell sex toys’ as she prepares to rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s $250m Goop empire with new lifestyle brand
Victoria Beckham has denied claims she’s planning to sell sex toys as she prepares to rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s $250 million (£192 million) Goop empire with her new lifestyle brand.
A report from the Daily Star had alleged the fashion mogul, 46, was looking to match the 47-year-old actress’ company in ‘every way’ and had trademarked the initials ‘VB’ for her exciting venture.
Hitting back at the reports, a source close to the business exclusively told MailOnline: ‘This is absolutely not true! There are no plans to sell sex toys!’
EXCLUSIVE: Victoria Beckham has denied claims she’s planning to sell sex toys as she prepares launch her new lifestyle brand (pictured with husband David in 2019)
A source speaking to the publication had claimed: ‘Victoria wants to raise revenue by launching her Goop-style business as soon as possible as she thinks she can get a piece of the same markets so profitably targeted by Gwyneth’s brand.
‘She may seem unsmiling and prudish, but Victoria reckons she has a cheeky sense of humour, and will not be shying away from trying to snag a share of the sex trade like Gwyneth has done.’
‘Sex toys will be a no-brainer for Victoria, who wants to make a fortune from the new brand.’
Goop famously sells the world’s most expensive dildos and a 24-karat gold plated vibrator that costs £12,000.
MailOnline has contacted Victoria’s representatives for comment.
Competition: A report from the Daily Star had alleged the fashion mogul, 46, was looking to match the Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop empire in ‘every way’ (pictured in January)
On her new brand, a source told The Sun earlier this month: ‘The Beckhams are huge in the States. Victoria’s products are likely to be lapped up and provide her with a lucrative leap into the international market.’
Victoria already boasts a host of beauty products to her name, after launching an eponymous brand to complement her fashion label.
On Thursday, it was reported that Victoria had to axe 20 staff at her loss-making fashion label to ‘future-proof’ it after the coronavirus pandemic – just months after reversing plans to furlough employees.
Shutting down: ‘This is absolutely not true! There are no plans to sell sex toys’, a source close to the business exclusively told MailOnline
Her company, with its flagship Mayfair store which sells £2,000 dresses and £1,000 handbags, will also halve the number of annual fashion collections after being hard-hit by the Covid-19 crisis.
The blow for the staff come just two months after she came under fire for deciding to furlough 30 members of staff.
Public outcry prompted her to reverse the decision, insisting her team’s welfare ‘means everything to me’.
CEO: Goop famously sells the world’s most expensive dildos and a 24-karat gold plated vibrator that costs £12,000, as well as candles that ‘smell like her vagina’
Victoria and her husband David, 45, are estimated to be worth £355million.
The fashion line, which she launched in 2008, made losses of £12.3million in 2018.
A spokesman for Mrs Beckham said: ‘We have built a new strategic vision to streamline and future-proof the brand and, sadly, have to make redundancies to deliver this.’
Making cuts: On Thursday, it was reported that Victoria had to axe 20 staff at her loss-making fashion label to ‘future-proof’ it after the coronavirus pandemic
Earlier this year, the former Posh Spice axed plans to furlough around 30 of the company’s 120 staff after facing fierce criticism for drawing on the public purse.
The fashion brand sent letters to 30 members of staff warning them that they were going to be furloughed under the Government’s scheme for two months.
She told The Guardian: ‘We will not now be drawing on the government furlough scheme. At the beginning of the lockdown the shareholders agreed with senior management to furlough a small proportion of staff.
‘At that point we didn’t know how long the lockdown might last or its likely impact on the business. The welfare of my team and our business means everything to me.’
It is understood the firm’s application would have cost taxpayers £150,000.
The firm denied the U-turn was a result of the public backlash and instead insisted the board ‘now believe that with the support of our shareholders, we can navigate through this crisis without drawing from the furlough scheme’.
Losses: Her company, with its flagship Mayfair store (pictured) which sells £2,000 dresses and £1,000 handbags, will also halve the number of annual fashion collections
Source: Read Full Article