This summer middle-class clothing stores are touting collections from some of the catwalk’s most exclusive names – and it could renew one of the most famous ‘feuds’ in fashion.
Both Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney have a history of tensions, with everything from reports of ‘nanny poaching’ to a 2017 row over Harper Beckham’s birthday party in Buckingham Palace.
There have also been professional disputes, with allegations of ‘stealing’ designers and models from one another.
But the rivalry could be set to resurface on the High Street, as both Stella and Victoria have released affordable collections with popular mid-range stores.
Posh Spice has designed a 38-piece collaboration with GAP, which includes tops, denim, sweaters and outerwear.
The range, which starts at £25 and goes up to £250, takes inspiration from the brand’s classic logo hoodies and t shirts which became popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
It comes as Stella released her second collection with High Street favourite H&M this month.
It is priced similarly to Victoria’s Gap collaboration and features items such as the infamous ‘Rock Royalty’ tank that was first made by Stella for the 1999 Met Gala.
It’s sure to be a fierce battle for customers, but their ‘rivalry’ goes far back – and beyond the confines of High Street revivals.
Victoria and Stella have known each other for years, after first meeting in 2010, when David hired Stella’s husband Alasdhair for his styling services.
However, while he is often credited with Becks’ post LA Galaxy fashion rebrand, it seems relations between the McCartneys and Beckhams have gotten frostier over the years.
The dispute goes as far back as nearly a decade ago, when Victoria and David’s youngest child, Harper, had a sixth birthday party at Buckingham Palace.
While the teenager is unlikely to want a princess-themed party this year, nine years ago she was treated to an afternoon tea party of a lifetime by the then-Prince Andrew and Duchess of York.
Back in 2017 when six-year-old Harper was enrolled in a top London Stage school attended by Pixie Lott and Louise Redknapp, the Beckhams made headlines for sharing photos of their daughter dressed as Princess Elsa from Frozen joined by a group of friends; one of whom included Stella’s daughter Reiley Willis.
Details of the supposedly private tea party were kept secret on the day until David and Victoria posted a series of photos on Instagram days later, much to the royals’ – and Stella’s – dismay.
Both Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney have a history of tensions, with everything from reports of ‘nanny poaching’ to a 2017 row over Harper Beckham’s birthday party in Buckingham Palace. Pictured from left to right: Victoria, Stella and Natalia Vodianova in 2009
The dispute goes as far back as nearly a decade ago, when Victoria and David’s youngest child, Harper, had a sixth birthday party at Buckingham Palace. Harper pictured third from right. Princess Eugenie pictured third from left
A source told The Sun that Paul McCartney’s daughter was ‘furious’.
‘Stella is spitting feathers about it because she always tries to keep her kids out of the public eye and never posts about them on her own social media accounts,’ the insider claimed.
‘She is especially furious because she has an OBE and has nothing but respect for the royal family. She hoped no-one would notice it was Reiley and has outlined the rules to her staff.’
The post was taken down. However, three years later, there were also reported rows over the ‘poaching’ of a nanny – who was allegedly ‘the best in town’.
This, reportedly, was ‘the final nail in the friendship coffin’.
‘She wants the best for her family, and heard on the playground grapevine that Stella’s nanny was one of the best in town. She got her number and made her a lucrative offer to jump ship. When Stella found out, she went nuclear,’ a source told The Sun.
Things didn’t just get rife on the playground but also the runway.
However, a branding expert said that Victoria (right) and Stella (left) are likely not still feuding, but are simply part of the same trend cycle in fashion
The outlet reported that, after seeing that Victoria had booked Gigi and Bella Hadid to walk in her first ever Paris Fashion Week show in 2023, Stella decided to offer the pair a place on her catwalk as well.
‘Everyone found it very funny and now it’s become a bit of a joke in the fashion world,’ the insider shared.
‘People were saying they can’t wait to see which models Posh books for her autumn/winter 2024 show because they will no doubt be calling them up too.’
And models were not the only liability when it came to their professional rivalry.
In 2022, Victoria was said to have ‘poached’ fashion industry heavyweight Jane How – who had worked with Stella for years.
However, a branding expert said that Victoria and Stella’s collections are not necessarily linked to the ‘rivalry’.
‘The renewed attention around Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney entering or re-entering the high street conversation absolutely taps into the long-standing narrative the media has built around their relationship, but culturally this feels less like a genuine “feud revival” and more like a reflection of where luxury fashion is heading in 2026,’ communications expert Olivia Bell told the Daily Mail.
‘There’s a growing shift away from ultra-exclusive fashion towards what I’d call ‘aspirational accessibility’.
‘Consumers still want designer credibility and cultural cachet, but they also want wearability, practicality and price points that feel more realistic in today’s economy.
‘High street collaborations allow luxury-adjacent brands to stay culturally relevant while reaching a much broader audience.’
She added: ‘What makes Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney particularly interesting is that they represent two very distinct versions of British luxury femininity.
‘Victoria Beckham’s brand has evolved into sleek, polished, minimalist power dressing, while Stella McCartney has long positioned itself around conscious luxury, sustainability, and relaxed sophistication.
‘Whenever both names appear in similar commercial spaces, the media naturally gravitates toward comparison because they occupy overlapping cultural territory.’
