David Beckham: ‘I think I know myself and my style now’

Today sees the launch of our favourite right foot’s new Eau de Parfum fragrance collection. Teo van den Broeke sat down exclusively with David Beckham to discuss all things scent, hair and style

David Beckham is a busy man. In addition to a mesmerising footballing career, which has carried on well into his forties thanks to his part-acquisition of Inter Miami FC in 2018, Becks also owns a whisky brand, an eyewear company, he’s an ambassadorial president for the British Fashion Council and he recently signed a documentary deal with Disney+. Phew. 

Arguably one of the most valuable branches of the DB7 franchise tree, however, is fragrance. Since launching his first own-name scent with Coty in 2005, Beckham has gone on to launch some 33 additional iterations, including the most recent, a three-flacon-strong Eau de Parfum collection. 

An elevated offering no doubt inspired by the multi-prong fragrance families which have recently become the lucrative mainstays of many luxury brands (Louis Vuitton’s Les Parfums Louis Vuitton and Dior’s La Collection Privée most notably), each fragrance in DB’s new offering sits in a specific olfactive family, from the mint-laced Aromatic Greens, to the oceanic notes of Infinite Aqua and cedrat-heavy Refined Woods.

I sat down with Beckham to discover where his new fragrance offering sits in the market, how it differentiates from the rest, what scent means to him and, of course, how much he enjoyed going back to blond over lockdown. 

Talk to me about fragrance, David. How do you use it and what does it mean to you? 

Scent can be so powerful in reminding us of certain places, people and times in our life. They also make us feel confident and can complement our moods. Using fragrance is a part of getting ready for me – I feel it can complete my outfit and make me feel great as I’m about to leave the house, setting me up for the day or night ahead.

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And why is your new fragrance collection so special? What sets it apart from everything else on the market? 

This fragrance collection is very personal to me. I have been fortunate to work with Coty and their incredible perfumers for the past 15 years and developing the new fragrance range was a natural progression for us, delivering new long-lasting scents to our loyal customers and hopefully some new ones. I’m very involved in the whole process of creating the fragrance, from the scents to the packaging, and I have developed a collection that I love and I hope others will too. Many of the notes in my new collection are some of my favourite smells and make me feel nostalgic. Scent can be a reminder of good things and good times.

You spend a great deal of your time travelling, I imagine. Do you use fragrance to try and ground you? 

For me, scents always remind me of a place. Scent has the ability to help us escape and return to somewhere great that we’ve been before. When I’m travelling away for work, scent also has the power to transport me back home with my family. With the new fragrances, Infinite Aqua reminds me of driving down the Pacific Coast Highway; Aromatic Greens reminds me of country walks; and Refined Woods re-creates travel experiences. 

Which other fragrances in the collection remind you of specific places?

We filmed for this campaign in Miami, which has become my second home, and I loved the freedom of the open roads there, with the ocean on one side and forests on the other. My friend Derek came for a motorbike ride with me for the campaign film and being there in Miami really captured the essence of this new collection.

Ok, enough about fragrance, let’s talk hair. You’re famous for innovating with your cuts. Which have been your favourites over the years?

I really enjoyed my back-to-blond days this year! My kids love to tease me but they need to realise Dad did it first in the ’90s and that Dad’s still got it. Imitation is the best form of flattery.

Has your personal style changed as you’ve got older? You’ve always dressed in a way which seems entirely specific to you. 

I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredible designers over the years and try many different looks but what I tend to revert to now is a very classic and timeless style. I think I know myself and my style now and I believe the main thing is being confident and comfortable in yourself.

Dead or alive, which man has the best style around?

Steve McQueen, and he rode motorcycles too. So it fits with this campaign.

David Beckham Trio Eau De Toilette Gift Set 30ml are available now at fragrancedirect.co.uk from £24.95.