Brand Beckham and the Rise of the Clapback Costume
When words fail, clothes do the talking. From the Beckhams to Diana's revenge dress, fashion has become a powerful language of image management in the public eye. This phenomenon, known as the clapback costume, is gaining traction as celebrities use attire to convey messages without uttering a single word.
The Paris Fashion Week Statement
Over a week after Brooklyn Beckham's social media revelations about his family, the remaining Beckhams made a calculated appearance at Paris Fashion Week. David Beckham, once the world's most famous footballer and now its most famous parent, arrived in Paris to support Victoria Beckham as she received the honour of becoming a knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. However, his presence was about more than just support; it was a carefully orchestrated display of unity and resilience.
The family presented a united front, with members wearing designs from Victoria Beckham and Loewe, appearing demure and coordinated. Yet, it was David's entrance into La Réserve Paris that truly shifted the discourse. He carried a ludicrously capacious tan canvas Hermès Haut à Courroie bag, a piece rarer than the iconic Birkin, and wore a Momotaro jacket crafted from indigo-dyed sashiko dobby fabric.
The Semiotics of Sashiko
The jacket's material, sashiko, is a Japanese technique of decorative reinforcement or visible mending, which translates to little stabs. This detail has led to widespread speculation: was David sending a vestiary message to his estranged son Brooklyn, or simply opting for comfort on the Eurostar? The ambiguity fuels the narrative of fashion as a silent communicator.
Andy Milligan, a brand consultant and author of Brand It Like Beckham, suggests the choice could be deliberate. He notes that for brands like the Beckhams, appearance—costume, demeanour, and comportment—is critically important. Whether the semiotics are overt or covert, they play a key role in shaping public perception.
Historical Precedents and Modern Examples
The clapback costume is not a new concept. It traces back to Diana, Princess of Wales, whose famous shirred black dress, worn to a gala in 1994 after her husband confessed his affair, coined the term revenge dress. Jacki Vause, CEO of Dimoso PR, emphasises that images have always held more power than words, long before social media. In crisis management, how one appears often outweighs what one says.
Other examples include Lily Allen dressing as French schoolgirl Madeline after discovering her ex-husband's lover, Bella Hadid wearing an outrageous bikini post-breakup, and influencer Chiara Ferragni attending a Schiaparelli show in a girlboss leather suit after fraud charges. Royals like Meghan Markle and the late Queen Elizabeth II have also used fashion to make pointed statements, such as the post-Brexit not-EU-flag hat.
The Beckham Brand and Image Management
David Beckham exists in a unique space: he is not merely a celebrity but part of a brand built on intense scrutiny. In an age of AI, social media, and fungible truths, image is everything. The Beckhams have long understood this, warming to digital media for branding purposes earlier than most. Fashion has been instrumental in shaping David's narrative since his football days, from his hairstyles to sarongs and leather jackets, all aimed at keeping the brand in conversation.
The recent family drama, sparked by Brooklyn's social media posts alleging inappropriate behaviour and trademark restrictions, has forced the Beckhams to navigate a 360-degree crisis management operation. Their response, through fashion at Paris Fashion Week, underscores the importance of visual communication in maintaining brand integrity.
The Power of Visual Communication
We live in a visual age where judgments are made before words are read. Clothes have not replaced the written word, but they serve as a valid and immediate communication tool for public figures. For a family like the Beckhams, whose business is fame, every outfit choice is parsed for meaning. David Beckham may not be inherently fashionable—he often sports flat-caps and tweeds—but as a public figure, he occasionally wears his heart on his sleeve, using fashion to speak volumes in silence.
Underestimate the power of the clapback costume at your peril. In the realm of celebrity and brand management, what you wear can be as telling as what you say, shaping narratives and controlling discourse without a single word uttered.
