Victoria Beckham Beauty Enters the Middle East Nov. 20

Victoria Beckham Beauty launches in the Middle East on Nov. 20 at Ounass and Bloomingdales.ae, in partnership with Al Tayer Insignia, WWD has learned exclusively. Chief executive officer Lauren Edelman told WWD the region could become one of the brand's top five markets, alongside the U.S., the U.K. and Australia.

"From what I've experienced in the region so far, I'm expecting a pretty blockbuster launch for us," Edelman said. Blockbuster expectations carry a caveat: the rollout is deliberately slow, with the brand targeting more than 300 doors only by the end of 2026.

Why Beckham waited for the region

Beckham signs off on every product that carries her name, down to the size of a lipstick bullet. She told WWD the region has long been important to her and that "there's an appetite right now." A trip to Dubai last year, for her fashion capsule with Ounass, gave her a read on the customer.

"I really enjoyed meeting the women. I could really relate to the ladies," Beckham said. "They appreciate quality, and for me, being a creative director at both fashion and beauty, I'm very, very hands-on with every single detail for both brands. Because ultimately, it's all about the product."

That scrutiny slows development. Rouge Victoria, the refillable lipstick in six shades of red, took more than two years. Beckham kept sending submissions back because she wanted a smaller bullet — a challenge when the case needed a magnet and a refill system.

"I never put anything out there until I truly believe it is best in class," she said. "Nothing is easy to develop when you're trying to create something that hasn't been done before."

How the products are tested

Testing is personal. "I wear-test everything," Beckham said. "If I can wear-test my makeup and be in Miami in August in the most extreme humidity, then I'm pretty confident that it's not going to let anybody down in the Middle East." On her last visit, she recalled, it was very hot, and the products stayed in place.

The launch carries the brand's full global assortment rather than a regional edit. Beckham said every product is developed to work across skin tones, from foundation to nude lipsticks to reds. "There's definitely nothing we need to reformulate," she said.

What will sell first?

Edelman expects fragrance to take a much larger share of sales in the region than it does globally, with the Satin Kajal Liner holding its number-one spot. Beckham called her scents "my autobiography through scent" and welcomed layering in a market that popularized the practice. "They work as individual fragrances, but if you do want to layer them, I love how people can take my product and personalize them," she said.

The kajal liner is the brand's global bestseller. Beckham wears the Cocoa shade daily and often reaches for Cinnamon, which she expects to be a hit in the region. "It's a non-scary way to also have fun and update your look," she said of adding a fine line of navy or dark green.

"The Middle East has one of the most discerning beauty audiences in the world. People who know exactly what excellence looks like and won't settle for less," Edelman said. "That is precisely who we create for."

What comes next

Edelman said the retail partners were chosen to protect brand equity as the business scales; Beckham's fashion label already works with Ounass and Bloomingdale's, which opened its first regional store at The Dubai Mall in 2010. Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are under consideration for the coming years, but Edelman is pacing the expansion. "We really try to go as best as we can, not as fast as we can," she said.

Beckham, meanwhile, is planning a return trip. "I cannot wait to come back and talk to more of my customers," she said, "because ultimately it's always about giving my customer what she wants."