ONTD

Madonna — you can’t do better than that!” Victoria Beckham joked when asked to identify her emerging customer base. (An early group of her spring dresses hit Bergdorf Goodman and Selfridges weeks ago.) She was referring to the current W photo shoot in which Madonna makes steamy stuff of one look.

In fact, Beckham has a broader base in mind. Though too early to tell a mere two collections into her second career, judging from the controlled lineup she showed on Sunday, it seems that she may indeed be no lightweight. (Figuratively, that is. Formerly Posh is still a slip of a girl.) Beckham’s focus remains on curvy, sensual dresses that won’t date easily. Such was her launch raison d’être, which now, one very bizarre season later, seems ever so savvy. For fall, she added shorter, more relaxed looks and conversely, more demonstrative flourishes such as a glam fold to the bodice of a cocktail dress inspired by her wedding gown. There were also “capes,” actually swing-back affairs with zip-up sleeves, and sultry evening gowns — some with long sleeves! — with a Forties siren feel. As for helping a gal suck it all in, Beckham removed the inner “obi” construction featured in numerous spring designs, in favor of offering a single, separate corset, retailing for $590. “That helps keep the price of the dresses down,” she said. Might it also signal an innerwear collection in the near feature? “Why,” Beckham mused, “that’s a very good idea.”