There aren’t many people whose names are known the world over. But David Beckham is one of them. His 88.4 million followers, despite only joining the platform in 2015 and not being a regular poster, can vouch for that. After making his name in football, Beckham’s fame goes far beyond the sporting world transcending into business and fashion. Whether it’s because of his latest business venture or his latest look, his name is often seen in a variety of publications.
But it’s been this way for quite some time. Beckham made his professional football debut in 1992 for Manchester United. But it wasn’t until later that decade that his fame started to transcend sport thanks to a high-profile relationship and an impeccable style. Here’s a look at Beckham’s ever-changing style that made him a fashion icon through four different decades.
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90s
The 90s was when Beckham first burst onto the scene. As one of the hottest young prospects in football and in a relationship with a member of one of the most popular girl bands, he regularly found himself on the front and back pages of newspapers.
In terms of his style, it’s no surprise that Beckham’s younger years were some of his most extravagant and arguably his most opinion-splitting amongst fans. His most controversial outfits came when coordinating looks with partner Victoria, who has even spoken about her regret of wearing matching full leather Gucci fits to a Versace event.
Even more controversial than this though was their choice of wedding attire. The pair wore matching purple suits, something they recreated earlier this year in a more stylish manner.
On a more positive note, the 90s marked the start of his iconic tattoos. He chose to mark the birth of his first child, Brooklyn, by having his name permanently inscribed across his lower back.
00s
Throughout the noughties, Beckham’s on-field performance and off-field brand saw him become the face of many companies, most notably Adidas, with whom he has gone on to enjoy a long-term partnership. In terms of his style, Beckham’s ever-changing hairstyles took centre stage.
The 2000s started with Beckham sporting a lack of hair after he opted for a fully shaved head, most recognisable from his iconic free-kick goal against Greece. From there he progressed into a dashing mohawk before returning to the skinhead. By the time he moved to Madrid, Beckham’s hair had gone from one extreme to the other, swapping the skinhead for a slicked-back ponytail.
Other styles through this decade included the bleached blonde look and various spiky options. After his 2007 move to L.A., Beckham’s hair choices had started to mature as he rocked more subtle, classic looks.
10s
As he came towards the end of his playing career, Beckham’s style evolved. His hair took the form of a clean undercut often paired with a full beard and his choice of clothes was simpler yet always on point.
The start of this decade saw Beckham partner with retailer H&M. The collaboration saw Beckham launch a line of underwear and loungewear in the retail giant’s stores across the world.
Throughout this era, Beckham swapped men’s full tracksuits for tailor-made suits as he took on various corporate roles including becoming an ambassador for Samsung and a torch bearer for the 2012 Olympic games in London.
By the start of this decade, Beckham’s arms had become covered in tattoos. But by the end of the decade, Beckham’s whole body had become a work of art. His neck, legs, and hands had all been inscribed mostly with tributes to his family with some of the artwork even designed by his daughter, Harper.
20s
During the last few years, Beckham has entered his owner era after his MLS franchise, Inter Miami, formed and entered the 2020 season. As a result, Beckham spends the majority of his time in Miami often snapped in his club suit announcing new signings.
He also signed a lucrative deal to become an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup, another commitment that saw him don more formal attire. Outside of his corporate commitments, Beckham was in the news after his four-part documentary hit Netflix.
While no stranger to the business world, it was the 2020s that saw Beckham launch his own eyewear collection, meaning his Instagram profile is awash with pictures of Beckham rocking a range of stylish glasses.
2025 will see David Beckham celebrate his 50th birthday, but one thing’s for sure, he’ll continue to impact fashion trends from Manchester to Miami. Whether it be through his luxury casual mens full tracksuit or 3 piece suits. Speaking of Miami, his post-retirement career as a team owner in the U.S. will mean the style icon will continue to be in the headlines. It will also be interesting to see where his entrepreneurial career heads given his latest venture into eyewear. Will brands still scramble to work with the footballing fashionista for a fifth consecutive decade?