Victoria Beckham demands her frocks back

Victoria Beckham has called in ‘the mother of all returns’ after the collapse of fashion group Matches.

The former Spice Girl and bosses at her VB label have demanded that the online retailer gives back all the summer stock she sent to it in March, only to learn days later that the company had failed.

A VB source says she has been working with Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, which bought Matches last December, to get her clothes back because she fears the firm, now in administration, may not pay her.

Currently there are 68 VB lines on sale on the website. The source said: ‘Matches is continuing to sell designer clothing online, and has promised to pay for it all. But some brands, like VB, have insisted on getting the stock back so they can sell it themselves. Not everyone is convinced Mike Ashley’s outfit – and the administrators – will pay up.’

Different brands have their own arrangements with Matches. In VB’s case, Victoria has ordered that her whole collection must be sent back – which has been agreed to, in principle. Smaller labels had to write off their stock and now face losing their business.

Luxury womenswear label Cefinn, owned by Samantha Cameron, was anxious it would not recoup a huge summer order placed by the retailer. The Foreign Secretary‘s wife feared financial turmoil after she made huge amounts of Cefinn clothing for Matches and shipped the order without being paid upfront. When administrators moved in, she was told her clothes were no longer needed, and she was forced to foot the bill – until VB paved the way for a mammoth return.

A source said: ‘After VB demanded all its stock back, Cefinn followed suit and insisted on a full return. Matches has agreed to do so, in principle, for both labels. Shipments have started, but it’s a slow process. It’s the mother of all returns.’

There were fears among staff that the Matches closure would push Cefinn to the brink of collapse, though the MoS understands the business now expects to survive.

Cefinn, VB, Matches and Frasers Group declined to comment.