When Victoria Beckham announced that she had designed a range of dresses and would present them at New York fashion week, there was a rasp of Smythson pencils being sharpened, not altogether supportively, in the front row.
But yesterday afternoon, the select band of buyers and editors who viewed the collection changed their tune. "Beautiful", "desirable" and "classy" were among the words bandied about.
Top boutiques and department stores have already begun squabbling over the right to sell the first collection of dresses with "Victoria Beckham" in the label when it hits stores in February.
With only 400 dresses being made in the first season, the range looks destined to be a sellout, even with retail prices starting at £650.
The 10 dresses are all immediately recognisable as signature Victoria Beckham. They are figure-hugging, cut to maximise curves, although with a modest below-the-knee hemline and come in sizes six to 14.
Couture-type fabrics - organza, silk gazar, taffeta - and restrained shades of black, navy, oyster and ivory (with one shot of electric blue) are offset by full-length rose gold zips running from the nape of the neck to the back of the knee.
The high standard of the collection prompted many to question whether Beckham, who has no design training, could take credit for their creation.
The influence of Roland Mouret, whose dresses Beckham often wears, is very visible in the collection, but Beckham said yesterday that she designed the entire collection with no assistance from Mouret or anyone else.