Interview | David Beckham | ‘I’ve visited many places in Asia in the last twenty years, I keep coming back’

David Beckam opens the new H&M Macau store

Former British football player David Beckham last Saturday returned to town to thrill shoppers and fans for the debut of fashion retailer H&M in Macau. In a meeting with local and Hong Kong media, the style icon talked about his current life and career.

– Can you talk more about your film with Guy Ritchie?
David Beckam – Obviously Guy is a very good friend of mine. When we started talking about doing the campaign, and doing something that would be special for H&M, Guy was one of the first people I spoke to. Guy is an advisor, he had an idea. I think what we did was pretty incredible; he’s a great, amazing film director, so to do a campaign like this was interesting for him, and I think he did an amazing job. I think people saw the humor throughout the spot and that was something he really wanted to get across. Running around the streets in my underwear was definitely something that I’ve never done before! [laughter] So it was interesting, it was fun.

– Have you considered becoming an actor in the future?
DB – I’ve been asked that questions a number of times throughout my career and my life. It’s not something that I’ve ever thought I would go into, but obviously doing things like I did with Guy [Ritchie] and a couple of other things that I’ve been involved in. I’ve done campaigns for a number of years, with different sponsors. So this required a little bit of acting; whether I did it well or not, I don’t know, but people seemed to enjoy it. But going forward, who knows? Any opportunities that come up in the future, if they interest me, we’ll see.

– What do you enjoy the most during your time with your family?
DB – Of course I love my family a lot. So obviously the time I get to spend with them is also very special, because in my career, I’ve spent a lot of time travelling. So now that I’m finished, I’m still busy, I’m still travelling, but I get to spend quite a lot of time with them. We just do normal things, go to the park, ride bikes, play football, going to Bali now, there’s a lot of things we do, normal things.

– What’s the Father’s Day gift you want the most?
DB – Love, and hopes, and kisses, you know, just time. You always want to spend time with your parents, your mother, your father, so I hope that continues with my children.
– Would you consider moving to an Asian city, like Hong Kong or Macau, if there is an opportunity?
DB – There’s many cities that I’ve lived around the world, and many countries that I’ve visited and also lived in, so nothing is off the table. If are any opportunities come up and if they are great opportunities, then of course, we’d always consider living in different places, to do different projects and work. But you know my children are settled in London, they go to school in London, so I think it’s important that they continue to have a stable upbringing and a stable life, at a very young age. But I’ve visited many places in Asia in the last twenty years, I keep coming back, so I must love something about it. So yeah, who knows, if there’re different opportunities that come up.

– How do you feel about sharing the same birthday with the newly born Princess Charlotte?
DB – Obviously I feel very special to have the birthday that I have, and to share that with the princess is obviously very special. Because I’m a huge royalist, and the royal family has been a very special part in my life for many, many years, from my grandmother. So to share my birthday with the princess is special. BY

Hundreds flock to new H&M shop anticipating Beckham

Hundreds of eager shoppers and football fans congregated on Saturday outside Macau’s first H&M store to catch a glimpse of their idol, David Beckham. The British sporting and style icon inaugurated the two-story retail space and signed autographs for a group of local fans.
“I’m very happy to be able to spend time with my fans at H&M’s grand opening at Shoppes at Venetian. It is fantastic to be a part of this celebration, and I am happy to see that my extended collaboration with H&M, the Modern Essentials collection, is being sold in Macau. Each piece from the collection is a take on a new wardrobe classic that we envision updating every man’s spring wardrobe; it is exciting to see the positive response from my fans towards this collection so far,” said Beckham.
H&M’s country manager for Greater China, Magnus Olsson, stressed that the brand’s cooperation with Beckham started in 2012, through the Modern Essentials collection recently selected by the star. “It’s one of the biggest fashion retailers in the world. H&M is committed to providing fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way, and we are very happy today to give that to our customers in Macau,” he stated at the popular brand’s Macau debut.
“Seeing the enthusiasm from our customers today, we just know that our store at Shoppes at Venetian will be the glittering new shopping destination for locals and visitors of Macau,” added the country manager. BY