The woman formerly known as Posh Spice has launched a dress collection, and, believe it or not, it's one of the hottest things going in New York this week. It should come as no surprise that Victoria Beckham is an entrepreneur to be taken seriously; she's already launched dVb denim and sunglasses, and her fragrance, which was previously unavailable here, is soon headed to the States. But her sheaths and shift dresses, which we're told several major retailers are vying to offer exclusively, will sell not on the power of her name but on the sophistication of their cut and fit.

Every one of them could've been pulled from Beckham's own closet. The silhouette is beyond body-conscious, ultra-fitted from shoulder line to below the knee, with special seams along the derriere and torso to ensure against flat rear ends and busts, respectively. And each comes with woman-friendly details like a rose-gold back zipper ("so you don't have to dive into it and mess your hair and makeup") and a removable grosgrain ribbon lining the waist ("for posture"). If the collection owes a debt to anyone, it's Roland Mouret, whose Galaxy dress gave curves to even the most skeletal of celebrities, or maybe Dolce & Gabbana. But Beckham denies the inspiration. "This has been a lifetime in the making," she said, adding that she's been wearing the best designers in the world for about as long. And she's not interested in making an It dress. "I don't want to make dresses that will date. I've always been about clever buying." The dresses will range from $1,500 to $3,600.