For a man so often seen modelling underpants, David Beckham was noticeably shy at the launch of his own range of underwear. Hundreds of fans hoping to catch a glimpse of "Goldenballs", as the footballer is known to his wife, had to make do with posters and two-meter-tall silver statues.
Beckham swept through the crowds into the H&M store on Regent Street, London, wearing a cream cardigan and blue jeans. It was not clear if the pants underneath bore the name of his new range, David Beckham, nor if he was wearing a pair of his own long johns to guard against the bitter cold.
Putting his name to underpants was perhaps a logical step for Beckham, the footballer, model and now hosier. His wife, former spice girl, Victoria Beckham, has put her name to an award-winning label and almost sold out of her second line when it launched earlier this week.
In a simple colour palette of grey, black and white, the nine no-frills cotton designs (which also include pyjama bottoms and vests) have a classic, sporty feel but there's none of the hi-tech fabric that Beckham will be more used to wearing in his day job.
David has high ambitions for his brand. "I've been around for 36 years, I've seen my fair share of underwear," he said at a press conference. "I'd love to be as big as Calvin Klein."
