Romeo Beckham stepped onto the London Fashion Week stage last night looking like a slightly angrier leather jacket ad — the kind that sells attitude as much as outerwear — and the internet promptly queued up to both applaud and roll its eyes. The 23-year-old son of David and Victoria Beckham made his official runway debut at H&M’s immersive A/W25 presentation at 180 The Strand, a show already designed to blur the line between fashion theater and concert spectacle.
Striding out in an all-black leather ensemble, Romeo delivered a walk that was tight, deliberate, and undeniably photogenic. The look itself — bomber jacket with a shearling collar, paired with leather cargo trousers — read equal parts club bouncer, glossy magazine spread, and a subtle wink at the Beckham family’s long-standing love affair with sleek, polished style. For a first runway, it was less “nervous newbie” and more “cool kid at the afterparty,” setting the stage for what could be the start of a full-fledged modeling career.
“He looked like a leather-clad bouncer who just stumbled onto a Vogue cover — in the best way possible,” quipped one fashion editor in the front row.
The Look: Leather, Shearling, and Serious Faces
Romeo’s outfit was a full H&M Studio mood board come alive: a leather bomber trimmed with shearling, black leather cargo pants, and boots made for stomping. He didn’t smile once — instead serving Olympic-level seriousness. In runway speak, this is basically the gold standard. The walk itself was steady, perhaps a touch cautious, but the look carried him through: glossy, Instagram-ready, and very much on-brand for a Beckham.
“Romeo could’ve walked out in a bin bag and still made headlines — that’s the Beckham tax,” joked a journalist seated a few rows back.
Why This Debut Matters
Romeo’s appearance isn’t just another family flex. It speaks to fashion’s ongoing love affair with celebrity lineage. The H&M show wasn’t some pared-down trade presentation; it was retail spectacle reimagined as theater, complete with music, multi-act staging, and a cast of familiar faces. Models like Iris Law, Lila Moss, and Paloma Elsesser added extra wattage, creating an atmosphere where the celebrity energy was as important as the clothes themselves.
In short: pedigree sells. When you put a Beckham on a catwalk, people notice. When you surround him with other famous last names, you create a cultural moment that goes viral before the finale.
“Brands want instant virality. Booking a Beckham guarantees you don’t just trend on Twitter — you trend on TikTok too,” noted one industry insider.
The Nepo Baby Effect
Enter the buzzword no one in fashion seems to escape right now: “nepo babies.” The term has become both a badge of honor and a meme, shorthand for the offspring of celebrities who dominate fashion campaigns, runways, and glossy spreads.
Supporters argue these fresh faces bring energy, relatability, and built-in audiences to an industry desperate for attention. Critics point out that years of unpaid castings, portfolio-building, and grinding get bypassed when you’re born with a household surname.
Reality? It’s somewhere in the messy middle. Some celebrity kids, like Kaia Gerber, prove their chops and carve out serious careers. Others, frankly, coast on last names alone. Romeo sits at the start of this spectrum, with talent yet to prove and plenty of opportunities lining up.
“At this point, it’s less about modeling skills and more about who your parents are — but hey, that’s the culture right now,” sighed a stylist backstage.
What’s Next for Romeo Beckham?
One walk doesn’t make a career, but it certainly opens doors. Romeo has the Beckham brand behind him, a press machine that guarantees attention, and now, a major fashion week notch on his résumé. If he wants staying power, he’ll need to show versatility: campaigns, editorials, maybe a few designer shows that challenge him to go beyond the leather-and-pout formula.
For brands, the calculus is clear: casting celebrity offspring equals buzz, headlines, and earned media coverage that money can’t quite buy. For Romeo Beckham, the next step is proving he’s more than a headline — and that his presence on the runway isn’t just about being a Beckham but about being a model worth booking.
Final Take
Romeo’s LFW debut was exactly what fashion loves right now: sleek leather, immersive theater, and a familiar surname designed to dominate the algorithm. Whether you cheer for the dynasty effect or groan at the “nepo baby” discourse, one truth is hard to deny — the runway is now just as much about story as it is about style. And in Romeo Beckham’s case, the story is just getting started.