NEW YORK – You might find it surprising to learn that Victoria Beckham, the glamorous former Spice Girl turned renowned fashion designer, was once relegated to the back row of her theater school because she was deemed too heavy.

“It was a tough time,” Victoria recalls, reflecting on her past as she sips sparkling water in a Manhattan hotel during a break from her busy schedule. “We were constantly judged by our appearance. I was young, struggling with acne, battling weight fluctuations, and my hair was lifeless.”

In her school days, Beckham faced bullying and was labeled a poor student, revelations she shares in her new documentary, “Victoria Beckham.” This three-part Netflix series charts her journey, focusing on her rise in the fashion industry and culminating in a spectacular Paris runway show held in a palace with 600 attendees.

The 2024 fashion show, nearly derailed by an impending storm, is depicted as a crowning achievement for Beckham, who spent years proving her mettle in the fashion world. The documentary features endorsements from industry titans like Vogue’s Anna Wintour, highlighting Beckham’s transition from celebrity to respected designer.

Notably, the series also includes appearances by her famous husband, soccer icon David Beckham, much like Victoria’s participation in his own recent Netflix hit “Beckham.” Both documentaries are creations of David Beckham’s Studio 99.

Some reviews have said Victoria’s documentary feels more guarded and less revelatory. In any case, Victoria Beckham says wanted to tell her own story, her own way. She focuses only briefly on what a certain generation knows her best for — the four years she spent as Posh Spice — and mostly on the two decades she’s been building her eponymous fashion and beauty brand.

Other revelations: While she was the richer partner when they married in 1999 and in fact bought their first house, it was David Beckham who later invested in her label and helped get it going.

She also talks about how her company almost fell apart due to bad business decisions — like spending 70,000 pounds (about $94,000) on office plants and 15,000 (about $20,000) more to water them — and how she learned, with investors, to right the ship.

Beckham, 51, sat down with The Associated Press this week during a visit to New York. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

AP: The other Beckham documentary appeared only two years ago. Why did you feel the need for your own?

BECKHAM: Well, his documentary wasn’t about me, you know. I was in the documentary as David’s wife and I’ve been part of his journey and I was so honored to talk about that. People’s response to me in that really surprised me, and there was something quite liberating about that because when I saw myself … I didn’t like how I came across. But then I think I’ve always felt that way about myself. I suppose it gave me the confidence to do my own.

AP: What specific stories did you want to tell?

BECKHAM: I’ve been in the fashion industry for almost two decades. I was in the Spice Girls for four years — and have been so defined by that four-year period in my life. A time that I’m so proud of, but I’ve fighting preconceptions because of that period. I feel that only now is my brand in a place where me talking about my past will not affect the brand that I’ve built.

AP: You say this is an inspirational story. How so?

BECKHAM: I’m not ashamed to say I’m really ambitious. And it’s been the first time that I’ve ever looked back and, having that bird’s eye view on my journey so far, even I found it inspiring what I have done … the fact that I have been told “No” so many times, told that I’m not enough, not good enough. And by the way, that started when I was a child, when I was at school. If anybody watches this documentary and I can give them the confidence to follow their dreams, that’s another really good reason to do it.

AP: Do you think people have misperceptions about you?

BECKHAM: Oh absolutely, I think that for many years I was misunderstood, before social media, you know, the media told the narrative, and then there were paparazzi pictures where most of the time I looked incredibly unhappy. And I think looking at the documentary telling my story from ME explains the why. I can’t blame people for looking at the pictures of me looking really grumpy.

AP: You talk about your weight struggles as a girl in theater class. Have you spoken about that before?

BECKHAM: Never quite like this. The opportunity has never really presented itself. And I know a lot of people can relate to my story because of all the messages that I’ve had since people have watched the documentary. … From, yes, people that I know, but people that I don’t know, people who say, “I can relate, I have been through that.” It’s taken this process finally for me to feel at my age proud of what I’ve achieved and also to finally believe that I am enough.

AP: It seems like you spend relatively little time in the series on the Spice Girls years.

BECKHAM: I’m so respectful of my time with Spice Girls. I still see all of the girls now. I wouldn’t be who I am now … the Spice Girls gave me the confidence to be me. I remember Geri (Halliwell) saying to me, “You’re funny, be funny.” I’m shy. And they really gave me my personality back. … I think people would be surprised to know that I was only a Spice Girl for four years. I’ve been in fashion nearly two decades, but people like to pigeonhole.

AP: Two decades later, do you think there are still people who wonder whether it’s really you doing the designing?

BECKHAM: Maybe. I don’t know. … I think I’ve earned my place to be showing where I am. I think that I’ve more than proved myself and earned the right to be there. Now I have to work hard to maintain that.

AP: You talk about business mistakes you made, even when you were getting top reviews for your fashion.

BECKHAM: I’ve learned so much. I know what I know and I really know what I DON’T know. It got to a stage where my investors told me that we had to re-strategize not just the business side of things but the creative things as well. And that was difficult. … We had to change a lot of things to fix the business and I took it on the chin. Of course that meant compromising, but I wanted to save the business.

AP: How is business doing now, both fashion and beauty?

BECKHAM: Fashion in its own right is profitable. And to be able to say that in this current climate is something I’m very proud of. I’m an independent brand as well, so I’m incredibly proud to say the fashion is making money. Beauty is also doing incredibly well. And now, it is about building the house that I really have always dreamed of.

AP: You speak about family in the show, going back to your father and his influence on your entrepreneurship. But does it annoy you that people like to write about your current family dynamics?

BECKHAM: I recognize that I am really blessed. I am very appreciative of the life I have. You have to take it along with the other stuff.