Posh's designer gift

What do you give the couple who have - or can afford - everything? If you are fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana, the answer is simple.

You simply close your flagship Italian stores so David and Victoria Beckham can browse in peace, then let them leave with £40,000 worth of clothes - free of charge.

The gifts to the couple, described as 'two gentle pigeons' by the designers, are certainly generous but they also have another motive.

As one store insider said: 'Whatever they touch, wear, eat or drink becomes an object of desire for millions, so to give them something as a gift is a guaranteed investment.'

The Beckhams' private shopping spree happened in Milan, where they have been staying with Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbana during the city's men's fashion week.

Bodyguards closed off the designers' stores in Via Spiga (for her) and Corso Venezia (for him) so the couple could pick the outfits they wanted at leisure while crowds of onlookers gathered outside.

The 28-year-old England captain, who is nursing an injury, chose a mixture of dark and light suits as well as shirts. His wife picked out several short skirts and tops, some of which were said to be transparent.

The store insider said: 'Whatever they fancied, they took home with them. There was no question at all of paying for anything, all they had to do was choose.'

Stefano Gabbana said: 'I like a woman who is sensual and aggressive and Victoria is just like that, but at the same time as gentle as a pigeon. They're both two gentle pigeons.

'They really are two very sweet people. We consider them very close friends.' And since the clothes are a gift between friends, the Beckhams will be unlikely to have to pay tax on them when they return to Britain, accountants said last night.

Beckham, who signed for Real Madrid from Manchester United, showed how he was not missing the Premiership.

'United? I miss London more because there is a more homely atmosphere there,' he said. 'But Madrid is a fantastic city. I am enjoying myself and the team is great.'

Insiders said the Beckhams also discussed holiday plans with Dolce and Gabbana and are considering a safari to Zambia and Botswana.

One added: ' Victoria said to Stefano, "Milan is such a great city. I'm happy to come here any time. At one point last year I thought we would move here".'

The Beckhams are due to leave Italy today. He will head back to Madrid while she will fly to London.

They have been enjoying something of a second honeymoon in Milan after arriving there on Tuesday, leaving sons Brooklyn, four, and one-year- old Romeo with their grandparents in London.

A friend said: 'Victoria and David have quite a hard time working out when they can be together, and they do miss each other a lot when they are apart.

'They decided to take this short trip, without the children, to give them a chance to spend some proper time as a couple.

'It's been a stressful few months for them - they both have extremely busy schedules and, especially after all those stories that their marriage was under strain, they just wanted to get away from it all and relax.'

The couple decided to take the break at the last minute after hearing that the ankle injury which Beckham sustained two weeks ago meant he could not play for Real Madrid in Tuesday night's game.