Tom Ford (fashion designer)
Tom Ford is an influential American fashion designer renowned for his work in high-end menswear and women's wear. Born on August 27, 1961, in Austin, Texas, he quickly gravitated towards the fashion industry after moving to New York City. Initially studying art history at New York University, Ford left college to pursue acting before returning to fashion design at Parsons School of Design. He gained prominence as a designer during his tenure at Gucci, where he revitalized the brand and expanded its portfolio through strategic acquisitions.
In 2007, Ford launched his own clothing label, which quickly gained acclaim, and he opened flagship stores across major cities globally. Beyond fashion, he ventured into film directing, with his debut feature, "A Single Man," receiving critical acclaim. In 2022, Ford sold his fashion brand to Estée Lauder for $2.8 billion, solidifying his status as a billionaire. His career has not been without controversy, particularly regarding provocative advertising and private fashion shows. Ford's personal life includes a marriage to Richard Buckley and the couple's son, further highlighting the designer's multifaceted life and career.
Tom Ford (fashion designer)
Fashion designer, film director
- Born: August 27, 1961
- Place of Birth: Place of birth: Austin, Texas
Education: New York University; Parsons School of Design
Significance: Tom Ford is an American fashion designer best known for his high-end menswear and women's wear labels. He began his career with Gucci and eventually launched his own designs. Ford also worked as a film director.
Background
Thomas Carlyle Ford was born on August 27, 1961, in Austin Texas. His family moved to New Mexico when Ford was eleven. After graduating from high school, Ford relocated to New York City to attend New York University, where he pursued a degree in art history. He quickly became immersed in the city's fashion scene. He met Andy Warhol and regularly attended Studio 54. Ford dropped out of college after his first year to act. He moved to Los Angeles and appeared in mostly television commercials.
Ford eventually returned to New York and decided to pursue fashion design at Parsons School of Design. During this time, he received an internship at the Chloé press office in Paris, where he spent a year. After graduation, he received a job as an assistant for fashion designer Cathy Hardwick. His social connections led to a position as a design director at Perry Ellis in 1988. Two years later, Ford began his tenure with Gucci. He moved to Italy to work with Dawn Mello, the creative director of the company. He eventually replaced Mello in 1994.
Life's Work
In the years that followed, Ford helped catapult Gucci to one of the most well-known and profitable luxury brands in the world. Ford oversaw the acquisition of Yves Saint Laurent and later became creative and communications director for the company; he also kept his role at Gucci. Under Ford's direction, Gucci acquired other brands, such as Sergio Rossi, Bottega Veneta, and Balenciaga.
In 2003, Pinault-Printemps-Redoute announced that it wanted to purchase a control stake in Gucci; this angered Ford because he did not want to lose creative control of the company. Pinault-Printemps-Redoute took the helm of Gucci, and Ford left the company when his contract ended the following year. Ford decided to take a break from the fashion industry to pursue other interests.
The break was short-lived, however; and Ford wasted no time working on his own label. He partnered with Estee Lauder and former Gucci chief executive officer (CEO) Domenico De Sole to start a cosmetics and fragrance line. He then ventured into eyewear with the Marcolin group.
In 2007, Ford finally launched his own clothing brand. He worked with Ermenegildo Zegna to release a menswear line. He opened his first flagship store in New York City the same year and partnered with Daslu and Villa Moda department stores to carry his label. Ford opened several stores in London, Milan, Beijing, and various cities throughout the United States.
Ford also focused his attention on directing films, and in 2005, he founded the film company Fade to Black. For the next few years, he worked on his directorial debut, A Single Man, which was released in 2009. The film was based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood and starred Colin Firth as a man dealing with the death of his lover. The film received much notice and was nominated for several awards, including an Oscar.
Ford returned to women's wear in 2010 with a limited, private show in Manhattan that featured Beyoncé, Daphne Guinness, Julianne Moore, and Lauren Hutton, among others, modeling his designs. The fashion line was introduced to the public in a feature in Vogue a short time later. His next collection was shown during a London Fashion Week private event. He eventually began to open up his fashion designs to the public, showing his menswear at London Fashion Week in 2013. That same year, he collaborated with singers Jay Z and Justin Timberlake. He performed with Jay Z on his single "Tom Ford," and Ford designed the fashions worn in Timberlake's video for the song "Suit & Tie."
Ford has won various awards throughout the years for his fashion designs. In addition to his other ventures, he has an interest in photography, shooting print advertisements for Gucci and covers for various fashion publications. Ford returned to directing in 2016, working on the film Nocturnal Animals, which was based on the novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright.
In 2022, Ford sold his fashion brand to cosmetics firm Estée Lauder for $2.8 billion. A newly minted billionaire, Ford left his post as his brand’s creative designer in 2023.
Impact
Ford was able to revive Gucci at a time when it was nearing bankruptcy and turn it into one of the most profitable brands in the world. His style and business expertise helped him leave a comfortable career path at a successful international company and branch out on his own. His brand became well known, especially to celebrities, and continued to grow into a billion-dollar enterprise. However, Ford has received much criticism for his provocative advertising images that feature mostly nude women. Many people have said his ads objectify the female form. He has responded to the backlash by saying he has made advertisements with nude males, but the ads were banned from publication. The designer also received criticism for keeping his fashion shows private affairs.
Personal Life
In 2014, Ford married Richard Buckley, a former editor at Women's Wear Daily, who Ford met while working with Cathy Hardwick in the 1980s. The couple had a son, Alexander John Buckley Ford, via surrogate in 2012. Buckley died in 2021. Ford has said that he considers his grandmother, who he remembers as being stylish, having nice things, and smelling like perfume, the first standard of beauty; he remarked that she had a great influence on him in his early life.
Bibliography
Currin, John. "Tom Ford." Interview, 30 Dec. 2010, www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/tom-ford. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Horyn, Cathy. "Tom Ford Gets Candid about His Years at Gucci." The Cut, 20 Apr. 2015, www.thecut.com/2015/04/tom-ford-gets-candid-about-his-years-at-gucci.html. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Hughes, Sali. "Tom Ford: 'I'm an Equal Opportunity Objectifier.'" Guardian, 21 Mar. 2015, www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/mar/21/tom-ford-im-an-equal-opportunity-objectifier. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Mower, Sarah. "Mr. Ford Returns." Vogue, 12 Nov. 2010, archive.vogue.com/article/2010/12/mr-ford-returns. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Phelps, Nicole. "Fashion Editor Richard Buckley Has Died at 72." Vogue, 20 Sept. 2021, www.vogue.com/article/richard-buckley-longtime-fashion-journalist-dies-at-72. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Tognini, Giacomo. "Tom Ford’s $2.8 Billion Deal To Sell His Fashion Brand To Estée Lauder Makes Him A Billionaire." Forbes, 16 Nov. 2022, www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/11/15/tom-fords-28-billion-deal-to-sell-his-fashion-brand-to-estee-lauder-makes-him-a-billionaire/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.