Here's the full story of how the legendary designer Tom Ford took Gucci back from the verge of bankruptcy and onto the path to billions of dollars in sales.
Tom Ford's clothes are known as elegant, classy, and glamorous. Stunning menswear, beautiful fragrances, top-quality sunglasses, and impressive watches are just some of the Tom Ford clothes, very popular among high fashion lovers.
Tom Ford's rise from humble beginnings to an international design powerhouse has all the potential to be great of a Hollywood film. This leads to the Tom Ford brand that we know and love today.
For those who believe in fashion's magnetism, no discussion on the subject is complete without mentioning Tom Ford. This famous American designer's success story began modestly on August 27, 1961. Today, Ford is regarded as the man who reinvented the field of fashion by infusing just the perfect amount of aggressiveness into each design to set it out from the crowd. Tom Ford, who is responsible for the success of some of the most well-known fashion businesses, continues to lead the market with his own fashion label.
Since its inception, Tom Ford has been associated with elegance, beauty, and sensuality. Every design sold under the Tom Ford name is a display of pure creative brilliance, based on the philosophy of developing unique styles that tend to become a mirror of your personality. The company was founded by the well-known American fashion designer Tom Ford, and it is still driven by his vision and hunger for invention. Tom Ford launched his own fashion label in 2005. The brand has built its dominance in numerous fashion categories throughout the years, including beauty items, eyeglasses, cosmetics, perfumes, and accessories.
The Initial Years
Tom Ford, born Thomas Carlyle Ford, completed his education and graduation in Santa Fe, Mexico, before moving to New York in 1979. His passion for design had deepened by this point. Tom Ford, on the other hand, had enrolled in the architecture department at New York University rather than fashion design. After leaving after a year, Ford worked in television ads before enrolling at Parsons School of Design to study design. During the last stage of this program, he also received his first opportunity to work as an intern in the headquarters of Chloé. Despite the fact that his job at Chloé was limited to being a mere assistant in charge of transporting items to photo shoots, Tom was starting to see the magic of the fashion world.
After tasting blood in the fashion industry, Tom was hungry for more and eager to land a job at one of America's most sought fashion businesses. His largest issue, though, was that he lacked the necessary qualifications. During job interviews, Ford always kept his specialty as architecture hidden. However, his fortune proved to be a capricious mistress, until one day when Ford secured a job as designer Cathy Hardwick as assistant. Ford landed a job designing jeans for Perry Ellis on New York's Seventh Avenue after two years as Hardwick's design assistant. Tom soon realized that he wanted to be a part of the European fashion circuit and work for the more style-conscious clientele after working as an American designer for the first few years. This prompted Tom to relocate to Milan in order to work for the famed fashion house Gucci.
About the European Fashion Circuit
Tom Ford had no intention of looking back after joining the Italian label when his profile at Gucci was steadily growing. He began his career as the company's Womenswear Designer. Tom moved through the ranks of Gucci to become Creative Director in less than a decade. His spectacular rise had all the hallmarks of a Hollywood film, including critical acclaim, large revenues, struggle, and even admiration. It was his daring designs, attention to detail, and inventive method of working that helped Gucci, which was on the verge of bankruptcy when Tom came. In reality, when Ford left the company in 2004, Gucci was valued at $10 billion. He expanded the product offering to include men's and women's sportswear, eveningwear, and home furnishings. He gave the Gucci girl a new image, making her more relaxed and sexier, and his instinctive precision helped him avoid vulgarity. Simultaneously, Ford and Gucci President Domenico de Sole prevented LVMH from acquiring the brand. As a result, the house was able to stand on its own two feet and become the Gucci Group. Gucci bought the historic French brand Yves Saint Laurent under Ford's leadership, propelling the company's phenomenal boom in sales. During the decade (1994-2004), Ford was Gucci's driving power, and the company's annual sales climbed from $230 million to $3 billion. Tom launched his own fashion label in 2005. That is how the well-known brand Tom Ford came to be. He remains the brand's face, always producing newer and more stunning concepts that continue to amaze the global fashion circuit.
" - Would you ever make a movie about your time at Gucci?
- No. No, absolutely not. No interest. No interest at all. I lived that, I did it. I wouldn’t." Tom Ford
Tom Ford's Fashion Label Establishment
Tom was always impressed as a child by how his mother and grandma dressed up. Later in life, as a designer, Ford did not hesitate to employ his youthful inspiration to produce masterpieces that became the talk of the town. Tom Ford collaborated with Estée Lauder to launch a full line of cosmetics and perfumes in its first year of operation.
A similar agreement with the Marcolin Group occurred in 2005, signifying Tom Ford's entry into the stylish eyewear category. His return to design came a year later, in 2006, when he announced a collaboration with Ermenegildo Zegna to create luxury menswear, accessories, and footwear.
During this time, Tom Ford's style was quickly becoming a bold statement that drew both criticism and praise. Ford was taking everything in stride and speeding forward. In 2007, he opened the first Tom Ford flagship store in Manhattan, followed by a succession of launches in other cities, bringing fashion to a wider audience.
And the Fame Goes On
Tom made his Hollywood debut in 2009 as the director of the Academy Award-nominated film A Single Man. He also co-wrote the screenplay and produced the film. Film critics and other respected organizations praised the film. It was shown at a number of international film festivals.
Tom debuted a Private Blend Lip Color collection in 2010 that quickly became incredibly successful, followed by his comeback to the women's wear category in September of the same year. By that time, several well-known celebrities from over the world had worn Tom Ford designs, propelling his fashion line to new heights of prominence. Ford's clientele had grown to include various celebrities, including First Lady Michelle Obama, actors Daniel Craig, Anne Hathaway, and Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as singers Beyonce Knowles, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna. From provocative trends to ground-breaking designs, Tom Ford quickly became and continues to be a favorite of celebrities worldwide.
Getting Into The Fashionable Eyewear Market
Tom Ford's foray into the stylish eyewear category occurred after establishing himself as an independent fashion label following the Gucci era. Tom Ford's glasses certainly reinvented luxury by combining contemporary style and traditional design. Tom Ford eyewear became an instant hit among society's crème de la crème, with each design meticulously designed to symbolize the pinnacle of sophistication and flair.
From conventional black frames to current colorful frames, Tom Ford's eyeglasses and sunglasses collection is a thorough combination of the latest trends that are guaranteed to boost your style quotient. Even the most recent eyewear collection is more focused on urbane trends and the need to be stylish without being too loud or uncomfortable. Tom Ford frames, whether traditional aviators or relatively recent rimless designs are quickly becoming an obsession among those who enjoy wearing fashionable eyewear.
The fact that every piece in the Tom Ford collection is handcrafted in Italy adds to the refinement. The Tom Ford eyeglasses collection for 2014 includes various attractive and desired items, establishing new trends with each passing year. Inspired by Ford's heritage, these designs aim on encapsulating a timeless look of elegance and are thus guaranteed to bring a touch of glamour to an individual's individuality. The latest collection combines metal and acetate styles and includes designs for both men and women, with a directed design on the face. Furthermore, each design is meticulously designed to offer maximum comfort for the wearer. A section of the collection is also dedicated to reimagining some of the brand's most successful designs.
Some of the popular Tom Ford sunglasses styles include Cary, Nikita, Jennifer, Henry, and Whitney. The finest thing about their styling is that even the smallest elements are perfectly defined, enhancing the overall beauty of the product and making it a valued asset for any fashion enthusiast.
Tom Ford perfumes
The narrative is the same when it comes to Tom Ford's perfumes. It is no secret that Tom Ford fragrances are among the most sought-after and well-liked in the world.
The secret is high-quality ingredients, a consistent and distinctive Tom Ford bottle design, and effective marketing. Even with his clothing, Tom Ford has always played on sexual fantasies, or more accurately, provocation and desire itself. You just cannot go wrong with Tom Ford fragrances. I consider Tom Ford to be the fragrance world's equivalent of Chanel in the twentieth century. Check our blog Rose Prick Eau De Parfum by Tom Ford - A scent to remember to learn more about our favorite Tom Ford scent.
10 BESTSELLING Tom Ford Fragrances
In 2009, Tom Ford made a foray into cinema with his first film, A Single Man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. He co-wrote and directed the film, which was based on Christopher Isherwood's novel. A Single Man received positive reviews from critics, getting an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay.
Ford was one of the most renowned designers of his period, winning multiple fashion accolades for his work with Gucci and his own label.
1994: Became Creative Director of Gucci.
1995: Won Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) International Award.
2000: Won British GQ International Man of The Year Award.
2001: Termed Best Fashion Designer by TIME Magazine.
2002: Received Accessories Designer of the Year Award for Yves Saint Laurent by CFDA.
2004: Won Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award.
2005: Won André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award – Savannah College of Art & Design.
2005: Launched the Tom Ford brand.
2008: Named Menswear Designer of the Year by CFDA.
2009: Won Queer Lion Award for his film, A Single Man, at the Venice International Film Festival.
2013: Named one of the 50 best-dressed over the 50s by the Guardian.
2014: Received Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award at CFDA Fashion Awards 2014.