Tom Ford interview and article

FASHION

01 Mr. Tom Ford, Fashion Designer, Film Director and Style Guru of the 21st Century.

21st

CENTURY BOY Tom Ford. Defining the fashion of our times SIOBHÁN CORLEY

Some people were just born for their art; that select echelon, whose very being is defined by that ability to craft something wonderful from nothing. In the fashion world there are many who appear to have landed with ease amongst the creative elite, pencil poised in hand and ready to take the meaning of style to a whole new level. The climb to reach the heady height of the fashion game, however, is not for the faint hearted. One designer has not only conquered the summit, against the odds he has managed to define the industry during the last decade and from there transport it into an entirely different realm. We take a look at the immensely talented creative genius of Tom Ford; Designer, Film Director and Style Guru of the 21st century.

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FASHION

02 Tom Ford’s new SS10 range of accessories ooze urban, contemporary chic.

03 Renowned for giving men the courage to release their individual style, Tom Ford continues to blaze his fashion trail with the SS10 range.

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om Ford was influenced by all things fashion even before entering high school. Born in Austin, Texas in 1962, he was raised in Santa Fe in New Mexico by his colorful, southern mother.

A devoted follower of high end fashion, Ford’s mother instilled the mantra that ‘being badly dressed was disrespectful to others’ and bought him his first pair of Gucci loafers when he was just 12 years old. Surrounded by such earnest style awareness, its no surprise that Tom Ford became intrigued by art and design.

Remarkably, Ford has no formal education in fashion design, first studying art history at New York University while acting part-time. Having featured in more then twelve TV commercials during this period, it’s easy to identify what sparked his initial interest in the film industry, which would later lead to his recent succesful directorial debut with ‘A Single Man’. However, the Tom Ford we love and know took was to first make a name for himself as an inspirational fashion designer and astute business man, famed for turning around suffering brands and transforming them into icons of our time. But how did his unique and seemingly accomplished talent for design and commerce surface?

As a student of NYU during the illustrious 1970’s, Ford discoverd the vibrant Studio 54 nightclub and Andy Wharhol’s infamous ‘Factory’, where he met the pop artist for the first time. From here on in, Ford became a regular on the New York party circuit and this influential and colorful period set alight his passion for design. Dropping out of Art History, Ford transferred to the highly esteemed Parsons School of Design in New York to study interior architecture. By the end of the course he had turned his attention firmly in the

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direction of fashion.

Without any specific professional training, Ford’s persistence and passion for the art landed him his first role with Hardwick, the renowned American designer. Calling every day asking her to employ him, she finally agreed to a meeting and later commented; “He told me in the interview that Armani and Chanel were his favourite designers. Later I asked him why he said that, ‘Because you were wearing something Armani’ came his response”. This steadfast dedication and determination was to stay with Ford throughout his climb to the top, as he left a glowing reptoire of successes in his wake.

After working as a design assistant for Hardwick for two years, he moved to another prominent american brand, Perry Ellis, working as Design Director under Marc Jacobs. But the true turning point in his career came when he relocated to Europe to take on a position at Gucci. Leaving New York in the height of the influential 80’s may have seemed like a mistake to many, but Ford had grown bored of America, labelling it ‘tacky’ and expressing his desire to work with European’s who ‘appreciate style’. It was when Gucci’s success faltered and the fashion house was acquired by Bahrain-based investment firm, Investcorp, that Tom Ford came into his own at the design house and was being promoted to the role of Creative Director. Responsible for the design and conception of all product lines, Ford completely revitalized the company’s image. Credited with putting the glamour back into fashion with signature pieces such as his Halston-style velvet hipsters, skinny satin shirts and car-finish metallic patent boots, Tom Ford had arrived and was poised to take the fashion world by storm.

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04 As Creative Director at Gucci, Tom Ford transformed the brand into a symbol of daring, exciting, yet sophisticated style.

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05 The Tom Ford brand first dabbled in the world of luxury perfume. Bois Marocian was an exclusive addition to the exclusive Tom Ford private blends collection.

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06 Tom Ford has become the designer of choice for the stars, including Kate Hudson, Liv Tyler and Julianne Moore, pictured here with the designer at the launch of Tom Fords Menswear and flagship store.

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07 Exquisite in design and finish, one of Tom Ford’s presentation boxes.

By 1999, Ford’s magic touch had resulted in Gucci becoming synonymous with desirability and an aspirational, risqué type of fashion. Ford’s secret came in the form of high-end style photographer, Mario Testino, and French stylist, Carine Roitfield whom he brought on board to create an inspiring, controversial form of advertising that just oozed contemporary chic. The comeback was certain, Ford had managed to transform a brand that ‘no one would dream of wearing’ into a symbol of daring, exciting, yet sophisticated, style valued at a staggering US$4.3 billion.

In 2000, Tom Ford found himself at the helm of another struggling European fashion brand when Gucci purchased a controlling stake in French label, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL). Ford took on the role of Creative and Communications Director of YSL’s ready-to-wear business with gusto, while still continuing to design for Gucci; a challenging feat, which Ford carefully mastered by keeping both labels subtly distinct. While each maintained a tangible air of sophistication, Gucci’s already famed Ford treatment had a gritty, more evocative edge. Ford’s first collection for YSL was chic, simple and monochrome. Striking the right cord, it earned him his first accolade of Best International Designer at the first VH1 Awards in New York. These initial YSL collections, supported

by Ford’s cutting edge and daring advertising

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campaigns, helped catapult a tired brand back into the mainstream, giving the fashion elite another reason to stand up and take notice.

Following irrevocable differences, Tom Ford left Gucci in 2004 and went on to set up his own label, simply named TOM FORD INTERNATIONAL. A clever alliance with Estée Lauder helped establish the Tom Ford Beauty brand and quickly catapulted the new label into the high fashion domain.

Luxury beauty naturally led to TOM FORD’s high-end fashion line and in 2007 Ford opened his first flagship store, back in his beloved New York, to showcase his much anticipated signature menswear and accessories collection. The launch of his debut collection received a rapturous response and led to the launch of twenty-one stores and shop-in-shops across the globe.

Today, Tom Ford is one of the most well respected designers in the industry, boasting over twenty internationally recognized awards.

Despite his achievement, Ford doesn’t believe he is incredibly talented and attributes his success to his boundless energy. He also finds that his ‘mass-market tastes’ helps his designs appeal to the mainstream. But many see it quite differently, equating Ford’s success to a secret combination of a finely tuned commercial sensibility and a genuine talent for fashion. It is perhaps this unique combination that has sent him on a very different creative path in recent years.

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Ford’s debut in film direction with ‘A Single Man’ was not an alternative art house piece, as one would expect from a director who’s built his name as a renowned fashion designer. But that’s not Ford’s way. As he identified himself, his success comes down to a creative eye that appeals to the masses. True to Form, with ‘A Single Man’ Ford has managed to convert his creative abilities into a motion picture that has dived directly into the mainstream and effectively exhibits his immense artistic talent.

A product of his own film production company, FADE TO BLACK, Ford’s drama ‘A Single Man’ is based on a novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. Starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, the film is set in 1962 and places a large emphasis on the fashion and architecture of the era. As the director and producer of the film, Ford has found a new platform on which to experiment with his creativity. Not only benefitting from Ford’s astute direction, ‘A Single Man’ is also a superbly acted piece. Since it premiered at the 66th Venice International Film Festival in September 2009, it has gone on to be awarded and nominated for the most prestigious accolades in the film industry.

Colin Firth received the Volpi Cup and BAFTA Best Actor award, while the film received numerous nominations in the Golden Globes and the pinnacle 07 of film recognitions, the Academy Awards.

Looking at the plethora of awards that Tom Ford has notched up over the past decade tells a story of a man who has managed to singlehandedly define the fashion industry. For men in particular, he has opened up a once female-orientated world, encouraging them to be proud of how they look and to embrace their masculinity with cutting-edge style. As early as 1999, Ford earned the Style Icon Award from Elle magazine and went on to earn the GQ international Man of the Year award in several different countries. As the curtain came down on the last decade, a highly successful directorial debut from Ford has left the team at Durrah chomping at the bit in eager anticipation of what this creative genius will do next. I have a feeling that Mr. Tom Ford has only revealed a hint of what his colorful and mesmerizing contribution to the world of art and fashion has in store…..

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08 Tom Ford’s last collection for high profile French fashion house, Yves Saint Laurent. The designer left his distinctive contemporary mark on the brand.

09 The impressive facade of the newly opened Tom Ford store in Crystals City Center in Las Vegas.

10 The elegant and exclusive TOM FORD store in Dubai.