Following in the footsteps of Valentino Garavani, Giorgio Armani, Miuccia Prada, Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour and Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia), it is Tom Ford’s turn to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award from the British Fashion Council (BFC).
Tom Ford will be honored at the TFA Fashion Awards ceremony on Monday, December 2nd at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Organized by Pandora, with The Peninsula London as official partner, the event is a major source of funding for the BFC Foundation. Its mission is to “celebrate the role of fashion at the intersection of culture and entertainment” by showcasing great and inspiring creative talent.
Among them, Tom Ford received particular attention for his extraordinary career.
outstanding contribution
Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, said: “Tom Ford has made a huge contribution to fashion, film and culture, and is a true innovator and fashion icon in his own right.” praised.
“For more than 30 years, his visionary work has seen him transform Gucci into a fashion powerhouse, launch his own incredibly successful namesake brand, and create a design studio in London. “He has always pushed the boundaries in every field he has been involved in, including founding and winning awards,” she emphasized.
In honor of the 63-year-old American, BFC is actually paying tribute not only to the accomplished businessman, but to multiple artists at the same time…
First, there were fashion artists who left an indelible mark on the fashion world.
Although Tom Ford was destined for a career as an actor, the first part of his career was due to a combination of circumstances.
The Santa Fe, New Mexico, native turned to studying architecture because his dark, handsome physique did not match the California blonde standards demanded by the film industry at the time. He then enrolled at the prestigious Parsons School of Design, where he studied for two years, first in New York and then at its Paris branch.
Fashion and business acumen
His unmistakable fashion sense and American business acumen flourished at Gucci, which he joined in 1990. Initially head designer of women’s wear, he was appointed creative director in 1994.
A super creative director with wide remit and the new definition of work in fashion, he was to handle not only ready-to-wear styling, but also accessories, image, marketing, licensing and distribution. This is a worldwide model later adopted by others, especially Hedi Slimane (Dior Homme, Yves Saint Laurent, and Celine).
At Gucci, he becomes Mr. “Porn Chic,” a trend started by Tom Ford during his tenure. With a highly thought-provoking campaign, he relies on famous Peruvian photographer Mario Testino.
He delivered an electric shock to the esteemed Gucci family, which was on the brink of bankruptcy when he took over, making it “one of the most important and profitable luxury brands.” .
But Tom Ford isn’t the only man at the helm of Gucci. He has an effective working relationship with CEO and President Domenico De Sole, who is also responsible for Florence House’s success.
gorgeous and attractive
Tom Ford attracted stars and customers like Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow with his glamorous, 50s-inspired designs.
Different eras have different customs. Today, when our times are characterized by austere and even austere regression, his hyper-sexualized style probably would not be welcomed with the same enthusiasm…
In 1999, the Gucci Group was acquired by PPR (now Kering) with support from Tom Ford. Concerned that his power would be weakened, the artistic director opposed the ambitions of fellow takeover candidate LVMH…
Meanwhile, at PPR, he felt his power would be strengthened when Francois Pinault’s group also bought the Yves Saint Laurent fashion house. Tom Ford currently combines his position at Gucci with Director of Creation and Communications at Yves Saint Laurent Couture, where he is responsible for luxury ready-to-wear and accessories at Left Bank.
Disappointment with Yves Saint Laurent
But while his work was almost unanimously praised at Gucci, his work at Yves Saint Laurent disappointed some, including the eponymous couturier himself and some fashion critics. He criticized her for “cutting and pasting” recipes. It was also not commercially successful.
Still, Tom Ford continued to win awards for his work at Gucci, including Best International Designer at the first VH1/Vogue Awards in New York in 2000.
In 2004, amid tensions with PPR, Tom Ford left Gucci/PPR. In April 2005, he founded his own brand, offering men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, fragrances and accessories (leather goods, sunglasses). The brand achieved “rapid success”.
In 2022, the Estée Lauder Companies Group acquired his mansion, and Tom Ford took over the reins of style and devoted more time to his new passion: film. Haider Ackermann has just been appointed artistic director after a short stint with Peter Hawkins.
Award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director
Tom Ford is now an “award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director.” His first film, A Single Man, which he wrote, produced and directed, was nominated for an Oscar in 2009. Second, “Nocturnal Animals” was first released in 2016, won the Grand Jury Prize and the Silver Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, and was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards (one winner, Best Actor). ), received nine BAFTA nominations and one Oscar nomination.
But Tom Ford hasn’t forgotten his old love. From June 2019 to May 2022, during the delicate period of COVID-19, he served as president of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America).
“During his tenure,” BFC recalls, “he diversified his board and membership, launched A Common Thread, a relief initiative in collaboration with Vogue to support fashion companies during the pandemic, and awarded CFDA scholarships. We significantly increased the fund and strengthened New York Fashion Week.
And two months before being presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award, Tom Ford said he was “honoured and extremely grateful to receive this prestigious award” from the British Fashion Council, adding that the award was “particularly my It is an award that is close to his heart, and he said it has cost him “a lot of money.” A part of his life in London. ”
He explains that during his “35 years in the fashion world,” he has “focused on creativity and my love of beauty and style.” But he also draws parallels between fashion and film, calling for a “collaboration of both.”
“You have to have a vision and communicate it to a team of talented people,” he said, before going on to say “thank you to everyone” who has supported him along the way.
Also read > Haider Ackermann picks up Tom Ford’s scissors
Featured photo: © Tom Ford
