Tom Ford
Ralph Lauren
April 20, 2020
Tommy Hilfiger
April 20, 2020
Tom Ford was born in Texas in 1961. He completed his architecture degree at Parsons School of Design before deciding to pursue fashion. He worked in PR at Chloe in Paris before going back to NY to work for designers Cathy Hardwick and Perry Ellis. He quickly grew tired of American fashion, and when an opportunity came up for a womenswear designer post at Gucci, despite the brand’s struggling reputation, Ford took up the post in 1990. After he was appointed creative director in 1994, the Gucci makeover masterminded by Ford became the biggest fashion success story of the late 90s.
His sultry rock-star velvet hip-slung trousers, leather stilettos, and Halston-esque dresses were blockbusters. He brought in French stylist Carine Roitfeld and photographer Mario Testino to create a series of ad campaigns for the company to convey the image of a sexy and provocative Gucci woman. After Gucci’s buyout of Yves Saint Laurent in 1999, Ford also became creative director of the YSL Rive Gauche brand.
Due to disagreements with PPR, the group who owns Gucci, Ford left the group in 2004 after fifteen devoted years of hard work - four people were hired to split the work Ford had done. At his departure, the Gucci Group had grown from a nearly bankrupt company to one that was valued at $10 billion. After leaving Gucci, Ford launched an eponymous line of menswear and womenswear, beauty, eyewear, and accessories. He has also started a successful career as a film director.
