Tom Ford

From Texas teenager to a world famous designer, whose opinion in the fashion world sounds like a verdict, is a quite unusual embodiment of the American
dream. Yet, Tom Ford never follows standards established by someone else. He got it from a liberal and unbiased atmosphere in the family, especially from his mother, who was extravagantly beautiful for the conservative the South, who believed that being badly dressed is bad manners and disrespectful to other people. No wonder that Tom Ford got his first pair of Gucci shoes at the age of 12.

Tom Ford spent most of his childhood in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and in 1979 moved to New York. He went to New York University and studied art history. Later he became keen on architecture and went to the Parson’s school of design in New York and Paris. Soon he became focused on fashion. For a few years he worked for Cathy Hardwick and Perry Ellis, learning about Fashion and collecting work experience. In 1990 he was offered to work for Gucci as a fashion designer of a wome
n’s line. During the next 4 years he jumped from designer of women’s line to creative director of Gucci house and he made the dying company one of the most profitable luxury brands.

Talk about awards? Tom Ford has received all the important awards in the fashion world.

1995 – Ford is awarded Best New Designer at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards (USA) and Designer of the Year by Footwear News (USA). Eleanor Lambert names Ford to her Best Dressed List (USA). Ford wins the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Award for International Designer of the Year (USA).

1996 – Ford receives VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards for Menswear and Womenswear Designer of the Year (USA), Divine Design Designer of the Year (USA), Fashion Editors Club (FEC) International Designer of the Year (Japan), Aguja de Roro Designer of the Year (Spain), and Telva magazine’s award for Best International Designer (Spain).

1997 – Ford receives Designer of the Year Award from the AIDS Project Los Angeles (USA). People names Ford one of its 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (USA). 1999 – Ford becomes Creative Director of Yves Saint20Laurent ready-to-wear and YSL Beaute. Ford receives the Style Icon Award at the Elle UK Style Awards (UK), Womenswear Designer of the Year Award at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards (USA) and Commitment to Life Award from AIDS Project Los Angeles (USA).

His talent and successful experience, together with a healthy ambition pushed Ford and ex-executive director of Gucci, Domeniko de Sole to create their own
fashion house with Tom Ford producing a men’s line of ready-to-wear clothes, accessories and fragrance.

Recognition came immediately. "To be the designer and tell people how they should be dressed and should look - it is kind of supremacy," said Tom Ford.

2006 – Tom Ford established a fragrance line, Tom Ford Beauty. Tom Ford won the Accessories Council Excellence (ACE) Awards

2007 – in April Tom Ford opened his first flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York

2008 – Tom Ford won Menswear Designer of the Year,CFDA Award. In June Tom Ford opened his second flagship store in Milan. He announced his plan to open future stores in London (2009) and Los Angeles and Hawaii (2010).

www.tomford.com