Tom Ford biography
Date of birth : 1961-08-27
Date of death : -
Birthplace : Austin, Texas, U.S.
Nationality : American
Category : Famous Figures
Last modified : 2010-08-20
Credited as : Fashion designer, film director, Best Designer of the Year 2001
0 votes so far
Ford spent much of his childhood at his grandparents' ranch in the dusty town of Brownwood, Texas. His favorite childhood pastimes included lying out by his grandparents' pool and visiting Ralph the Swimming Pig—a popular tourist attraction in nearby Aquarena Springs. Ford also took an early interest in art and painting. "I was always very visual, always interested in design," he recalls.
Ford had two early role models in fashion: his mother and grandmother. Ford's family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Ford attended high school at the prestigious Santa Fe Preparatory School. He graduated at age 17, and then enrolled at New York University in 1979 as an art history major. While at NYU, Ford became a regular at the infamous Studio 54 nightclub, and his studies suffered. In 1980, after just one year at NYU, Ford dropped out and moved to Los Angeles, where he made a living acting in television commercials. A few years later, he moved back to New York and enrolled in the Parsons School of Design, studying architecture. Ford then transferred to Parsons' Paris campus, and it was while completing his final year of architecture study there that he suddenly decided to switch to fashion.
In 1985, after graduating from Parsons, Ford sought to land a job with prominent sportswear designer Cathy Hardwick. Ford called Hardwick's office every day for a month straight. Hoping to finally get rid of this annoying caller, Hardwick herself finally answered the phone and asked Ford how soon he could take a meeting. Just under two minutes later, Ford arrived in her office. (He had been calling from the lobby.) Hardwick offered Ford a job, and after two years as Hardwick's design assistant, Ford landed a job designing jeans for Perry Ellis on New York's Seventh Avenue. Then in 1990, Ford moved to Milan to assume the role of Womenswear Designer for Gucci. At the time, the exalted leather company was hampered by management infighting and a struggle to keep up with market trends. Ford instantly breathed new life into Gucci. He ascended quickly through the company's ranks, rising to Design Director in 1992 and to Creative Director in 1994.
Ford completely revamped Gucci's image—replacing the minimalism of the early 1990s with updated retro looks that oozed sex appeal. He expanded the company into a host of new ventures, including men's and women's sportswear, eveningwear and home furnishings. Under Ford's leadership, Gucci acquired the venerable French brand Yves Saint Laurent, fueling remarkable growth in the company's sales. Over the course of the decade, Ford served as Gucci's driving force (1994-2004), and the company's annual sales increased from $230 million to $3 billion.
After French multinational Pinault Printemps Redoute bought Gucci in 2004, Ford resigned from the company. In 2005, he founded his own fashion company, Tom Ford Brand, which offers menswear, eyewear and beauty products. Ford created significant buzz for his new company when he posed on the cover of a 2006 issue of Vanity Fair wearing Tom Ford Brand menswear, sandwiched between Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson, both of whom posed nude.
In 2009, Ford made a foray into the film industry with his debut film, A Single Man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. Ford co-wrote and directed the film, based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood. A Single Man won wide critical acclaim, garnering Firth an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and Ford an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay.
One of the most decorated designers of his generation, Ford has won numerous fashion awards for his work with Gucci and his own Tom Ford Brand. He has won five Council of Fashion Designers of America awards, four VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards and was named 2001's GQ designer of the year.
