Tom Ford’s rise to fame began 18 years ago with his appointment as women’s wear director at Gucci. By 1992 he held the role of design director, two years later he was creative director - in charge, it seems, of everything noteworthy at the company. Ford turned around the struggling brand and by 1996 sales were up 115 percent, quadrupling by 1998 and subsequently making the company worth a staggering 4.3 billion USD in 1999.
At the pinnacle of the fashion world, Ford seemed set to dominate the industry for the foreseeable future. Then the split happened. Gucci was taken over by Pinault Printemps Redoute (PPR) in 2004 and Ford resigned from his position amid boardroom politicking. From the top of the pile, Ford suddenly found himself without a job and unsure of what the future held.
Having revived the Italian giant, Ford had made his name. With his sudden departure from the company, Ford’s stock actually skyrocketed. All of a sudden his pieces became collectables. Ford’s, not Gucci’s. It was a universally acknowledged fact that this was the man who had revived one of the industry’s powerhouses. Yet Ford was now free to do as he liked.
What was he to do? Ford had made a name for himself in a number of ways. He had recognised the influence of a powerful statement. Consistently flirting with an ever more glamorous and sexual look when at Gucci, he had found a way to captivate a new generation of fashion-conscious people. Presenting this lifestyle through the lens of exceptional artists such as Mario Testino helped create a new, more sophisticated direction for the brand. Then there were his designs, with his emphasis on outrageously sexy tailoring, monochromatic black, retro-70s styling, logos, standout staple pieces such as velvet tuxedos, African-inspired caftans and light, floating blouses, he proved that he was here to stay. Fashion critics claimed that many of Ford’s pieces would never be regarded as design classics but rather that they screamed ‘Tom Ford’. Following the split from Gucci these stunning, different designs would stand Ford in good stead, especially when the next step was his own fashion house.
Tom Ford, the brand, not the man, aimed itself at a niche market: ultimate luxury for the modern man. The legend has it that Ford was so disillusioned by the state of menswear following his departure from Gucci that he had every piece of his wardrobe handmade for him. Still nothing worked. Unsatisfied, Ford decided to launch his own lines of clothing, initially aimed at men.
With the assistance of the Ermenegildo Zegna and Marcolin groups, Ford launched his own label in 2004. Working with such established names gave Ford the scope to make serious inroads in the fashion industry. With the quality of his product assured, Ford could continue to do what he does best: making eye-catching pieces, shocking the critics and continuing to be the man to watch in the fashion world.
This shock value was immediately evident in the first advertising campaigns run by the new company. Ford went for sexually charged images, placing perfume bottles between the legs and breasts of models and featuring dominant women and passive male models. So shocking was the campaign that many countries banned the ads.
This brazen approach to marketing would be utterly meaningless if Ford wasn’t able to back up his aggressive, provocative imagery with some truly stunning clothes. Thankfully, Ford has emerged as perhaps the most creative menswear designer seen in years. With his grand and classically fitted approach to male fashion, Ford’s clothes have brought a new, refined style to the male wardrobe. What he began at Gucci, he most assuredly has continued with Tom Ford.
Ford has indisputably refined his sensibilities, adding colour and flounces, evident throughout the variety of lines offered by the house. Originally catering to the male market, Tom Ford has branched into sunglasses, perfume and women’s fashion. The approach is clearly modern, but classical influences abound. Working with Zegna and Marcolin has resulted in the creation of garments and accessories of the highest quality allied with a cutting-edge style and a modern, relaxed, yet classical, approach to fashion.
So it seems Tom Ford is still the darling of the fashion industry. Smart, good looking, and charming, with unerring taste, he seems genetically engineered to rule the design universe. Indeed his designs have garnered such glowing praise from all corners that it seems that the man can do no wrong.
Following what appears to be the obvious pattern for a fashion house, Ford has branched into perfumes. A range of branded scents now compete alongside Chanel, Boss and Hillfiger on the shelves the world over. Ford’s are true to form, all alluring, all exotic. The range seems set to expand, with an exclusive addition for the Middle East, Arabian Wood. Inspired by traditional oud scents, the fragrance lends a touch of sophisticated glamour and as with everything else Ford does, it’s about giving a modern, sexy twist to existing styles.
It’s within this context that Tom Ford has announced its arrival in the Middle East. With the opening of a store in the Dubai Mall, the phenomenon has landed in the region five years after the opening of Ford’s first location in New York. With further boutiques planned in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Lebanon, Ford has signalled his Arabian intent.
While it’s obvious that Ford will have to tone down his confrontational approach in order to prosper in the Middle East, he’s still aiming to announce his arrival in his own way. Arabian Wood seems set to be the first of a number of exclusive lines. We’ve seen innovation in traditional fashion, but the prospect of a proven fashion superstar arriving in the Middle East and offering a new take on regional fashion is something to look forward to. Ford’s always made waves wherever he’s worked, now it’s our turn.
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