It was 1994 when Texan designer Tom Ford stepped into the limelight as the creative director of Gucci. It would be crystallised in history as one of the most singularly effective brand overhauls we have ever seen. Bringing sex, luxury, and lust to the forefront of fashion, Ford – alongside Domenico de Sole – revitalised Gucci in a way that no one had ever witnessed before. It was the golden years. By 1997, Ford was shaving G's into models pubic hair and creating pants so irresistible that sales increased by 90%, and he had become the controversial, superstar face that revitalised the Italian brand once on the verge of bankruptcy. It all came crashing down in 2004, but by 2006, Ford had launched his namesake brand, and today, after 13 years of womenswear (which he launched in 2010), the iconic designer is suddenly stepping down from his eponymous brand.
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There have been whispers of Ford's departure since he sold his company for $2.8 billion to Estée Lauder back in November, however the news was abrupt nonetheless, with nothing but a mere statement for fans of the brand who are rightfully shaking in their boots to cling onto. The Tom Ford brand uploaded images and videos to its Instagram page, stating: "Tom Ford, in his final collection for his eponymous brand, has turned to his archives and reissued his favourite looks from the past 13 years."
"In 2010, Tom Ford launched his first womenswear collection. Today, more than a decade later, for his final collection, he pays homage to the TOM FORD woman with limited re-editions of his best-known iconic signature looks," it continues.
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The designer's career has had ebbs and flows over the past decade. Dramatic exits, a foray into filmmaking (and a seminal hit to come from it), and a successful crack at his own gig. Now, it seems as though this might be his final bow. The swansong to exit, is a series of images that are embodied by Ford's most iconic muses like Amber Valletta, Joan Smalls, Karlie Kloss, Karen Elson, and Caroline Trentini, all shot by Steven Klein wearing recreations of some of Ford's most notable looks. The brand has not yet announced a successor, however Ford is rumoured to be replaced by menswear design director Peter Hawkings, who will reportedly oversee womenswear, with the transition.
The news comes at a time where fashion feels untethered in many ways. Alessandro Michele's abrupt departure from Gucci (not unlike Ford's high profile exit in 2004), Raf Simons shuttered his namesake brand, Jeremy Scott has left Moschino, and Pharrell Williams will be the new steward of Louis Vuitton's menswear department. Ford was one of the lasting superstars of the late 90s, defining an era with his astute and razor sharp vision on what luxury fashion is, the legacy he is leaving behind is one of seismic effect.
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