Thomas Ford (born August 27, 1961) is an American fashion designer. He gained international fame for his turnaround of the Gucci fashion house and the creation of the Tom Ford label.
Ford was born August 27, 1961 in Austin, Texas to realtors Tom Ford and Shirley Bunton.
He spent his early life in the suburbs of Houston, Texas and in San Marcos, outside Austin; his family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico when he was 11.
In Santa Fe, he entered St. Michael's High School and later moved to Santa Fe Preparatory School, from which he graduated in 1979.
Ford left Santa Fe at age 17, when he moved to New York City to study art history at New York University.
Ford dropped out of N.Y.U. after only a year, preferring to concentrate on acting in television commercials; at one time, he was in twelve national advertising campaigns simultaneously.
Ford then began studying interior architecture at New York City’s Parsons School of Design.
During his time in New York, Ford became a fixture at the legendary nightclub Studio 54, where he realized he was gay.
The club's disco-era glamor would be a major influence on his later designs.
Before his last year at Parsons, Ford spent six months in Paris, where he worked as an intern in Chloé's press office.
Though his work primarily involved sending clothes out on photo shoots, it triggered his love of fashion.
He spent his final year at Parsons studying fashion, but nonetheless graduated with a degree in architecture.
Following his departure from Gucci (and YSL), Ford opened the fashion house, Tom Ford.
Ford began with accessories; his line of eyewear was the first to become successful through a continuing partnership with Marcolin SPA. The Tom Ford line now covers Menswear, Beauty, Eyewear, and both Men and Women's Accessories. In 2006, he also established a fragrance line called Tom Ford Beauty. In early 2006, Ford attracted media attention for appearing fully clothed on the cover of Vanity Fair alongside Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson, both nude.
Ford's first 'Tom Ford' flagship store opened on April 12, 2007 on New York City's Madison Avenue. In Spring 2008, Ford opened his first boutique outside of the United States in Zurich, Switzerland located at Munsterhof 17.
In September 2008 Ford opened a boutique in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Harry Rosen store on Bloor street. In 2008, Ford directed his first film, A Single Man, which is based on the identically-named novel by Christopher Isherwood. It was adapted to the screen by Ford and David Scearce. The film premiered on September 11, 2009 at the 66th Venice International Film Festival and was nominated for a Golden Lion.
Colin Firth, who played the protagonist, George, was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the festival for his performance in the film. In June 2009, Ford appeared at Selfridges in London to launch his new fragrance Bois Marocain. In the summer of 2009, Ford also designed costumes for the world premiere of "The Letter" which was an opera performed six times only at the Santa Fe Opera.
Tom Ford website
