Tom Ford

by ICONHOUSE
"There's nothing more powerful than a very strong…beautiful woman in our culture"-Tom Ford

Tom Ford is the well deserved recipient of this year's CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award at the CFDA Fashion Awards, to be presented by his spouse, Richard Buckley this evening. Originally hailing from Austin, Texas, illustrious fashion designer and film director Tom Ford boasts an eclectic background in regards to his education and career.  He made his way into the world of the fashion elite with an uncommon kind of ambition and talent, accompanied by intense, fearless drive. From a PR job at Chloe to Perry Ellis and Gucci, he carved out his niche with passion and impeccable taste. 

Ford's creative debut consisted of a short, yet productive career as an actor in Los Angeles (where he migrated after a year-long stint studying Art History at NYU). After a few years of commercial success, he made his way to the Paris campus of the Parsons School Of Design as a student in architecture, where he decided to study and pursue fashion in his last year there, working an entry level position at Chloe. Charmingly stretching the truth about his fashion background and work at Chloe, he landed a position with Cathy Hardwick, eventually moving on to Perry Ellis. It was after Perry Ellis that he would be offered the most influential job of his life thus far: a womenswear designer for Gucci.

Ford thrived at Gucci, with a nigh exponential growth rate. He extended his influence into menswear, and reshaped the brand entirely once he was promoted to creative director in 1994. His unique eye for modern, wearable designs made the brand a coveted asset once more. For ten years he served as the creative director for the entire brand, as well as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent after it was bought by Gucci Group. Ford parted with Gucci in 2004 when it changed ownership and his creative control was to be diminished. It remains a tragic loss for Ford, but from the ashes arose his own wildly successful line of clothing, fragrance, shoes, and accessories. 

As one may have predicted given his multifarious interests, Ford has pursued various creative outlets outside the fashion industry. In 2009 he directed the film "A Single Man" starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, which sustained a series of festival successes in addition to a best actor Oscar nomination for Firth (not bad for a first-time director). Ford's keen eye comes with a keen heart; a multi-talented entrepreneur, Ford has established himself as a philanthropist as well. While at Gucci, he won the Commitment to Life award from AIDS Project Los Angeles for his considerable support of the foundation. 

It's no surprise this man of many talents is well deserving of CFDA's Lifetime Achievement Award this year. Ford already maintains a hefty amount of trophies from CFDA, in addition to numerous awards from Vogue, the US Accessory Council, Time Magazine, and more. However, it seems somewhat premature given his age (he's only a fresh 52 years old), and Ford himself is rather bewildered, but in regards to his career it is more than fitting. Don't expect a slowing down of any sort from Ford after the award, though. He says in his interview with Style.com "it has to be renamed the Midlife Achievement Award, and I'm not joking. I mean, if my life was over and I was content to say Lifetime Achievement Award, maybe…but c'mon, this is ridiculous."

Ridiculous in the best of ways. We can't wait to see what's next. 

 
 
Gucci campaign photos by Mario Testino