Tom Ford American fashion designer and film director Date of Birth: 27.08.1961 Country: USA

Biography of Tom Ford

Tom Ford is an American fashion designer and film director, best known for his work at the fashion house 'Gucci' and his own fashion label, 'TOM FORD'. He was born in Austin, Texas, to realtors Tom Ford and Shirley Burton. After living in Houston and San Marcos, Texas, his family eventually settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Tom completed his high school education.

Tom moved to New York City to study history at New York University, but his true passion was acting and television commercials. He found success in the advertising world, participating in 12 national-level projects. However, he also pursued higher education and studied interior design at the renowned Parsons School of Design. During his time in New York, Tom frequented the popular club 'Studio 54', where he discovered his sexual orientation. The disco style of that time greatly influenced his development as a designer.

To gain valuable experience in the fashion industry, Tom worked as an intern for the group 'Chloe' in Paris for a year and a half. Although his tasks were mainly simple, such as clothing distribution for photoshoots, it allowed him to be closer to the fashion world. Tom also studied fashion at his college for another year, eventually earning a degree in architecture.

After completing his education, Tom secured a job in the public relations department of 'Chloe'. During the interview, he mentioned his graduation from Parsons College but didn't specify his specialization in architecture. In 1988, he joined Perry Ellis, an American fashion brand, and worked there for two years before growing bored with American fashion. Soon after, an opportunity arose for him to move to Europe when a position opened up at 'Gucci'. He gladly accepted the offer and relocated to Milan with his partner, journalist Richard Buckley. Initially hired as a womenswear designer, Tom was quickly assigned to also design menswear and later footwear.

In 1992, Richard Lambertson, the former director of design, left the company, and Tom took his place. By 1994, Tom was promoted to creative director. During his first year in this role, he implemented a series of innovative design decisions, leading to a 90% increase in company sales from 1995 to 1996. When 'Gucci' acquired the popular fashion house 'Yves Saint-Laurent', Tom was appointed to lead the brand. Once again, his decisive actions helped revive the company's popularity in the market.

In 2005, Tom Ford launched his own brand, 'TOM FORD', with the support of 'Gucci's' executive director, Domenico De Sole. The label continues to be successful to this day.