Tom Ford was born in Austin, Texas in 1962, but spent most of his childhood years back in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tom Ford enrolled on an art history course at New York University and was also trained as an actor. It was there he discovered the seminal Studio 54 nightclub and Warhol’s Factory, where he met pop artist Andy Warhol for the first time.  Tom Ford studed interior architecture at Parsons School of Design in New York. He later moved on to finish his studies at Parsons in Paris, France. By the end of the course Ford he realised that he wanted to work in fashion. As soon as his studies were completed in 1986, Ford quickly returned to New York where he began his professional training.

In 1990 atfer moving to Paris, Ford was hired by Gucci's then creative director Dawn Mello (previous head of purchase with Bergdorf-Goodman) as chief women's ready-to-wear designer. A few years passed, and in 1992, he moved up the corporate ladder of the fashion world and once again took on the role of Design Director. Business went bad for Gucci and Tom Ford was almost fired by Maurizio Gucci in 1993, but this was counteracted by Domenico de Sole, director of Gucci America Inc.

Tom brings a hard-edged look synonymous with 21st-century glamour to his clothes. In 2000, the Gucci group added Yves Saint Laurent to their stable and, unsurprisingly, Tom's first collection for the French label was a study in black and white. In that year, Ford was named Best International Designer at the first VH1/Vogue Awards in New York.

"I am a perfectionist," declared Tom Ford. "This job is a total ego thing in a way. To be a designer and say, 'This is the way people should dress, this is the way their homes should look, this is the way the world should be.' But then, that's the goal: world domination through style."

He has made profits soar at Gucci, which was faltering when he took over. During this year there seems to have been some disagreement between Yves St. laurent and Tom Ford about the way YSL was proceeding. This led to the resignation of Yves St. Laurent in January 2002 from the company he had built. Gucci bought out YSL Rive Gauche and appointed Tom Ford to take up the design responsibilities of YSL Ruve Gauche ready-to-wear.

In November 2003 it was announced that Tom and chief executive Domenico De Sole would be leaving the Italy brand in 2004 "with great sadness" but Ford said he was "confident that we are leaving behind one of the strongest teams in the industry." Then in March 2004, he presented his last collections for YSL Rive Gauche and Gucci, amid very emotional farewells. Both collections were smash hits.

Celebrity fans of Ford's style include Madonna, Bianca Jagger and Trudie Styler ("Well, he's perfect, isn't he? He's like Sting, he doesn't do small talk. He doesn't always give very much of himself, so you want more."). But Ford's ultimate sign of approval came from his mother, who was heard to demand her YSL discount card after watching his first runway show for the house.

He and Domenico de Sole, his colleague who left Gucci with him, set up a new company called just "Tom Ford". As the first major initiative, this company has now collaborated with cosmetics giant Estée Lauder to create beauty products and fragrances. No financial figures have been revealed about the deal. We saw the beauty line and sunglasses by the end of 2005, also a woman's fragrance 'Amber N.de' and 'Youth Dew'. Last spring, though, the designer announced a return to fashion with a signature ready-to-wear men's line. The clothing line, which will be produced by European manufacturer Ermenegildo Zegna, is expected to cater to a high-end clientele, with a men's suit fetching upwards of $2,000. Starting from Madison Ave, Manhattan, Mr. Ford plans to open stores in Milan, London, Los Angeles and Tokyo over the next three to four years.

11 June '07

Tom Ford is taking his brand global. The designer and his business partner, Domenico De Sole, announced they have signed a number of agreements with franchise and wholesale partners to push the brand into key new cities, starting next spring. This after opening his brand new flagship store in Manhattan and launching his luxury men's line only two months ago.

The men's line will become available through strategic partners such as Lane Crawford Joyce Group in Asia, Mercury in Russia, Harrods in London, the Neiman Marcus Group in the US and Villa Moda and UAE Trading in the Middle East, to name but a few. “We have partnered with the finest companies internationally…giving us the necessary competitive advantage as we expand our men's wear business globally,” De Sole told WWD.

The plan is to open 100 freestanding Tom Ford stores and a score of shop-in-shops within 10 years. First on the agenda is the opening of a directly owned flagship in Milan next year, as well as franchised stores in Moscow , Zurich , Saint Moritz , Hong Kong , Kuwait , Dubai and Qatar . Shop-in-shops are planned for Bergdorf Goodman in the US – as well as select Neiman Marcus stores – Harrods in London , Daslu in Sao Paolo, and Joyce stores in Tokyo and Osaka .

Ford designs his luxury brand – tailored clothing, velvet embroidered slippers – in London , where directly operated stores will open next year, after the Milan opening. A London flagship is planned for 2009.

Ford has particularly big plans for the Far East . Together with partner Lane Crawford Joyce Group, Ford plans to open at least 87 franchised Tom Ford stores over the next 10 years, in countries that include Japan , China , Hong Kong , Taiwan , Singapore , Indonesia , Malaysia and Australia . According to Ford, for a business to be successful in the Far East requires more stores. “The way people shop in Beijing , for example, is different because they have shopping hubs that are in towers mixed with hotels and offices that are like mini cities, so you need more stores.”

For the time being, Ford has no plans to introduce women's wear, claiming he is still too busy with the men's line, with which he feels he is making a “new statement”.

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