TOM FORD - DESIGN HEROES SERIES

DESIGN HEROES SERIES #1:  TOM FORD

 Braxton and I were talking over the weekend...you know batting around ideas for the blog, as people do...and he came up with a great one.  This week will be the first in an occasional series titled design heroes.  B and I have so many design heroes...fashion designers, interior designers, furniture designers, architects and artists, we thought we'd share them with you.
Who better to start off the series than mans man, ladies man, man about town, Mr. Tom Ford!

This may in fact be the most beautiful dress in the world.  I dream about this dress.

 Let's begin with a few basic facts, so we're all up to speed. 
Tom Ford was born in 1961 in Texas.  His family moved to Santa Fe N.M. when Tom was 11 and he lived there until going off to college in New York.  He studied art history at NYU then later received a degree in interior architecture from Parsons.  While a student in NYC he became a regular at the famed studio 54, where he met Andy Warhol and fell under the spell of all things glamorous and glitzy, he also discovered he was gay.
While pursuing his degree in architecture, he developed a passion for fashion and decided this was the world in which he belonged.  His first job was with American designer Cathy Hardwick, who later said that when he made the appointment for a interview she had no intention of hiring him, but when she asked "who is your favorite designer" Ford answered "Armani".  Apparently that, and that beautiful face of his, was all it took.  Hardwick later asked TF why he answered "Armani" and he replied "because that was who you were wearing". Duh.
If you are at all aware of Tom Ford, you probably know he made his mark at the design house of Gucci, where he took a failing leather goods company and made it a tremendous success before leaving in 2004 due to "creative differences".
In 2005 he returned to fashion under the label Tom Ford,  and in 2009 under his own production label Fade to Black,  he directed the Oscar Nominated film A Single Man.  Seriously if you have not seen this film , you really must.  It's so insanely beautiful and well acted, you'll never regret it.  Braxton wrote about it here.

Catherine's thinking....Prince William who?

 When I was asked as a child what I wanted to be, I'd say "I want to be rich, I want to be famous, I want to be in the big city, I want to have a fabulous life"  All I've done my entire life is fulfill my destiny.

Yep, he even started his own cosmetics line.  Anyone tried it yet?

Seriously, you must.

 I am not a person who is about reality.  I am about enhanced reality.

Let's visit Mr. Fords home this week.  Aside:  apparently when he turned 50 he decided he wanted to be called "Mr. Ford".  Can you do that?

Let's talk about his famously cheeky ads.

 At home, off-duty, I wear t-shirts from Fruit of the Loom - but I have them tailored.

And of course his menswear collections.

 There are some fabulously irreverent interviews of Tom Ford I'd love to share with you.  Seriously, the man is infinitely quotable, oh and what the hell, let's see a fashion show or two.

Who's on board?  What do you admire most about Tom Ford?  His fashion?  Cosmetics? Work ethic?  Gorgeousness?  Let's talk.

Have a beautiful day.
YANCEY

TOM FORD: A SINGLE MAN

Tom Ford:  Screenwriter and Director of  A Single Man

Just in case you've been wondering, this week, what on earth Tom Ford has to do with the Mid Century Design that Braxton and I love so much...I'm about to show you.
I've mentioned it so  many times now, I do apologize, but you really must see A Single Man.  There, I said it.  Again. 
Colin Firth stars as George, a college professor recently relocated to America from England, and Julianna Moore stars as Charlie, George's needy (and probably alcoholic) friend and neighbor.
The real stars of the movie, however, are George and Charlies houses, both of which are mid century marvels.  Let's look.

George's house is a real house, not a set, and it also happens to be on the market (just in case you have a spare couple of  million laying around).  Designed by John Lautner and built in 1949...so beautiful!

Most of these pictures were taken from the real estate listing, which explains the sparseness.  Look at these gorgeous shelves, which are seen throughout the house.  Yes, it's quite dark, but that's typical of this design.

Now check out the kitchen after Mr. Ford got hold of it.  Better right?

Also from the listing.  Love the two sided fireplace.

I'm not quite sure what's going on above the bed here. 

Sky lights or actual lights?

I don't believe this second bedroom was ever shown in the movie.  Check out the amazing detail of the ceiling and how it extends beyond the room to the outdoors.

This has to be the best feature of the house.  Imagine an entire wall of swinging glass doors.  I'm in love.

The master bedroom in the movie.  Notice the lights above the bed (three pictures back) are not shown.

 The following pictures are of Charlies house.  While his house was extremely dark and masculine, hers is light and all feminine Hollywood glam.

Don't you sit in a white fur chair to put on your makeup? 

Oh my, I do so love this curved sofa.  So sexy and fun.

Love this painting over the perfectly simple fireplace.

 The following picture is of Charlies entrance room.  Seriously, you walk in the door then walk through a hall with orange trees along each wall, in order to get to the living room.  I have to go lie down, I just can't take it any more!

BTW:  I should mention that A Single Man is based on a Christopher Isherwood novel by the same name.
Wishing you all a swoon worthy weekend.
YANCEY

TOM FORD : THE DRESSES OF SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Tom Ford:  Spring/summer 2012 Collection

Straight up confession:  I'm not a big fan of jeans.  I always try to keep at least one decent pair in my wardrobe for super cold days or days when Braxton and I go up into the mountains to hike or otherwise enjoy nature, but I always seem to eventually paint in them and they become splattered with orange crush or bordello pink or whatever my latest obsession.

Truthfully I can't tell if your blue jeans set you back a whole $20.00 from H&M or if they cost a bomb because of the designer label, because to me all jeans look alike.  Exactly. Alike.

Now, if you want to talk dresses, or skirts, or frilly blouses...how much time do you have, because I've got all day!  I love dresses!  I almost never leave the house without a dress (or skirt) on.  And I love seeing you in dresses too.   Which is why I'm so excited about spring and the spring collections (have you seen what Marc Jacob's been up to lately?  Swoon!), because no one does the dress better than Mr. Ford.  Tom Ford actually received a lot of criticism for his S/S collection.  People said it was too reminiscent of past collections especially what he did while at YSL.  I think his consistency is one of his assets, with TF you know it's going to be feminine and wildly sexy.  What's not to love?

 My focus is really old-fashioned.  I want to do classic clothes.  I don't want to do trendy collections that swing around from season to season.  I want to do things that will stay in a woman's wardrobe a long time...quite "forever" pieces.

 Blouses with a loose, slouchy quality.  Something fitted at the waist and with a bondage(y) thing on the foot.

 I Streamlined things more this season.  I think I'm very classic, because what I do is always based on something you've seen before and yes, maybe there's something YSL about it.

 I think even if I had a million dollars to spend on a show, I'd still be doing this. (when asked about the smaller scale of the presentation)

 Mr. Ford's show was thoroughly Tom Ford in its sex appeal and silhouette - tigress hair, smoky eyes, glossy lips, taut skirts and strappy high heels.  (review in the NYT)

Tom Ford is the city's most shamelessly glamorous designer (Hamish Bowles)

Do you love to wear dresses?  Do you wear more dresses in the spring and summer than in the winter?  Do you feel sexier in a dress or in blue jeans?

Have a beautiful day.
YANCEY