Tom Ford 002
A New Book That Exudes His Luxe Sexy
Tom Ford, the fashion icon and provocative American designer is set to release his second book, TOM FORD 002 (Rizzoli). Seventeen years after his debut book, TOM FORD, the second go-round takes readers through the illustrious trajectory of his billion-dollar luxury empire established in 2005. It is not your typical 444-page coffee table book. Ford is open about his place in the fashion industry as he gives us an inside look into his career and personal life.
After he relinquished his duties as creative director at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in 2004, this second volume chronicles his career post-Gucci. It’s a visual ode to Ford’s eponymous brand created in 2005 and encompasses cosmetics, eyewear, menswear, and his critically acclaimed womenswear line. This prolific period also includes writing and directing 2009’s A Single Man and 2016’s Nocturnal Animals.
During these 15 years, he became a father at age 51 with his husband, the late Richard Buckley, and overcame an addiction to cocaine and alcohol. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ford said, “I don’t regret any of it, by the way, because everything in my life has added up to who I am today. It was out of control, and to continue life, to be creative and certainly, to be a parent, I had to stop.”
In FORD 002, the designer offers us a throwback to 2012. “Gwyneth Paltrow walked down the red carpet at the Oscars in a white dress with a cape that she selected straight from the showroom. Rihanna was wearing my clothes everywhere; Tom Brady, one of the most handsome and charming guys ever, and a great customer was dressing almost exclusively in my clothes; and James Bond [Daniel Craig], wearing one of my suits, made an appearance at the Olympics with the queen. It was a great year.”
It was no easy feat for Ford to pour over thousands of images for this book. “It’s hard to squeeze 15 years of your life into 400 pages when you’re in the business of visuals,” Ford said. Not only does he include Hollywood A-listers such as Beyonce, Brad Pitt, Jane Fonda, Julianne Moore, and David Beckham, the volume includes dazzling imagery of Ford’s clothing and accessory designs, fashion editorials featuring top models Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls, Mica Argañaraz, and Jon Kortajarena, and his signature sexually-charged advertising campaigns by photographers Inez & Vinoodh, Nick Knight, Steven Meisel, and Mert & Marcus.
“There are more celebrities in this book than there were in the first,” Ford tells The Hollywood Reporter. “We live in a celebrity-driven culture, and they’re the way we communicate so much these days. They’re also some of my best customers — and paying customers — because my clothes are not quiet, they’re somewhat daring.”
TOM FORD 002 launches on November 10, 2021.
