Haider Ackermann - Designer, Creative Director of Canada Goose & Tom Ford

[brandon J pierre]

i really hope the rumours are true. She will make givenchy RTW desirable for fashion people and hopefully not so pedestrian apart from some "Bestseller Accessories". Like she did with mcqueen. Shes one of the only ones who designs bold rtw that are actually produced to be worn and not just photographed.

Yes she's very good at production. And brand building and image building also lvmh gives long 5-year contract still. Which is good for her to try new things

 

[LadyJunon]

30 hours later, WWD finally decided to show up:

Haider Ackermann’s Strength in RTW, Womenswear Were Key to Tom Ford Appointment
The designer was named creative director of the luxury brand following the exit of Peter Hawkings.

By Jean E. Palmieri
September 5, 2024, 3:59pm

Haider Ackermann’s strength in ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as his color sense and expertise in womenswear, were among the reasons he was chosen to be the next creative director of Tom Ford, according to Gildo Zegna, chief executive officer of Ermenegildo Zegna Group, the licensee for the brand’s fashion business.

In an interview at the Villa Zegna installation in New York on Thursday, Zegna said: “Tom [Ford] has to be very, very strong in ready-to-wear. And we have to become much stronger in accessories. I think he’s [Ackermann] the right choice — I’m totally supportive of the decision, and will work with him to make it happen.”

He added that in addition to his superior skills in design, Ackermann must be willing to make decisions quickly and shift gears in order to move the brand forward. “A CEO and creative director must be capable of making changes, quick changes, according to new challenges that present themselves around the world,” Zegna said.

On Wednesday, Tom Ford appointed Ackermann to the creative director role vacated by Peter Hawkings in July, less than a year after he stepped into the role following founder Ford’s exit. The Tom Ford brand was acquired by the Estée Lauder Companies for $2.8 billion in 2022. Marcolin SpA was licensed by Lauder for the eyewear business.

Founder Tom Ford said, “I have long been a great fan of Haider’s work. I find both his womenswear and menswear equally compelling. He is an incredible colorist, his tailoring is sharp, and above all he is modern. We share many of the same historical references, and I could not be more excited to see what he does with the brand. I suspect that I will be the first on my feet to applaud after his show in March.”

Ackermann is a French national born in Bogotá, Colombia, and was raised in Ethiopia, Chad, Algeria, the Netherlands, and Belgium, where he studied fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He is known for the ability to create strong tailored pieces from luxurious fabrics. He will continue as the creative director of Canada Goose.

Ackermann’s first collection will debut at Paris Fashion Week in March 2025. He will be based in Paris and report to Guillaume Jesel, president and chief executive officer of Tom Ford and luxury business development at The Estée Lauder Cos., and Lelio Gavazza, CEO of Tom Ford Fashion at Zegna Group.

“Haider stands out as one of the world’s most visionary and inspiring talents in fashion. He draws on his deep affinity for global culture and the arts to create arresting fashion and memorable emotional connections. He is the ideal steward to usher Tom Ford into the future,” said Jesel.

Gavazza added that Ackermann’s “renowned experience in luxury will be instrumental in driving the fashion business forward during its next important phase of expansion. Haider’s modern vision, for both men’s and women’s wear, will be essential as we advance and execute the many projects we have in development.”

I do appreciate them adding the opinions of the rest of the C-suite though.

 

[FashioNarrating]

I didn't really envision HA at the helm of a rather commercial luxury brand, much less at the helm of a brand named after its widely famous and still living founder. Haider is considered quite a talent, but so far that hasn't really translated into a lot of people wearing his clothes or mimicking his work. Still, I'm hopeful he'll be able to make TF more modern and elegant and generate interest as well as sales.

 

[lowfive1715]

As long HA understands that Tom Ford male is not a nonbinary/gender fluid/queer/user of they/them person. Tom Ford’s male is masculine through and through, regardless of his sexuality. He enjoys being a male in every possible way, and the thought of transitioning to anything else disgusts him. Anything resembling something that AM would design during his Gucci era will be a nail in the coffin.

 

[Lola701]

One thing that I love about the Zegna is that their group is about selling clothes. So they still cares about selling clothes. I think this is the first time I have ever saw a quote from a suit saying « we have to be very very strong in RTW ». It’s refreshing and ambitious.

The good thing that Haider has is that the brand has stores all over the world.

The fact that they are showing in Paris will be good for their presence in the city.

I also hope they will redesign that website. It’s horrible! And it’s insane to think that they only ship to US and UK nearly a decade after opening the e-commerce.

Last time I checked, Haider’s clothes had flashes of contrasting color in almost every outerwear, tailoring or dress I’ve seen - A lapel’s undercollar in bright silk or a contrasting lining. If I had to name one of his trademarks as the most recognizable, it would have to be his constant use of colors and rich textures in his collections.

I don’t really look at fashion designers and their work as something to translate into total looks by the end customer and Haider’s designs work well as separates or focal points in an outfit. A bomber jacket or blazer in brocade or lush velvet can work on it’s own with just about anything and for Tom Ford, I’m pretty certain we will see something closer to Berluti than his own brand. He’s made it clear how protective he is of his own name - And even then, I don’t think it would be fair to judge his work by means of exemplars that were shown 10 years ago without acknowledging the evolution of his work since.

Tbh, his Gaultier collection showed a lot of growth already.
For me, in womenswear at least, his contribution will be a breath of fresh air anyway. And Tom Ford is already expensive and quite set in terms of positioning. Tom built the right foundations.

 

[tricotineacetat]

One thing that I love about the Zegna is that their group is about selling clothes. So they still cares about selling clothes. I think this is the first time I have ever saw a quote from a suit saying « we have to be very very strong in RTW ». It’s refreshing and ambitious.

The good thing that Haider has is that the brand has stores all over the world.

The fact that they are showing in Paris will be good for their presence in the city.

I also hope they will redesign that website. It’s horrible! And it’s insane to think that they only ship to US and UK nearly a decade after opening the e-commerce.

Tbh, his Gaultier collection showed a lot of growth already.
For me, in womenswear at least, his contribution will be a breath of fresh air anyway. And Tom Ford is already expensive and quite set in terms of positioning. Tom built the right foundations.

What I’m hoping for with Haider working under the Tom Ford label is that the end result would be a bit more pragmatic than what he’d show under his own brand - A few less floor-grazing coats and barely-there dresses suspended from the thinnest spaghetti straps. There’s been an ease to when he put women in his Berluti menswear that was quite compelling, I hope we see a bit more of that and less of the kind of clothes Kylie Jenner would gravitate towards.

I am without doubt, though, that we will see a lot of very unforgiving stiletto heels with both Tom and Haider having a liking with them 😅

 

[Lola701]

What I’m hoping for with Haider working under the Tom Ford label is that the end result would be a bit more pragmatic than what he’d show under his own brand - A few less floor-grazing coats and barely-there dresses suspended from the thinnest spaghetti straps. There’s been an ease to when he put women in his Berluti menswear that was quite compelling, I hope we see a bit more of that and less of the kind of clothes Kylie Jenner would gravitate towards.

I am without doubt, though, that we will see a lot of very unforgiving stiletto heels with both Tom and Haider having a liking with them 😅

Ahaha true, a little bit more pragmatism indeed because the sexy nature of Tom’s work can really inspire him to go that road indeed, no matter how classy it can look on the runway…
I only do plunging necklines with shirts so he will loose me on that one!

Haider worked with Francesco Russo for his Gaultier collection. Russo used to do the shoes at YSL under Tom and Stefano (he did the infamous cherry sandals ADR loves)!
I love his shoes from his own line so I pray that he becomes he head shoe designer at Tom Ford! I pray! I pray! Lol

 

[Kanzai]

I've never been a fan of Tom Ford the man... But now Haider is there, I immediately had to follow their IG account xD, can't wait to see his campaigns for the brand

 

[tricotineacetat]

Ahaha true, a little bit more pragmatism indeed because the sexy nature of Tom’s work can really inspire him to go that road indeed, no matter how classy it can look on the runway…
I only do plunging necklines with shirts so he will loose me on that one!

Haider worked with Francesco Russo for his Gaultier collection. Russo used to do the shoes at YSL under Tom and Stefano (he did the infamous cherry sandals ADR loves)!
I love his shoes from his own line so I pray that he becomes he head shoe designer at Tom Ford! I pray! I pray! Lol

There is something about the stretched line of his heels and their elegant fragility that vibes with Haider‘s designs, I can very much see that - The only thing I learned from listening to most female friends is that those kind of sky-high stilettos above 9cm raise of the arch that often provide little support to the foot are something few women feel good about wearing and whose proportions look good for the most part only on very slim women.

Back in the days, I used to see a lot of women during fashion week changing from flats to heels the moment they arrived at the Jardins Tuilleries to attend the shows, as it was clear those kind of shoes are not meant for walking - I guess that’s how the Lanvin flats became so insanely successful, as well as tote bags large enough to carry an extra pair of shoes at any given time 😅

 

[tourbillions]

Why i feel like they brought HA in to cater to the younger crowds? Ofcourse he can do formal wear for older too but his aesthetic is very of the moment with the gen z's. It will be interesting and ifs nice to see him in a brand with a wider reach than berluti.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Why i feel like they brought HA in to cater to the younger crowds? Ofcourse he can do formal wear for older too but his aesthetic is very of the moment with the gen z's. It will be interesting and ifs nice to see him in a brand with a wider reach than berluti.

Aside from the cuban heeled cowboy boots, don‘t you think that the majority of his Berluti could have worked well next to Pilati‘s Zegna or even Tom Ford, under the right edit?

As many TFS members rightfully pointed out, Tom Ford is rather known for 'adult sexy' clothes, so making that inclusive for younger audiences whilst keeping the integrity of the brand intact is the main challenge for the years ahead.

I have confidence that Haider can be up for it and widen the Tom Ford vocabulary to include evening options that are maybe less formally 'black tie' or womenswear that has a bit of the poetic softness and ease he would show in his own brand. I really think this can turn out to be one of the best designer appointments the fashion industry has seen in a long time!

 

[LadyJunon]

What I’m hoping for with Haider working under the Tom Ford label is that the end result would be a bit more pragmatic than what he’d show under his own brand - A few less floor-grazing coats and barely-there dresses suspended from the thinnest spaghetti straps. There’s been an ease to when he put women in his Berluti menswear that was quite compelling, I hope we see a bit more of that and less of the kind of clothes Kylie Jenner would gravitate towards.

I am without doubt, though, that we will see a lot of very unforgiving stiletto heels with both Tom and Haider having a liking with them 😅

Ahaha true, a little bit more pragmatism indeed because the sexy nature of Tom’s work can really inspire him to go that road indeed, no matter how classy it can look on the runway…
I only do plunging necklines with shirts so he will loose me on that one!

Haider worked with Francesco Russo for his Gaultier collection. Russo used to do the shoes at YSL under Tom and Stefano (he did the infamous cherry sandals ADR loves)!
I love his shoes from his own line so I pray that he becomes he head shoe designer at Tom Ford! I pray! I pray! Lol

I definitely agree that Ackermann will need to think a bit more pragmatically. I think that his Berluti are very on-point, but it needs a few adjustements to suit the glossy hedonism of Tom Ford. Cut the silhouettes in "prettier" fabrics. Amp up the femininity and "flou" for the womenswear with a few dresses and blouses. A couple of slinky dresses and tuxedos will suffice for the eveningwear. Throw in heels by Russo and a naked titty for good luck.

 

[tricotineacetat]

I definitely agree that Ackermann will need to think a bit more pragmatically. I think that his Berluti are very on-point, but it needs a few adjustements to suit the glossy hedonism of Tom Ford. Cut the silhouettes in "prettier" fabrics. Amp up the femininity and "flou" for the womenswear with a few dresses and blouses. A couple of slinky dresses and tuxedos will suffice for the eveningwear. Throw in heels by Russo and a naked titty for good luck.

I would rather he didn‘t do the provocative p*rn chic too much or else it could quickly fall into the territory of Ludovic de Saint Sernin‘s one-show for Ann Demeulemeester. A sumptuous, oversize cashmere with a plunging or off-the-shoulder neckline in a great color on a bias-cut silk skirt can sometimes be enough to bring sensuality to the table. Or simply pairing a scoop neck racerback tank with a gorgeous tuxedo pant. A bit of that easy practicality and ease would be such a breath of fresh air at Tom Ford!

 

[Lola701]

There is something about the stretched line of his heels and their elegant fragility that vibes with Haider‘s designs, I can very much see that - The only thing I learned from listening to most female friends is that those kind of sky-high stilettos above 9cm raise of the arch that often provide little support to the foot are something few women feel good about wearing and whose proportions look good for the most part only on very slim women.

Back in the days, I used to see a lot of women during fashion week changing from flats to heels the moment they arrived at the Jardins Tuilleries to attend the shows, as it was clear those kind of shoes are not meant for walking - I guess that’s how the Lanvin flats became so insanely successful, as well as tote bags large enough to carry an extra pair of shoes at any given time 😅

Yes it’s true that it’s difficult to wear and more to wear it for a long time.
I have been wearing heels since I’m 16 so I’m more or less comfortable in some. I wouldn’t touch the Louboutin So Kate in anyway for example but I can do the Kate lol. Stilettos from Francesco Russo, Vivier or even Tom Ford or anywhere are totally manageable if the cambrure is not extreme.

But you know, we women are sometimes not logical at all, we love the look of the danger, we would fall for it, wear it, suffer and then complain that it’s not comfortable lol.

I remember that era indeed of Lanvin flats. I had them too but it was more an off days pair of shoes to hangout. The irony was that apart from their classic pumps, Lanvin heels were also quite dangerous sometimes.

Back in the days, Chanel and MiuMiu did the best comfortable stilettos tbh.


Back to Haider. What I find funny is that women are quite excited for his tenure but men are quite afraid lol. It’s interesting.

 

[LadyJunon]

Back to Haider. What I find funny is that women are quite excited for his tenure but men are quite afraid lol. It’s interesting.

They are? I thought Ackermann was popular in menswear spaces.

 

[Lola701]

They are? I thought Ackermann was popular in menswear spaces.

Some die hard Tom Ford menswear fans are apprehensive.

 

[FashioNarrating]

They are? I thought Ackermann was popular in menswear spaces.

He is, but it's the Timmy Chalamet types that like his work - the typical TF clientele might be afraid that Haider's offerings will be too louche and not conventional enough.

 

[yslforever]

One thing that I love about the Zegna is that their group is about selling clothes. So they still cares about selling clothes. I think this is the first time I have ever saw a quote from a suit saying « we have to be very very strong in RTW ». It’s refreshing and ambitious.

The good thing that Haider has is that the brand has stores all over the world.

The fact that they are showing in Paris will be good for their presence in the city.

I also hope they will redesign that website. It’s horrible! And it’s insane to think that they only ship to US and UK nearly a decade after opening the e-commerce.

Tbh, his Gaultier collection showed a lot of growth already.
For me, in womenswear at least, his contribution will be a breath of fresh air anyway. And Tom Ford is already expensive and quite set in terms of positioning. Tom built the right foundations.

Kinda disagree, the brand is currently rather lacking in stores and retail presence around the world, they don't even have a womenswear store in Paris where they are going to show (just like The Row). They really do need one in Paris by March 25 for the show, otherwise it means Zegna aren't investing that much in the turnaround.
Also even though Zegna is pushing hard for the RTW, I think the XXX sneakers is like 50% of their sales and 90% of their profits.

 

[PDFSD]

I understood today he might move the studio to Paris as well at some point.

 

[Kanzai]

I hope his menswear offerings will be similar to his personal style of dressing, it's sad that his works for Timothy has become a cliché for his vision of menswear in ppl.

Oriental allure in material approaching like Armani, romanticism of Ann Demeulemeester, eclecticism of Dries and drunken boho styling of Yohji. Those are the aspects which i think he could provide, a wonderful menswear designer ( like Pilati ), i would say