When you’re launching a new sunglasses collection, who needs clothes? Not Tom Ford. As the former Gucci kingpin inches his way back into the world of men’s fashion, it’s good to see that the provocative designer hasn’t changed a bit Photographs by Jeff Burton
Tom Ford sounds off on his eyewear line, his new menswear venture, and why a certain lead singer could use a makeover
So, what’s your sunglasses collection all about?
It’s very much based on iconic eyewear—beautiful tortoiseshells—so they make you think a little bit of Ari Onassis or John Kennedy, or they make you think of a classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer even though they’re not that shape. They feel like eyewear and not just trendy frames.
It’s interesting you mention JFK. I don’t recall ever seeing any of our presidents, other than him, wearing sunglasses.
You know, you may be right. I have to say I don’t, either. And it’s probably because some media person told them [not to wear sunglasses]. But let’s remember that JFK was maybe the most dashing, sexy, stylish… I mean, not many presidents can sleep with Marilyn Monroe. Monica Lewinsky is a far cry from Marilyn Monroe.
Is there a time to wear sunglasses and a time not to wear them?
I wear sunglasses all the time. But I’ll take them off if I’m having lunch with somebody or if I’m talking to somebody. For a man, there aren’t that many fashion accessories. If you’re wearing a fairly classic suit, a pair of great sunglasses instantly makes you not look like a banker. A woman has so many different things, but a man has a watch, shoes, and eyewear, and that’s kind of it.
If you were to give Bono some sunglasses advice, what would you tell him?
Oh, poor Bono. He needs some new sunglasses. I would love to see him in some heavy plastic, larger-framed glasses. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in something more classic. But then again, how can I say that? As I just said, eyeglasses are one of the few ways a man can express personality. Bono has a look, he’s got his glasses, and he feels comfortable with them the same way Elton does his. And so who am I to mess with that?
You recruited actual p*rn stars for this photo shoot. Is there such thing as a cool male p*rn star?
Well, I guess when I think of cool male p*rn stars, I think of ones from the ’70s. Contemporary male p*rn stars? They’re very waxed, very shaved, very plucked. I’m not into that. But the guy we used for this story—his name was Luca—he had a natural body and wasn’t overly waxed, and he had a nice face and a little bit of a growth on his beard. He didn’t look like a p*rn star. So yeah, I thought he was pretty good-looking.
You’re launching a menswear line. Why?
I think there’s a niche in the men’s market. At the high end, either you go to Savile Row or you go to a fashion company, but often its things are too trendy. So my line is a blend between an Italian fashion company and a classic tailor. There will be no fashion shows, mostly things by appointment, although there will be ready-to-wear as well. We have only a few more weeks to get our manufacturing together to make a late fall ’06 delivery. Otherwise, the whole project will be pushed off, I’m afraid, to fall ’07. The first boutique, if this all works, would open on November 1, 2006, in New York City.
Is a lot of this stuff things you’d wear yourself?
Of course. That’s basically what I’m doing: making clothes for myself and putting them in a shop. I’m serious!
I believe you. What size jacket are you, anyway?
Between a 38 and a 40. I’m a perfect model size.
So 40 regular, not long or short?
I tend to go a little bit longer with my jackets.
But it seems like suit jackets are getting shorter and shorter these days.
Well, some people’s are. And I have to say, a lot of people have gotten quite short with them, which is great if you want to be trendy. But I don’t want to see the back of my butt, so a jacket for me has to absolutely cover my butt cheeks.
What if somebody else wants to see your butt?
Well, they can take my jacket and my pants off. I just think there’s something very feminine about that, a shorter jacket and seeing a man’s butt. It’s not my taste.
Well, okay, then. So, just menswear?
No plans whatsoever for women’s ready-to-wear right now. I’m concentrating on menswear, film, fragrance, cosmetics, and eyewear. Womenswear takes an enormous amount of your time. It really takes twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I’ve done it, I’ve been there. The best I could hope for is to sort of climb back to where I was. There are too many other things I want to do in life. —Adam Rapoport
and that Naomi threw him off when he replaced the horse's regular saddle for a Hermes specially designed one....Poor guy and dumb animal
