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By 1999, Ford had propelled the brand from its erstwhile tarnished image to a sexy, modern label that was worth an estimated $4.3 billion. Part of his success, aside from his unrelenting ambition, was to bring things up-to-date—looking at styles past and giving them a sort of contemporary re- furbishment. Fashion is more or less a wheel that spins, styles come and go, and come back again in a newer, sometimes brighter, form meant to cap- ture the eyes and hearts of the day's consumer. Understanding this, Ford built the brand up by reviving Gucci classics and giving them a modern vibe. He did things other designers weren't nec- essarily doing, took risks and became known for his sexually provocative ad campaigns and com- mercials. And even after Gucci bought stake in Yves Saint Laurent, and Ford was named creative director of YSL's ready-to-wear line, he still con- tinued to shock and wow editors and consumers alike with his designs for Gucci. In 2004, at age 42, Ford found himself without a job. After leaving Gucci, and all he'd worked for in his expeditious rise to the top of the fashion world, he was left to battle his inner demons of depression and alcoholism. But never one to sit back and wait, Ford soon announced the incep- tion of his film production company, an area of interest for the designer since he was a boy. Very shortly after, the designer also returned to fash- ion, and by 2006, "Tom Ford" became a label of its own—beginning with eyewear, menswear and beauty. It wasn't long before the designer and his com- pany became one of fashion's hottest brands. Dis- tinguishing his consumers as "international" and "cultured" (and someone possessing disposable income), Ford grew to know who his customers were. Someone who knows their style. Over the last decade, the designer has dressed everyone from Beyonce and Anne Hathaway to Johnny Depp and Will Smith. Even former First Lady Mi- chelle Obama was spotted sporting a Tom Ford evening dress while attending a state dinner at Buckingham Palace in 2011, which at the time made complete sense as the American-born de- signer was headquartered in London. Ultimately, the ivory 'goddess' gown garnered Obama praise from the British press, in what some might say was one of her best looks. Though some of his ad campaigns over the years certainly brought about controversy, Ford contin- ued to do things his way—all the while crossing over to film. His first movie, "A Single Man" and 2016's psychological thriller "Nocturnal Ani- mals," went on to be critically acclaimed, earning numerous nominations from the Academy Awards and Golden Globes among others. The shift to film speaks to the rarity of Ford's creative genius, one that's undoubtedly kept his brand (and its design- er) draped in fame. This year, after moving his atelier from the sometimes dreary city of London to sunny Los Angeles, Ford was inspired by the West Coast weather, using bright colors and tight-fitted gar- ments in his Fall/Winter 2017 collections. Ford showed a different set of looks from his Fall 2016 collection which featured darker, looser fitting numbers. This year, Ford is gravitating towards more of what he used to do, and in addition to that, the Ready-to-Wear Fall 2017 collection is more indicative of what Ford knows his consum- ers want—a tighter fit. The line, touting colorful accents, features shorter dresses—an ode to the style Tom Ford buyers aspire to. As always, rather than be true to traditional "runway" fashion, this fall's RTW outfits were a mirror of what Ford knows his customers want to look like on a day-to-day basis. And although Ford recently said goodbye to his stint with see- now-buy-now—a strategy in which while the run- way is happening live, the featured collection is made instantly available on the online store—it's sufficed to say his Fall 2017 collection has been one of his most vibrant in recent memory. Ford even worked in an abundance of skin-tight leather skirts and pants—trends which have seen strong results for the brand overall. This month, we will see Ford take to New York City's Fashion Week, for which he will showcase his Spring 2018 Collection. He has taken stock of several recent collections which are a callback to the work he did during his time with Gucci, and he wants to bring some of that old flavor back. In a recent, candid interview with New York Maga- zine, Ford expressed his willingness to "go back" and reference the past. "That's what this Septem- ber's show will be about," he said. "I hope that I'm returning to what I've always believed in, but in a new way." And like everything the designer sets out to do, we can't wait to see it. VUE ON FASHION V U E N J . C O M 75

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