The Charming Visionaire

I remember the first the day I opened Vogue and saw the advertising of Gucci’s fall winter collection in 1995, Amber Valetta in the Middle of two very handsome buys wearing what I would say one of the outfits that has most compelled me in my teenage years. a pair of blue/green velvet pants, a satin shirt, that Gucci belt and a dream like mohair coat, a nice fantasy, this was the first collection that Tom Ford made for Gucci that year, the collection that saved the brand from complete failure and the one that launched Tom as one the most influential men inside the fashion industry in our times. Tom’s capacity to understand what women wanted and how he could interpret it  through his collections has been one of his biggest talents, turning desires into profits all combined with a magnetizing and charming personality that conquered fashion editors (Carine Rotfield, Ana Wintour), celebrities (Madona, Julianne More, Gweneth Paltrow)  and normal people like myself all over the world. Indeed there is something hypnotizing in the clarity of his vision, when you listen to the Why he does what he does? you understand why he is so successful, he is what he does and his creations are really part of his vision  from the clothes to the advertising ( I find he indeed over burned the Porno-chic, but it is him). Since that first collection almost twenty years have passed, he went from Gucci to Yves Saint Laurent to have a very bitter experience that put him down for a while until he decided to create one of the most luxurious men’s collection, launching his own perfumes and sunglasses lines and recently showing us that all that style can go into cinema and finally returning to his roots: women’s with one of the most secretive shows in the last years (something hard in this digital era). I see Tom Ford as a Man-brand, he is his brand, at which extent is all real, I don’t know but he has managed to create the perfect spokes person for his brands  and any project he is involved and as a creative person I think is something to learn because yo have to be your best spokes person. As a last note I found two videos you may like if you are a fan, this first one is a rare documentary of him, produced by the OWN network (Oprah Winfrey) you can watch it by clicking here  and a video of Tom’s second show for Gucci a rare finding, videos where bad quality then! , I think I phone’s today have better resolution (lol) but here it is with some of the top models of the moment. Have a vision, be your vision and make it happen.

Be your brand,

Love,

Yavidan