TOM FORD'S first womenswear collection launch was made all the more exciting by the secrecy that surrounded it. Modelled by his most stylish friends, the pictures of the collection were held back until the collection was almost ready to arrive in stores. We caught up with Ford to find out why, to talk about his favourite women - and find out what's next on his agenda.
You're often referred to as a perfectionist, were you happy with the womenswear launch presentation?
I was very happy with the reaction and, most importantly, to see that people were having fun. The women were having a great time and the audience had fun. I think that people need to smile and laugh and that fashion should make you enjoy life.
How would you sum up the collection?
The collection was designed for different women of different ages, with different body types and different personalities. Whoever you are, what we do is help you develop your own individual style.
Did you ever consider not returning to womenswear design?
When I got back into fashion with fragrance and eyewear, I wasn't sure I was going to do anything more than that. I did not want to do womenswear until I had something new to say.
The women you chose - from Beyoncé to Daphne Guinness - have very different individual styles, was this important to you?
I wanted to represent all women. I literally designed the clothes for each woman. I took their measurements, thought about them, thought about what they wore. I know Lauren Hutton likes white, I know she likes a hat, I know she looks good in a fedora. I chose carefully. Lisa Eisner has always been one of my great friends and muses, and Rachel Feinstein is one of the most fabulous women in the world and I love her body and I love her. Daphne is amazing and I cannot say enough wonderful things about Beyoncé. I wanted each woman's personality and individual style to come through and am happy that I achieved that.
Why did you decide not to have a traditional show or presentation at one of the Fashion Weeks?
The way the system works now, you see the clothes on the runway, within an hour or so they're online, the world sees them. The next week, young celebrity girls are wearing them on the red carpets. They're in every magazine. The customer is bored with these clothes by the time they get into the store. They're overexposed. I wanted to pull everything back which is why I didn't allow photographers at the show except for Terry Richardson and why the images were not released until December.
What is your next focus?
I am working on my next men's and women's collections right now!
Where do you see the Tom Ford brand in 10 years?
I see the Tom Ford brand as a place where a man or woman of any age who appreciates quality can go to find beautifully made clothes, accessories, a range of fragrances, cosmetics and beauty products.