Tom Ford Biography

Tom Ford is a fashion designer who became the filmmaker who wrote and directed the films A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016).

Tom Ford grew up in Texas and New Mexico, then headed to New York City, where he first worked as an actor in television commercials. Although he studied interior architecture at Parson’s School of Design, high fashion caught his interest while he was in Paris.

After working for Cathy Hardwick and Perry Ellis, Ford moved to Milan in 1990 to work for Gucci. By 1992 he was a design director, and in 1994 he was promoted to Creative Director.

Over the next ten years, Ford’s direction took Gucci — and Yves Saint Laurent (acquired by Gucci in 1999) — and turned the fashion house into an international success story.

Ford left Gucci in 2004, announcing that he wanted to make films. He stayed in the fashion world, launching his own line of menswear in 2006. Known for a “classic” look, Ford’s line was a hit; he designed Daniel Craig‘s suits for James Bond films, and collaborated with Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z on the video for “Suit & Tie” (he also designed costumes for Timberlake’s 2013 tour).

His first film, based on a book by Christopher Isherwood, earned the favor of critics and brought actor Colin Firth an Oscar nomination in 2010. His second film, Nocturnal Animals, starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams and also received good reviews.