The Gucci Museum Pays Tribute to Tom Ford
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
His designs have been labeled as creative masterpieces, innovative, game changing and sometimes even provocative. Tom Ford is one of those designers who, without a doubt, continues to steal the spotlight wherever he goes and with whatever he undertakes. Ford has a magical charisma and an indescribable presence. Working first under the prestigious labels of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, Ford gained a strong sense of confidence and self, so much so that he launched his own label in 2006. He has also displayed a silent talent for film directing which has won him nominations for various films over the years. From 1995 to present, Tom Ford has been recognized and awarded with such titles as ‘Best International Designer’ at the VH1/Vogue Awards, Designer of the Year by GQ USA, Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award, the Andre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award and those are only but a few of the many awards that the designer is very proud of and worked hard to deserve.
Tom Ford has gained respect by such fashion authorities as Anna Wintour. Having this long list of successful ventures, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when it was recently announced that Tom Ford would be honored by the Gucci Museum. The museum is located in the lovely city of Florence, Italy, an artist’s paradise, and this museum is quite an astounding attraction. There are two rooms within the museum that are dedicated to Tom Ford. The designer contributed greatly to the House of Gucci while he held the position of creative director beginning in 1994. The image is difficult to erase as he set the trend of the season repeatedly. Ford transformed Gucci into a fashion powerhouse, defining his era and dressing some of the great ladies of our time. He made Gucci come back alive at a time when the design house was on the brink of bankruptcy.
As you enter these rooms within the museum, you realize who Tom Ford really is and how he made his mark on Gucci. His vitality and vigor surround you as the ready-to-wear room is decorated all in Tom Ford cherry red from floor to ceiling, not a piece left untouched. The creative director who was appointed by Tom Ford himself in 2002, Alessandro Michele, developed the look that this room portrays, remembering how Ford always encouraged self-expression by developing a unique aesthetic for the label.
It can be said that Tom Ford has changed the face of fashion, leading the way for emerging designers to follow in his footsteps. The Gucci Museum brings us close to a man of creativity and boundless energy for fashion, Tom Ford, giving back to the designer all that he gave to the House of Gucci in his long-standing reign.
