Tom Ford is bringing his class and style back to the west coast. Come fashion week next February, the fashion designer and filmmaker is putting on a show in Los Angeles.
It is the first time he’s done so since 2015. It’s good timing on Ford’s part, since the Academy Awards take place on February 8th, so a long list of big names will be available and eager to attend the show with a front-row seat. Ford’s decision isn’t simply for the sake of more publicity, because Lord knows he doesn’t need more hype at this point in his remarkable, wide-ranging career.
The Big Show
The news of Ford’s L.A. show comes as a surprise in some corners of the fashion industry. A year ago, Ford became the chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, with the idea being he’d shake up and liven up New York Fashion Week. Ford, in a statement that’s on point, replied to the silly criticism of his decision:
“Someone asked me the other day how I could justify showing in LA as I am now the Chairman of the CFDA, and I reminded them that CFDA stood for the Council of Fashion Designers of America and not the Council of Fashion Designers of New York.”
The president and CEO of the CFDA, Steven Kolb, expressed his support as well:
“Tom Ford has deep ties to Hollywood and it is his home. We support his choice to show in Los Angeles and to promote American fashion on this important weekend in February. His decision will not impact the official New York Fashion Week schedule. “
West Coast Fashion
To some people, Paris is where it’s at when it comes to fashion. It’s beating out New York. Los Angeles hasn’t had a reputation as a hotspot for fashion week. However, Los Angeles Fashion week has come a long way these last few years. Under the direction of Arthur Chipman, a man with a good eye for style, L.A. fashion week’s profile has raised and impressed.
According to Ford, the West Coast is overlooked in the fashion world:
“In many ways, I think that LA and the West Coast in general has been overlooked by the fashion world despite the fact that the worlds of fashion and film are so closely related. I did this the last time that the two calendars overlapped and it worked well. LA is particularly exciting that week and as it is my home it seems the natural thing to do.”
Ford’s last fashion week in L.A. was in 2015. It was successful enough for him to return to the city with high hopes. Next February, L.A. is going to look a whole lot sleeker and cooler, thanks to Ford.
Tom Ford’s Future
There’s always no telling what Ford will accomplish next. He’s a visionary designer always on the cutting edge, always testing new waters and experimenting while retaining the Tom Ford brand. With Ford showcasing his spring and summer 2019 men’s and women’s runway collection, he’ll raise L.A.’s profile in the fashion game once again. It needs the publicity and exposure.
Tom Ford, The Filmmaker
Once Ford’s L.A. fashion week comes to a close, hopefully, he’ll submerge himself in another film project. He’s a wonderful director with an eye for framing, color, and storytelling completely unique to him. Deep emotion runs behind every frame of his stories. He puts his all in his movies, and it shows. With only two films under Ford’s snazzy belt, Single Man and Nocturnal Animals, he’s become a filmmaker in a league of his own. Films take years and years, though, and Ford is a busy man, so who knows how long we’ll have to wait to enjoy the many pleasures of a Tom Ford film.
