Tom Ford bows out as creative director at namesake fashion label
The American fashion designer Tom Ford is retiring from the eponymous brand he co-founded in 2005, after its sale to Estée Lauder last November.
Ford’s longtime associate Peter Hawkings will succeed him as creative director, while Guillaume Jesel becomes chief executive and president, taking over from Domenico de Sole, the brand’s other co-founder.
The news follows the beauty conglomerate’s agreement in 2022 to buy Tom Ford for $2.8bn (£2.2bn).
The company includes a lucrative beauty line, a successful fashion line and an eyewear business through a licensing agreement with the Italian group Marcolin.
Estée Lauder will handle Tom Ford’s cosmetics and fragrance businesses, while the Italian menswear group Ermenegildo Zegna has acquired a 30-year licensing deal. This allows the Zegna Group to use the Tom Ford brand and trademark, and it is now responsible for all men’s and women’s fashion, as well as accessories and underwear. Marcolin will continue making the eyewear.
At the time of the announcement of the acquisition, Estée Lauder released a statement explaining that Ford would remain as the brand’s “creative visionary” until the end of 2023. However, in a surprise move this week, Ford released a “final collection” featuring 90s supermodels, including Amber Valletta, wearing archive designs from the past 13 years.
Before launching his own label, Ford, 61, held posts at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.
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Hawkings first began his career under him at Gucci in 1998. He joined the Tom Ford brand in 2006 and most recently held the role of senior
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