Haute 100 New York Update: Tom Ford

Our Haute 100 list details the accomplishments of the most influential people in each of our markets—Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. These people continue to make moves, so rather than waiting for the next Haute 100 issue to come out, we thought we’d provide you with regular updates on those Haute 100 members who are making headlines. On our Haute 100 New York list is Tom Ford, the fashion heavyweight who is making strides in the film business with his directorial ingenuity.

Tom Ford

Category: Designers

Company: Tom Ford

Industry: Fashion

What Makes Him Haute: Formerly the creative director of Gucci, he now heads Tom Ford Fragrances and a dapper menswear line, all of which are housed in his famed Madison Avenue boutique. He is credited with turning the almost-bankrupt Gucci house into an empire valued at $4.3 billion upon his departure. He was named Menswear Designer of the Year in 2008 by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

What Makes Him Haute Now: If dressing some of Hollywood’s leading men such as Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, and Bradley Cooper wasn’t enough for Tom Ford, the creative force decided to dabble with film directing in 2009. Ford, along with his production company, Fade To Black, made his directorial debut with A Single Man. The film, based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood, stars two well-known Hollywood names, Julianne Moore and Colin Firth. A Single Man premiered at the 66th Venice International Film Festival and received a Golden Lion nomination. Along with the esteem the film garnered, Ford was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards in 2009 and honored as one of GQ USA’s Men of the Year. Recently, Ford emerged as a stage designer for the opera noir, The Letter, and was a nominee in the CFDA’s Menswear Designer of the Year.