Haider Ackermann’s Tom Ford debut balances modern sensuality with a respectful reinvention
Tom Ford Fall 2025 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight For his highly anticipated debut as Creative Director of Tom Ford, Haider Ackermann opted for a subtle, atmospheric nod to the brand’s origins — deftly recreating the kind of show environment long associated with Mr. Ford’s own era-defining presentations. The space was a study in seductive restraint: dimly lit, framed by smoked mirrors, lined with 1970s banquettes and swathed in dove grey silk. It was a setting steeped in mood and memory — a reverberation of the decadence that once defined Ford’s vision, but with a quieter sense of purpose, a reflection of Ackermann’s more introspective hand. Yet, rather than mining Tom Ford’s storied archives for literal references — those much-dissected moments of brazen sexuality and louche glamour that propelled Ford’s tenure at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent into legend — Ackermann seemed more interested in distilling the essence of Tom Ford for a contemporary audience. It was less an exercise in nostalgia and more an exploration of how that spirit of unapologetic luxury, eroticism, and confidence might resonate now, in an era increasingly allergic to overt sensuality. Modern glamour It’s worth remembering that in the years leading up to Tom Ford’s sale to Estée Lauder in 2022, the brand’s womenswear rarely achieved the seismic cultural relevance of Ford’s work at Gucci in the 1990s and early 2000s. Still, glamour remained its central proposition — a foundational quality that Ackermann acknowledged, yet reinterpreted through his own lens, one known for its precision, grace, and poetic tailoring. His task was not just to modernize Ford’s legacy, but to balance the brand’s high-octane appeal with the considerable expectations that come when stepping into the shoes of one of fashion’s most defining provocateurs. The show’s opening sequence set the tone: supple leather, crafted into impeccably tailored outerwear and separates for both men and women. These were not the dominatrix-inspired pieces one might have expected from a Ford-era homage, but garments softened by Ackermann’s hand — sleek yet wearable, refined but with a sense of ease. Particularly in warm cognac brown, a colour evocative of both the 70s and contemporary luxury, the men’s trousers stood out for their fluidity, offering a fresh alternative to the more sharp tailoring of Ford’s own heyday. Tom Ford Fall 2025 leather Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight Of course, no exploration of Tom Ford’s legacy would be complete without eveningwear — a category Ford all but redefined in the 90s with his slinky, body-conscious gowns, their plunging necklines and daring cutaways emblematic of a generation unafraid of excess. Ackermann revisited these signatures but stripped them of their overt eroticism, replacing bodycon silhouettes with a sense of liquid drape and architectural tailoring. A one-shouldered gown in shimmering aqua, for instance, skimmed the body with elegance rather than clinging to it. A pale yellow dress, ruched and slit at the thigh, hinted at seduction without the come-hither of Ford’s infamous campaigns — those boundary-pushing images of naked bodies, including his own, that were as much a part of the brand as the clothes themselves. Tom Ford Fall 2025 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight Where Ackermann’s vision felt particularly forward-facing was in his approach to tailoring. Rather than the razor-sharp lines and power shoulders synonymous with Ford’s suiting, Ackermann embraced a softer, almost deconstructed approach — jackets with languid, effortless proportions that felt particularly modern in a cultural moment dominated by casualwear. In an era where the ubiquity of athleisure has rendered formal dressing almost subversive, Ackermann’s suits made a compelling argument for dressing up without complication. There was a quiet confidence in letting fabric, cut, and posture do the work — a return to elegance that felt both timely and timeless.
For his highly anticipated debut as Creative Director of Tom Ford, Haider Ackermann opted for a subtle, atmospheric nod to the brand’s origins — deftly recreating the kind of show environment long associated with Mr. Ford’s own era-defining presentations. The space was a study in seductive restraint: dimly lit, framed by smoked mirrors, lined with 1970s banquettes and swathed in dove grey silk. It was a setting steeped in mood and memory — a reverberation of the decadence that once defined Ford’s vision, but with a quieter sense of purpose, a reflection of Ackermann’s more introspective hand.
Yet, rather than mining Tom Ford’s storied archives for literal references — those much-dissected moments of brazen sexuality and louche glamour that propelled Ford’s tenure at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent into legend — Ackermann seemed more interested in distilling the essence of Tom Ford for a contemporary audience. It was less an exercise in nostalgia and more an exploration of how that spirit of unapologetic luxury, eroticism, and confidence might resonate now, in an era increasingly allergic to overt sensuality.
Modern glamour
It’s worth remembering that in the years leading up to Tom Ford’s sale to Estée Lauder in 2022, the brand’s womenswear rarely achieved the seismic cultural relevance of Ford’s work at Gucci in the 1990s and early 2000s. Still, glamour remained its central proposition — a foundational quality that Ackermann acknowledged, yet reinterpreted through his own lens, one known for its precision, grace, and poetic tailoring. His task was not just to modernize Ford’s legacy, but to balance the brand’s high-octane appeal with the considerable expectations that come when stepping into the shoes of one of fashion’s most defining provocateurs.
The show’s opening sequence set the tone: supple leather, crafted into impeccably tailored outerwear and separates for both men and women. These were not the dominatrix-inspired pieces one might have expected from a Ford-era homage, but garments softened by Ackermann’s hand — sleek yet wearable, refined but with a sense of ease. Particularly in warm cognac brown, a colour evocative of both the 70s and contemporary luxury, the men’s trousers stood out for their fluidity, offering a fresh alternative to the more sharp tailoring of Ford’s own heyday.
Of course, no exploration of Tom Ford’s legacy would be complete without eveningwear — a category Ford all but redefined in the 90s with his slinky, body-conscious gowns, their plunging necklines and daring cutaways emblematic of a generation unafraid of excess. Ackermann revisited these signatures but stripped them of their overt eroticism, replacing bodycon silhouettes with a sense of liquid drape and architectural tailoring. A one-shouldered gown in shimmering aqua, for instance, skimmed the body with elegance rather than clinging to it. A pale yellow dress, ruched and slit at the thigh, hinted at seduction without the come-hither of Ford’s infamous campaigns — those boundary-pushing images of naked bodies, including his own, that were as much a part of the brand as the clothes themselves.
Where Ackermann’s vision felt particularly forward-facing was in his approach to tailoring. Rather than the razor-sharp lines and power shoulders synonymous with Ford’s suiting, Ackermann embraced a softer, almost deconstructed approach — jackets with languid, effortless proportions that felt particularly modern in a cultural moment dominated by casualwear. In an era where the ubiquity of athleisure has rendered formal dressing almost subversive, Ackermann’s suits made a compelling argument for dressing up without complication. There was a quiet confidence in letting fabric, cut, and posture do the work — a return to elegance that felt both timely and timeless.
