Ford was hugely influential on the 1990s fashion scene, mainly noted for his incredible makeover of the Gucci fashion brand. Furthermore, John Dempsey, president of Estee Lauder, said that Ford was, “the combustion that drove the entire Nineties.”
Throughout the decade, Ford became as famous as the numerous celebrities he dressed. Not only did he have an immaculate sense of style, he was also able to articulate his vision clearly, making him a favourite among editors and journalists.
Ford’s Vision
Ford’s approach was all-embracing. This phenomenon was completely fresh, meaning he left his mark on a decade in which the world of fashion was truly put on the commercial map. Ford stated, “For me fashion doesn’t stop at clothes. Fashion is everything. Art, music, furniture design, hair, make-up… all those things go together to make a moment in time.”
Ford was famously open about sex and embraced sexuality in his design, particularly in his work for Gucci, when he commissioned some controversial advertisements and campaigns. Ford famously said, “Sex is something that I think about all the time.”
Ford in Fashion
Although he had an innate sense of style and was an enormous perfectionist when it came to his personal fashion and that of those around him, fashion design was not Ford’s first calling. He studied Art History at the University of New York, before initially entering the world of fashion as a male model. His first actual design job was with Cathy Hardwick, who seemed to hire him because he was attractive rather than for any spark of brilliance in his portfolio. He soon developed, however, being poached by Marc Jacobs in 1988, then moving to Perry Ellis.
In 1989, legendary Italian fashion house Gucci hired Dawn Mello, an American retail executive. Although she stayed at Gucci for only a year she decided to appoint Ford to design women's wear, a decision that would ultimately serve as a huge catalyst for the development of the brand.
Ford at Gucci
By the time Mello had left Gucci, Ford’s role became far more prominent. He was design director of the company by 1992, despite huge clashes with Maurizo Gucci himself who was concerned that Ford was being too experimental with the classic label.
Ford was finally made fashion director of Gucci in 1994. In the same year, Maurizo Gucci himself was shockingly murdered after which, under Ford’s direction, the brand seemed to explode back to life.
By the autumn/winter collection of 1996, Ford felt as though his vision for Gucci had been fulfilled. The brand had broken into mainstream fashion like never before, rivalling everything else on the scene.
Gucci, it could be argued, proceeded to lead the way in the true globalisation of luxury, with many labels following suite.
Simply based on charisma, Ford could claim a place among the greatest designers the world has ever seen. He famously stated, “This job is a total ego thing in a way. To be a designer and say, ‘This is the way people should dress, this is the way their homes should look, this is the way the world should be.’”
Source
Polan, Brenda and Roger Tredre. The Great Fashion Designers. Oxford, UK: Berg, 2009.
Beth Walley - I am an individual UK-based freelance writer, who has always harboured a great love of books; encompassing an obsessive fascination with ...
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