Tom Ford plays the Brand Name Game
Stylecatcher reports from Russian Vogue update on Tom Ford as his own brand
So Tom Ford left Gucci after negotiations for the renewal of his contract were not satisfactorily resolved. Tom Ford had revived the brand and now it was in a position to survive his departure. Perhaps Ford himself needed some respite from the pressures of the fashion tread wheel, and consider new ventures. So where next for Tom Ford, who, in the fashion universe, has been like the sun around whom big name designers revolved?
Fashion pharaohs of the stature of Tom Ford are far from the dustbins where rodent scribblers scavenge half-chewed stale scraps of rumour and gossip. But we were lucky. We fell upon a copy of Russian Vogue in which there appeared a translation of the interview he had with Vogue reporter Harriet Quick Tom Ford began the interview by boldly proclaiming that he wanted to rule the world, but instantly retracted that lest Vogue ‘blew it up into something large’. Apparently what he meant to say was that he did not want to do something little; what he feels is that he has something so say in beauty and cosmetics and wants to say it in the strongest way possible.ould this mean that he does not really want to rule the world – the ambition of so many tedious nonentities– but wants to do something big in a sphere where his name is already valued? He an opportunity to present the mission statement of his brand in Vogue. Instead he made a meta-statement about having something to say in the strongest possible way. But apparently it is not something he describe in words for an interview. The accompanying photos do not give much of a clue, but it might be sensible to stop him playing with scissors.
Tom Ford seems to be ambivalent about his choice of medium for the big thing he wanted to say strongly. When he left Gucci his inclination was to concentrate on films. But he was daunted at the amount of time this would take. Cosmetics and perfumes can be produced much more quickly so keeping his name in the public arena for a future return to fashion. Yet Tom Ford mentions that he had decided against allowing himself to return to fashion, in which in has been happy and successful, because he would lose his freedom. It seems that his priority is the promotion of his name.
What is surprising is not Tom Ford's interest in self publicity but that he keeps telling us about it. We already know that publicity is important for business but telling people you want them to remember your name may not be the most effective strategy. A lot of people are sated with advertising and exhibitionist celebrities.It may be true that to survive in the capitalist arena you have to sell yourself. If his famous name is his most valuable asset then he has to calculate how he can market it effectively so that its value could be enhanced by the transaction. High-powered celebrities may assume that it is sufficient to adopt a minimalist line like , "Hello, here I am, you know my name.", That may be sufficient for deals where the deal is the fame of the name but it is gangster style. Can he not do better? This man has charm then he is going to need more than charm,wealth a smart appearance and a very famous name. He also has ambitions but he s not sure about himself because the loss of his position at Gucci came as a huge blow and has left him with a creative block.
The man who transformed Gucci's business could be expected to have impressive skills. But Tom Ford might now require a different challenge to that he had at Gucci. . Gambling on the name game is an obvious temptation.
Bella Freud
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©Carol Cameron 2002-2006
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