Los Angeles on a friday evening at 6:30pm on the 20th of February. All of Hollywood is just in the final moves for the biggest night of the year, the annual Academy Awards on sunday. Well that’s what you would think would be the case normally, but what is normal in Hollywood? Exactly, so instead if felt like all of Hollywood is coming together to see the Tom Ford A/W womenswear collection presented at the L.A. Milk Studios this season. The reason for the move had to do with nothing less than the just mention Academy Awards taking place on sunday the 22nd February, Tom Ford was scheduled to show as usual during London Fashion Week one day later. How much attention would he be able to get after the Oscars? Ford, as much businessman as designer, turned the game around. He wanted to even profit form the Oscars and use his L.A. network in a perfect strategic way. And the media reaction both before and after the show just proof that he did everything right.
And there we are, 6:32pm on the 20th of February Julianne Moore makes her appearance on the red carpet, which was TF approved black of course, at this time only a few people knew that within the next 45 minutes the A-list of show business would be lining up to see his show. This included: Beyonce and Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Amy Adams, Reese Witherspoon, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miley Cyrus, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Naomi Campbell, Rachel Zoe, Nicole Richie, James Corden, Rob Lowe, Fergie and Josh Duhamel, Elton John and David Furnish, Ingrid Sischy and Sandy Brant, Rita Ora, Jason Statham, Anjelica Huston, Brad Grey, Vivi Nevo, Gia Coppola, Elizabeth Olsen, John Legend, Sofia Vergara, Amber Valletta, Molly Sims, Emily Ratajkowski, Brad Goreski, Liberty Ross and Anna Wintour.
Having this army of celebrities it was no wonder that there would be drama, it was Jennifer Lopez who arrived so late on the red carpet that some photographers already left and Beyonce missed almost the entire show as she was still being sewn into her dress. Both names still delivery enough of buzz for the event and this is where Tom Ford’s move to L.A. has to be seen as a success and not the collection itself. No fashion show in London will be be able at all to bring together this amount of names. These names created a media sensation 100 times more powerful than anything on a runway presented. Which raises the question about showing in L.A.: What took Tom Ford so long? Tom Ford does not aim to please the magazines in first place, his brand wants the celebrity attention to support his commercial growth, and does well in doing this.
The collection featured a wild mix of Texas; denim in all forms, furs in all extremes, animal prints and fringes head-to-toe. A few light Victorian inspired looks opened the show, but also touches of bohemian-chic combined with TF bold sleek signature shapes created a strong message. Certainly, a message which was not not about setting new industry trends, neither change fashion entirely. No, it was just what the Tom Ford lady wants to have in her wardrobe next season and what the ones of Rihanna, Beyonce and Julianne Moore can wear for the upcoming red carpets and stages from L.A to Cannes. This show was all what hollywood stands: commercial success in a very sexy and glamours and entertaining way. And let’s not forget that there are millions of fans out there, falling in love with perfumes, make-ups and sunglasses Tom Ford creates seasonally, so his collections do run under way less pressure, than other fashion houses in that price point without the commercial base.
Well played Mister Ford!
SEE THE FULL SHOW HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkgBdzsoR-c
Fashion.High 