Tom Ford
The Estée Lauder Companies (brand owner); Ermenegildo Zegna Group (fashion licence) · United States
Tom Ford is an American luxury brand founded in 2005 by designer Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole. Since 2023 the brand has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies, while the Ermenegildo Zegna Group runs its fashion business under a long-term licence, with Haider Ackermann as creative director since 2024.
| Founded | 2005, New York |
|---|---|
| Founders | Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole |
| Brand owner | The Estée Lauder Companies (since 2023) |
| Fashion licensee | Ermenegildo Zegna Group |
| Creative director | Haider Ackermann (since 2024) |
| Headquarters | New York, United States |
| Website | tomford.com |
What is Tom Ford?
Tom Ford is a luxury brand spanning men's and women's fashion, accessories, eyewear, beauty and fragrance. Its ownership is split by category: The Estée Lauder Companies owns the brand, trademarks and beauty business, while the Ermenegildo Zegna Group operates Tom Ford Fashion under an exclusive licence covering ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery, textiles and home products.
History
After leaving Gucci in 2004, Tom Ford launched his own company with business partner Domenico De Sole. Tom Ford Beauty has been developed with Estée Lauder since 2006, and the first directly owned flagship opened on Madison Avenue in New York in 2007. In April 2023 Estée Lauder completed its acquisition of the brand for US$2.8 billion, and Zegna took control of the fashion business under a licence of at least 20 years with automatic renewals. Peter Hawkings succeeded Tom Ford as designer in 2023.
Products and positioning
The brand is known for sleek, sensual tailoring and evening wear. Haider Ackermann has been creative director since September 2024, overseeing menswear, womenswear, accessories and eyewear. Fragrance, particularly the Private Blend line introduced in 2007, is a major part of the brand's reach.
- Men's tailoring and women's ready-to-wear
- Tom Ford Beauty, including Black Orchid and Private Blend
- Eyewear under licence
- Leather goods, shoes and jewellery
Business model and distribution
Zegna manages Tom Ford Fashion from collection development through production, retail and wholesale distribution, with Lelio Gavazza as chief executive since 2023. Beauty products are sold widely through department stores and specialist beauty retailers, while fashion is sold through Tom Ford boutiques and selected wholesale partners.
Why it matters
Tom Ford is an important example of a split-ownership model in luxury, where a beauty group owns the brand and a fashion group runs ready-to-wear under licence. Its development will show how well such a structure can sustain a designer brand after the departure of its founder.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Tom Ford?
The Estée Lauder Companies owns the Tom Ford brand after completing its acquisition in April 2023 for US$2.8 billion. The Ermenegildo Zegna Group runs the fashion business under a long-term licence.
Who designs Tom Ford now?
Haider Ackermann has been creative director of Tom Ford since September 2024. Founder Tom Ford stepped back from the brand after the 2023 sale and was briefly succeeded by Peter Hawkings.