Haider Ackermann
Creative director of Tom Ford
Haider Ackermann is a Colombian born, French raised designer who has been creative director of Tom Ford since September 2024, overseeing menswear, womenswear, accessories and eyewear. Known for fluid tailoring and draped volumes, he previously led his own Paris label and Berluti, and was named creative director of Canada Goose in 2024.
| Role | Creative director, Tom Ford |
|---|---|
| Since | September 2024 |
| Previously | Creative director of Berluti, 2016 to 2018 |
| Also | Named creative director of Canada Goose in May 2024 |
| Born | 1971, Bogotá, Colombia |
| Education | Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp |
Who is Haider Ackermann?
Haider Ackermann was born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1971 and was adopted and raised by a French family, spending his childhood in several countries. He is the creative director of Tom Ford, a role announced on 4 September 2024. His remit covers menswear, womenswear, accessories and eyewear.
Career
Ackermann studied fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and interned with John Galliano. He launched his own women's label in Paris in the early 2000s, building a reputation for sensual, precise tailoring and rich colour, and suspended the label in 2020.
From 2016 to 2018 he was creative director of the LVMH menswear house Berluti. He has also designed as a guest for Jean Paul Gaultier couture. In May 2024 Canada Goose named him its creative director.
At Tom Ford, the fashion business is operated by the Ermenegildo Zegna Group under licence, following the sale of the Tom Ford brand to The Estée Lauder Companies. Announcing Ackermann's appointment, founder Tom Ford said: "I have long been a great fan of Haider's work." Ackermann presented his first Tom Ford collection at Paris Fashion Week in March 2025, and his autumn and winter 2026 collection in Paris in March 2026.
Influence on the fashion business
Ackermann's career highlights several patterns in today's industry:
- Independent designers with strong critical reputations being recruited by larger brands
- Licensing structures in which a brand owner and an operating partner share responsibility
- Designers holding roles at more than one company at the same time
- The importance of red carpet dressing in building brand visibility
Ackermann has also become known for dressing actors on the red carpet, including Timothée Chalamet, who has worn his designs at major award ceremonies. By March 2026 he was three seasons into his Tom Ford tenure, and reviews described his work as finding a balance between the brand's seductive heritage and a more restrained elegance.
Why it matters
Tom Ford is one of the defining luxury names of recent decades, and succeeding its founder is a significant challenge. Ackermann's approach, which balances seduction with restraint, is a key test of whether a founder centred brand can establish a new creative identity under a licensing model.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the creative director of Tom Ford?
Haider Ackermann has been creative director of Tom Ford since September 2024. He presented his first collection for the brand in Paris in March 2025.
Who is Haider Ackermann?
Haider Ackermann is a designer born in Colombia and raised by a French family, known for fluid tailoring. He ran his own Paris label, led Berluti from 2016 to 2018 and was named creative director of Canada Goose in 2024.