Very few things are better in a man’s wardrobe than the right suit. So many of us feel that we look our best when we dress in a good suit. While there are plenty of other options when getting dressed, the suit just seems to be the pinnacle of style and elegance. Of course, there are some very good reasons for that. James Bond always dresses up in a suit and tie, and we always love to emulate the iconic 007.
One of the main reasons this new generation loves to emulate James Bond and his suits is Tom Ford, the legendary designer who was responsible for ensuring Daniel Craig lived up to the Bond aesthetic. But there was a long road from Tom Ford’s beginnings to James Bond rocking a Tom Ford suit.
Beginnings at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent
Nobody starts at the top, and a man like Tom Ford is no exception. After calling every day for a month, the ambitious future legend landed a job designing for American designe, Cathy Hardwick. He eventually moved to Perry Ellis before landing his big break with the struggling Gucci in 1990. He was tasked with revitilizing the women’s ready-to-wear branch but found himself designing menswear within half a year. Two years later, when the design director retired, Ford took over the position and spent eighteen-hour workdays heading the brand’s ready-to-wear, fragrances, image, advertising, and store design while also overseeing eleven product lines.
Ford is credited with launching Gucci from a falling brand to one of the biggest in the world. While that is a great credit to have on a designer’s resume, it wasn’t enough for Ford, and he decided to take a new direction that would change the landscape of men’s and women’s closets, bathrooms, and mirror reflections.
Building a brand on cinematic seduction
So many times, a new brand drops that is on the cutting edge of innovation and never looks back. They move forward at every beat and eventually look like a shell of its former self. What made Tom Ford so beloved both at Gucci and when he began his own brand in 2006 named after himself was his dedication to being a trendsetter without losing what we love so much about the past. He channels the 60s, 70s, and Hollywood glam to bring us understated but luxurious suits. You won’t find many Tom Ford suits that won’t stand the test of time.
The other part that set him apart from the other designers is he took the marketing strategy most often taken by fragrance companies (maybe that is why so often we see Gucci and YSL cologne commercials like Tom Ford ones). The ad campaigns often have little to do with the clothes and instead, seduce you with a cinematic narrative that makes you want to run out and buy a suit. Many of his campaigns make us want to buy a movie ticket,t thinking it is a new movie dropping, until the end when you see Tom Ford’s name. Maybe that is the main reason he ended up in one of the best cinematic places for a suit maker.
Fitting of James Bond
Making suits for James Bond is one of the top moments for any clothing lines. There are no bigger sartorial giants for men to look up to than the British Super Spy always clad in some of the best of the best. When Tom Ford became the official outfitter of Daniel Craig’s James Bond and made suits for his final four films (Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die), his name was etched into history as the best of our time. And one of the best of all time.
“I could not be happier to be dressing Daniel Craig as James Bond again in the upcoming film No Time To Die,” the legendary designer said of being tapped to outfit him for Craig’s last ride as Bond. “James Bond epitomizes the TOM FORD man in his elegance, style, and love of luxury. It is an honor to move forward with this iconic character.”
Buying your own Tom Ford Suit
When looking for your own Tom Ford suit, you will notice that there are two things which are inescapable. The first is the price point of these all but guarantees you will wear this for years to come. A suit by a name as big as Tom Ford’s, worn by James Bond, and costing $6K is going to be your go-to for the next decade. Which brings us to the second thing: If you want to wear this suit for a decade, you aren’t going to be buying something flashy. Look at 007, he never wears flashy colors or trendy patterns. He is always dressed from head to toe in elegant classics that never go out of style. Virtually every one of Tom Ford’s suits are the same. Just like Ford himself, these suits are going to be in vogue for as long as you stay in shape enough to wear them.
