Tom Ford is probably the closest thing that the fashion industry has to a superhero. He has lent his widely lauded design talents to legendary fashion brands, including, of course, his own. He has an elite, loyal customer base that is made up of international celebrities from all disciplines and, of course, the fabulously wealthy. He also happens to have movie-star looks, is in great physical shape — at 5’11”, he could just as easily have been a fashion model — and projects a personal style that is powerful and sophisticated. He is also an Oscar-nominated director for his two films A Single Man and Nocturnal Animals, and he’s the current chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. And, oh, yeah, he’s also a dad, a distinction which he shares with his husband: they’ve been together for 27 years, just tying the knot in December 2020.
Ford has applied his genius to collections like Perry Ellis, Gucci — where he dusted off a tired brand that was stuck in the 1970s and made it synonymous with sex — and, Yves St. Laurent. He’s dressed former First Lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Daniel Craig, Tom Hanks, Ryan Gosling, and Will Smith. Ford designed Craig’s suits for the James Bond films Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die.
As you might expect with a resume like that, Ford product doesn’t come cheap. A Tom Ford cocktail jacket (pants not included) can you set back $4,100. A cashmere hoodie is nearly $3,000. Jeans are around $700 to $800. A nylon backpack goes for nearly $3,000. For some people, that’s okay! But if you want to share in a bit of that Tom Ford glamour without breaking the bank, you can always indulge in the Tom Ford fragrance collection. As eau de parfums rather than colognes (EDP contains between 15 to 20% pure fragrance essence. Colognes are less intense and come in at around 2 to 4 percent), most of them still aren’t cheap, but here are a couple of our favorites that, for the investment, at least will make you smell like a superstar.
Black Orchid
Black Orchid was the very first Tom Ford Fragrance, introduced in 2006. It’s technically a woman’s eau de parfum, but with its warm, spicy, earthy profile, it’s become gender-neutral in its appeal. The fluted black glass flask will make a dynamic statement on your dresser, too.
Oud Wood
Ford launched his Private Blend collection in 2007. The 12 unisex fragrances were each designed to be worn alone, or mixed with others in the range. Oud Wood kicked off the current rage for this (expensive) ingredient that is sourced from a fungus-infected agar tree. It’s woody and spicy with hints of vanilla, balsamic, and powder. Oud Wood is considered to be one of the most classic colognes in the collection.
Soleil Brûlant
The newest member of the Tom Ford fragrance family, Soleil Brûlant was introduced in March 2021. Yes, that name means “burning sun,” but you won’t need sunblock to enjoy it. The main part of the fragrance is a warm, musky amber, brightened with citrus, honey, and floral notes, as well as a touch of balsamic. (We also think the gold bottle looks as though it were lifted from the set of David Lynch’s 1984 version of Dune.)
Beau de Jour
Beau de Jour is an aromatic, spicy fragrance with hints of lavender and patchouli with a green, earthy, mossy finish. It’s perfect to wear to work: Light, without being cloying or too seductive for daytime.
F–king Fabulous
With a name like that, this Tom Ford had better be the perfect fragrance for evening. It’s seductive and maybe a bit carnal with an aromatic blend including leather, orris root (from the roots of irises), vanilla, almond, and lavender. Spritz on a bit of this before heading out for the evening and nobody will care that you’re not wearing a Tom Ford dinner jacket (or if you are, you may not be wearing it for long).
Bitter Peach
Maybe a perfect fragrance for summer, this unexpected combination includes the fragrances of peaches, blood oranges, rum, and cognac (maybe inspiration for this evening’s cocktail?), but then dries down to spicy patchouli, earthy sandalwood, and vanilla. It seems like a perfect fragrance to brighten a dull day, with staying power into the evening.
