When a legendary house changes its guard, the first show under new leadership is more than a collection — it’s a statement. Tom Ford’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection marked the debut of Haider Ackermann as Creative Director, and from the opening look to the final bow, it was clear this was not about imitation, but about rebirth.
Setting & Inspiration
The show took place at the Pavillon Vendôme courtyard in Paris — a space transformed into a shadowy, seductive enclave of club-like intimacy. Mirrors stained with smudges, muted greys, and dim lighting summoned the aesthetic of secret nightlife and late-night confessions. Ackermann drew on memories of Antwerp nights, the tension of exit-lights, the afterglow of music and satin.
Leather, silks, sheer tulle, and glossy black finishes dominated the collection — materials that speak of seduction and secrecy. Sleek tailoring, long leathers, and structured cuts paid homage to the house’s DNA while introducing quieter moments of softness in white looks or high-gloss contrasts.
Ackermann’s Direction & Brand Evolution
Haider Ackermann, appointed Creative Director in September 2024, came into this role carrying both heritage and the weight of expectation. With ownership under Zegna since 2023, and after Tom Ford himself stepped away, Ackermann was tasked with preserving the sensual luxury while pushing forward.
His vision is clear: sharp seduction, elegant edge, and a fluid identity between night and day, power and vulnerability. Ackermann’s Tom Ford is not about flashy spectacle; it’s about crafted tension. It’s still glamour, but more meditative, more mysterious.
Guests & Atmosphere
The front row was quietly stellar. Tom Ford himself sat among fashion heavyweights like Anna Wintour and Jared Leto. Models spanned generations — Karen Elson, Edie Campbell, Vittoria Ceretti, Kristen McMenamy — reinforcing the collection’s bridging of past, present, and future.
The show’s soundscape deepened the experience: moody instrumentation echoing between walls, underlining the garments’ themes of dusk, desire, and intimacy. Every detail — from lighting to grooming — played into the ambience of private rooms and whispered glances.
Key Looks & Styling Notes
- Opening with full-leather ensembles for both men and women signaled the show’s tone: bold, unyielding, sensually hard.
- Contrasts of total black and total white looks — a yin-yang of intensity and calm.
- Leather coats, sharp suiting, and tailored outerwear evoked the mythic Tom Ford silhouette, but Ackermann added soft touches of drape or Sheer fabric to let skin peek through the structure.
- Makeup and beauty leaned dramatic: pale complexions leaning toward porcelain, red lips, sharp eyes. Styling walked the line between cinematic decadence and refined danger.
Why It Matters
This show is more than fashion; it feels like transition. A house once defined by named personalities now leans into the ideas behind its archive. Ackermann’s debut doesn’t erase Ford — it reframes him. It promises that the house’s sex appeal, luxury, and edge survive, but are evolving.
In an age when shows are often loud, this Tom Ford was quiet thunder.