TOP HONOR: Days after the spring 2025 fashion month marathon ended, the British Fashion Council continued its drumroll for the annual fundraising extravaganza, the Fashion Awards, slated for Dec. 2 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, announcing the multidisciplinary fashion designer and director Tom Ford as this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award.
The American designer, who sold his namesake label to Estée Lauder Cos. in a deal that valued the total enterprise at $2.8 billion in 2022, shot to fame for turning Gucci into one of the hottest brands of the ’90s with ultra-sensual and bold visuals.
It paved the way for the formation of the Gucci Group — now Kering — in 1999. He was also the creative director and chief designer of Yves Saint Laurent from 1999 to 2004.
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Ford parted ways with Kering in 2004 and launched his namesake label the following year. It was met with swift success. The brand’s beauty business now sits under Estée Lauder, while the fashion line is produced by Zegna Group via a licensing deal with Haider Ackermann as the latest creative director, replacing Peter Hawkings.
The designer branched into the entertainment sector in 2009 with “A Single Man” starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. In 2016, he produced “Nocturnal Animals” featuring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal. Both films received critical acclaim.
In 2019, he was elected chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. During his tenure, Ford diversified the board of directors and membership, launched the A Common Thread relief initiative to support fashion businesses during the pandemic, and increased the CFDA Scholarship Fund.
Caroline Rush, chief executive officer of the British Fashion Council till June 2025, said Ford is being recognized for “his exceptional contribution to fashion, film and culture.”
“For over three decades, his visionary work has consistently pushed the boundaries in every field he has played his hand in — from transforming Gucci into a fashion powerhouse and launching his incredibly successful eponymous brand while establishing the design studio in London to becoming an award-winning filmmaker. He is a true innovator and fashion icon in his own right and we can’t wait to celebrate with him,” added Rush.
Ford said the award is “incredibly special to me, as I have spent a great deal of my life in London. During my 35 years in the fashion world, I have focused on creativity and the love of beauty and style. Fashion and film are both collaborative efforts. One has to have a vision and then communicate that vision to a team of talented people, and I would like to acknowledge all of those people who have supported me along the way.”
An honor that celebrates the overwhelming creative contribution of an individual to the fashion industry, previous winners of the award include Valentino Garavani, Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia, Giorgio Armani, Miuccia Prada, Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Terry and Tricia Jones and Manolo Blahnik.
The Fashion Awards is the primary fundraiser of the BFC Foundation, which aims to support the future growth and success of the British fashion industry by focusing on education, grant-giving and business mentoring.
Having unveiled nominees for the 2024 Fashion Awards and recipients for the Special Recognition Awards, which will go to Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou of 10 Magazine, as well as Margaret Barbour, and photographer Tyler Mitchell for the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, more announcements, such as the Trailblazer Award and the Leader of Change Award, are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks, leading up to the main event, which counts Pandora and The Peninsula London as key sponsors.
