The Guardian got some time with Tom Ford at the launch of his newest fragrance, NOIR EXTREME. I don't think the name is supposed to be in all caps, but, then again, the name is fucking NOIR EXTREME. It just feels like it should be, ya know? Okay, so Tom Ford is a magnet of hypersexuality and it doesn't seem like that reputation is going anywhere anytime soon. The Guardian story breaks down how the Texas-born designer moved around to New York, L.A., Milan, Paris and London, helming the likes of Gucci and YSL before eventually starting his eponymous line.
While Ford designs some of the world's best and most noteworthy tuxedos, he doesn't like "fancy dress" at all: "Brits love it. All my English friends invite me to parties and get mad at me for not wearing it. The reason is, one day, when some scandal happens, the press will drag up that picture of you in fancy dress." Of course, he still loves the idea that he's fashion's King of Sex. I mean, he did make those penis pendants. "You know what, if you don't like it, don't buy it. Sensuality and sexuality is what drives so much. If you're of a certain age and you go out at night and you're single, then what’s the end goal there? ... It's what drives many things. It's part of being human. We come with that feature," Ford says.
Yes, Tom. We do "come with that feature," so to speak. But while Ford got a ton of backlash for his depiction of female models in his advertisments, he believes in sexualizing both sides of the spectrum: "But I'm an equal opportunity objectifier – I'm just as happy to objectify men. The thing is, you can't show male nudity in our culture in the way you can show female nudity. We're very comfortable as a culture exploiting women, but not men. But I don’t think of it as exploitation [either way]." He has a point. DOUBLE STANDARDS, BRO. Ford previously tried to do a full-frontal male nudity ad while at YSL, but it was quickly pulled from publications. And as controversial as he is, the TF business is fucking booming like it just ate a ton of shrooms, steady bringing in more than $1 billion per year. Now, he's more focused on becoming a father and raising a child, ironically enough. I guess you can avoid the whole birds and the bees talk all together by just showing your kid what you do for a living.
