Crash Course: 10 Things You Need To Know About Tom Ford

If you've revived one of the biggest and best-known fashion houses in the world by evoking a lost sexiness and revamping their advertising image, then went onto create your own successful fashion line while taking time out to guest edit big name glossies like Vanity Fair, what else would there be for you to do? How about take over Hollywood? That's exactly what Tom Ford, the wunderkind designer who brought Gucci back from the dead is attempting to do. Sort of.

His directorial debut is not a blockbuster, but rather a small art house film that's been doing well on the festival circuit. That movie, A Single Man, which stars Julianne Moore and Colin Firth, opens today, so before a friend of yours tries to tell you how dope it is and how much of a genius the director is, read our primer on Tom Ford and act like you've known about him for years...