Ahead of his Fall/Winter 2015 runway show in Los Angeles, designer Tom Ford will be featured on CNBC tonight for an in-depth interview with presenter Tania Bryer.
As part of a series called “The CNBC Conversation," Ford will discuss a wide range of topics including everything from his childhood in Texas and dressing his celebrity friends to making his second film and designing penis necklaces. But the most interesting and revealing subject will likely be his fall out with Yves Saint Laurent.
Though his schedule seems pretty hectic nowadays, it was nowhere near as cramped as it was during the early ‘00s when Ford was designing full men’s and women’s collections for Gucci and YSL.
“The toughest part was when I was designing both Yves Saint Laurent and uh, Gucci, because I was literally just shuffling back and forth between Milan and Paris,” he says during the interview. “I would have one show and then get on a plane and have another show ten days later in Paris [...] It was sixteen collections a year and I don't think I could have sustained for very long.”
In 2004, the pressure became too much for the designer, so he made the decision to step away from fashion not knowing if he would ever return. However, not long after announcing his retirement, Ford launched his eponymous label that has since evolved into a full-fledged lifestyle brand. It’s quite an accomplishment for the designer whose vision was constantly questioned during his time at YSL.
“At the very beginning we were quite friendly and then I believe when I started to deviate from what he felt was appropriate for the house, and we started to become successful and I started to get quite a lot of press for it, he didn't really like it very much,” Ford explains. “And I do have some letters in his hand. I remember one line was 'in thirteen minutes you've destroyed 40 years of my work' or 'my life's work' or something like that.”
Clearly, Ford isn’t holding anything back in this interview, and we can’t wait to hear what else he reveals about his life and illustrious career.
You can catch the full segment when it airs 10 GMT tonight on CNBC networks.
[via The Independent]
