News of a personnel change at a brand—like Haider Ackermann heading to Tom Ford—inevitably sparks a wildfire of online analysis and conjecture. Predictions are one thing, but performance another. Still there is the visual evidence of past work to consider, which is what we’ve done in the pairings below. These groupings have nothing to do with chronology, and there’s no suggestion that one designer influenced the other, only that Ford and Ackermann share certain aesthetic predilections, such as for an attenuated and narrow silhouette, and unexpected mixes, like a cargo pocket on evening pants or a tank with a drapped lace skirt or elaborately pleated trousers. Wrapping waists with dramatic belts is another commonality, as are precision cuts that frame the skin provocatively. Notably, both designers have a weak spot for the soft seduction of velvet. These are instances in which their visions run parallel, it will be how Ackermann balances legacy and newness that will determine the next chapter of a brand associated with sex and sophistication.
Tom Ford, spring 2016 ready-to-wear
Photo: Courtesy of Tom Ford
Haider Ackermann for Ruffo Research, spring 2003 ready-to-wear
