Fashion and Beauty
Tom Ford dazzles LA with fashion week show before Oscars
Although most fashion shows are in New York this week, Ford took advantage of Oscars weekend to stage a sleek show in the award show’s hometown of Los Angeles with his signature drama, using bright colours and rich textures like velvet and shearling.
(File photo: Tony Guyton/Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0)
LOS ANGELES — Tom Ford brought fashion week to Hollywood on Friday night, with a runway show full of glamour and a front row jammed with A-listers, including Jennifer Lopez, Renee Zellweger, Miley Cyrus and Lil Nas X.
Although most fashion shows are in New York this week, Ford took advantage of Oscars weekend to stage a sleek show in the award show’s hometown of Los Angeles with his signature drama, using bright colours and rich textures like velvet and shearling.
Dimmed lights gave off a nightclub vibe as guests — among them, Kate Hudson, Joe Alwyn, Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet — entered the space at Milk Studios to view the long runway covered in muted gray carpet over a mirrored floor and two tiers of mirrored walls, some set up as viewing boxes. Gray, tufted velvet benches lined the runway and pairs of aviator sunglasses awaited guests on their seats.
In the front row, Demi Moore posed for pictures with daughter Rumer Willis and fellow Brat Pack member Rob Lowe. J.Lo. sat with fiance Alex Rodriguez and giggled with Zellweger as Anna Wintour in her signature sunglasses looked on.
The show started with asymmetrical skirts in large, dyed patchwork denim paired with slouchy jackets and hobo bags in earth tones. Ford is partial to classic looks and lines, but threw in some fun with accessories like giant, feathered earrings in many colours, and a pair of high, yellow animal-skin cowboy boots.
The men’s collection included tailored suits with oversized scarves and funky, futuristic red sunglasses. Trench coats for men and women were long with large lapels and cuffs — some in lush shearling, one in leopard print.
Top models walking in the show included Gigi and Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. Jenner’s mother, Kris Jenner, smiled in the front row and called the new collection “beautiful.”
Halfway through the show, the lights went down and disco balls descended from the ceiling, creating spinning bounces of light and setting the tone for evening wear. The crowd hooted as Bella Hadid entered in a sleek silver sequined peekaboo dress with dramatic black velvet bows. Several of the looks to follow were fitted diaphanous gowns of ornate black lace that revealed black undergarments beneath. The men’s tuxedo jackets had bold prints over black pants.
“Nobody makes both women and men look equally great as a designer than Tom,” Lowe told The Associated Press. It’s timeless elegance but also with that contemporary flair. Nobody does it better.”
While black often dominates Ford shows, bright colours at the Fall 2020 show stunned onlookers, including a men’s red casual jacket paired with silk pink satin pants, sweaters in emerald green and dresses in deep purple. Every female model’s hair was in the same sleek tight bun, accessorized with flowers made of feathers.
Actor Jon Hamm — who wore a shiny silver suit — is a fan.
“Typical Tom Ford,” Hamm said after the show. “It was elegant and sexy and beautiful and one of a kind. No one is doing what he’s doing. It’s really breathtaking.”
Other celebrities at the show included Tracee Ellis Ross, Rita Wilson, James Corden and Jeff Bezos, holding hands with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez.
Ciara called the show “amazing.” But the singer — who recently revealed her third pregnancy on Instagram — said she may have to wait before donning one of the designer’s creations.
“I think all of us girls are gonna be hitting up Tom Ford for every dress,” she said. “If I didn’t have this bump, I’d be in that line for a couple of those dresses, but we need to have a flat tummy!”
