Tom Ford’s Lifetime Achievement Award

While Rihanna and her sheer/nude ensemble may have stolen the show at the CFDA Fashion Awards’ last week I was thrilled that the amazingly talented Tom Ford received the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony.

It is still surprising to me that when this Texas boy and Parson’s School of Design grad started at the famed fashion house  even the company’s creative director, Dawn Mello, said,  “no one would dream of wearing Gucci.” My, my how things have changed. He has been behind the Gucci label for the last 20 years and I have not seen an award show in the past five years where at least one celebrity was beautifully attired by Tom in Gucci or Yves Saint Laurent.

This is not the first time Tom has been honored by the CFDA, in fact, it was his sixth award.  He received five subsequent honors, the first, the year after he began at Gucci and according to Vogue, “solidifying his voice and vision at the Italian house and marking the beginning of a symbiotic relationship with Hollywood’s A-list.”  In addition to his award last week he has been awarded other trophies over the past 20 years; in 1995 he won The International Award, in 2001 the Womenswear Designer of the Year, in 2002 the Accessories Designer of the Year for Yves Saint Laurent, in 2004 the Board of Director’s Tribute, and in 2008 the Menswear Designer of the Year

Over the past two decades here are a few of my favorite Tom Ford creations:

Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford in The Academy Awards in 2012

Julianne Moore in Tom Ford at The Golden Globe Awards in 2013

Diana Ross in Gucci at The Costume Institute Gala in 2003

Naomi Watts in Tom Ford at The Golden Globes in 2014

(as seen in my Best Dressed at the Golden Globes post)

Jennifer Lopez in Gucci at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards in 1999

Rihanna in Tom Ford at The Costume Institute Gala in 2012

Julianne Moore in Yves Saint Laurent at The Academy Awards in 2003

Charlize Theron in Gucci at The Academy Awards in 2004

Honestly, a slow clap for Tom Ford.  Over the past 20 years he has really learned how to dress a woman’s body and make her absolutely stun on a red carpet filled with other beautiful celebs. If for some reason I had the chance to go to a Red Carpet event and had the money, Tom Ford would be my first choice.