Tom Ford Design

The oldest of the bunch and the cream of the crop Tom Ford, for now, heads up Gucci Group. As creative director for the company, Ford brought glamour and style back to a sagging industry. He was cited, along with Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent as one of the greats of fashion by the New York Times.

Ford was born in Austin Texas in 1962 and went on to attend New York University, party all night at Studio 54, and briefly pursue acting before turning his focus to fashion. He worked for designers Cathy Hardwick and Perry Ellis and then signed with Gucci in 1990 to design the women's ready-to-wear collection. In 1994 he became the creative director at Gucci. Under Ford's direction, Gucci ventured into men's and women's sportswear and evening clothes, and even home furnishings; a turn around for a company known for its leather goods and accessories.

Under Ford's leadership and his business partner Domenico De Sole revitalized the House of Gucci. The house went from $200 million in revenue to $3 billion. The dynamic duo created a conglomerate with subsidiaries that include the brands of Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen.

With the Gucci Group, Ford designs eight collections a year, including Gucci in London and YSL Rive Gauche in Paris. He has an eye for what the public wants. He not only designs the men's and women's lines, but shoes, accessories, luggage and oversees the company's advertising campaigns and fragrances. He is heavily involved in the business side of the Group.

In late 2003, Ford and De Sole announced that they would be leaving Gucci Group in 2004. Control was at the heart of the decision. Ford won't say what's next for him. He's always had an interest in film and may make the switch from fashion to movies. His fashion legacy hopefully will carry onto the four in-house designers who are replacing him.