Tom Ford was born in Austin, Texas, but spent most of his childhood in Santa Fe, New Mexico. During his teens, Ford moved to New York and enrolled at New York University, initially attending courses in art history. He later redirected his studies to concentrate on architecture at Parsons School of Design in New York and Paris, concluding his training at Parsons in New York.

In 1990, Ford moved to Milan to join Gucci as the company’s Womenswear Designer. In 1992, he became Design Director and in 1994, he was appointed Creative Director of Gucci. He was responsible for the design of all product lines, from clothing to perfumes, and for the Group’s corporate image, advertising campaigns and store design.

In January 2000, following the acquisition of Yves Saint Laurent and YSL Beaute by the Gucci Group, Ford assumed the position of Creative Director of Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche and YSL Beaute in addition to his then existing duties at Gucci. Ford worked with all creative teams at YSL to define the overall image and positioning of the YSL brand including all product categories and communication activities. Ford also served as Creative Director of Gucci Group. In July 2002, he was made Vice Chairman of the Management Board of Gucci Group. In April 2004, Ford resigned from his post at Gucci Group following a buyout by Pinault Printemps Redoute.

During Ford’s 10 years as Creative Director at Gucci and Gucci Group, sales increased from 230 million dollars in 1994 to almost 3 billion dollars in 2003, making Gucci one of the largest and most profitable luxury brands in the world.

In April 2005, Ford announced the creation of the TOM FORD brand. Ford was joined in this venture by former Gucci Group President and Chief Executive Officer Domenico De Sole, who serves as Chairman of the company. That same year, Ford announced his partnership with Marcolin Group to produce and distribute optical frames and sunglasses, as well as an alliance with Esteé Lauder to create the TOM FORD BEAUTY brand. Both the eyewear and beauty collections have been hugely successful and rank in the top 3 brands at specialty stores worldwide.

In April 2007, his first directly owned flagship store opened in New York at 845 Madison Avenue and coincided with the debut of the TOM FORD menswear and accessory collection. In September 2010, during an intimate presentation at his Madison Avenue flagship, Ford presented his much anticipated womenswear collection on some of his style icons including Lauren Hutton and Beyonce Knowles. Presently, there are 106 freestanding TOM FORD stores and shop-in-shops in locations such as Milan, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Dubai, Zurich, New Delhi, Shanghai and Russia.

In March 2005, Ford announced the opening of his film production company, FADE TO BLACK, through which he directed, produced and co-wrote his first feature film entitled ‘A Single Man’. Adapted from the Christopher Isherwood novel of the same name, the film stars Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult. ‘A Single Man’ premiered at the 66th annual Venice Film Festival and was released in December 2009. The film received multiple awards and nominations including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for Colin Firth, Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay for Tom Ford, Golden Globe nominations for Colin Firth and Julianne Moore for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor awards for Colin Firth at the Venice Film Festival and the BAFTA’s, and Outstanding Film (Wide Release) for Tom Ford at the GLAAD Media Awards.

Tom Ford’s success has been recognized by a number of awards including: five awards from the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) (1995), (2001), (2002), (2004), (2008); four VH-1/ Vogue Fashion Awards (1995), (1996), (1999), (2002); People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People (1997); the Fashion Editor’s Club of Japan (FEC) (2000), two ACE awards from the US Accessory Council (2001) and (2006) in recognition of his new sunglass line; the Style Icon Award at the 1999 Elle Style Awards (UK); the British GQ International Man of the Year Award (2000); the Superstar Award at the Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars (USA, 2000); Best Fashion Designer, TIME Magazine (2001); GQ Designer of the year (USA, 2001); the Fashion Design Achievement Award at the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum’s National Design Award (2003). In March 2004, Tom Ford was honored for his contributions to the worlds of fashion and film with the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style award. That same year, he was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. In 2005, he received the Andre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design. In March 2007, GLAAD honored Tom Ford with the Vito Russo Award. In 2009, he was honored as one of GQ USA’s Men of the Year and was selected as GQ Germany’s Man of the Year. In 2010, Tom Ford was nominated for a CFDA for Menswear Designer of the Year. In 2011 Tom Ford was named the STATUS Magazine International Man of the Year in Greece and Elle UK’s International Designer of the Year, as well as GQ Russia’s Man of the Decade and Harper’s Bazaar UK’s Most Important “Man in a Woman’s World.” In 2013 Ford was awarded Designer of the year at the GQ UK Award Ceremony. He received the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 CFDA Awards.

Ford was named Chairman of the CFDA in June 2019. He currently lives in Los Angeles, London and Santa Fe.