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On the heels of the hilarious article that laika posted, here is more news - Ford is planning to open 100 of his sleazy stores all over the place. Bad move, if you ask me - there are only so many Hugh Hefners in this world...
From Cathy Horyn's NYT blog
I think we should all make a pact to gather in 10 years to chew on the
Tom Ford empire. Ford put out a statement this morning about a plan to
have 100 free-standing Tom Ford boutiques over the next decade. In
three years, he says he?ll open shops in L.A., Hawaii, London and
Milan. Other cities down the road will include Moscow and Hong Kong,
and he?ll have in-store deals with Neiman?s and Villa Moda. Oh, and
Daslu in Brazil. Maybe in his spare time he could design Valentino?.
just a thought.
From DNR
BREAKING NEWS: Tom Ford Set for Global Rollout
June 8, 2007
MILAN ? Tom Ford doesn?t do small.
Two months after the debut of his luxe men?s line and stand-alone
flagship in New York, the entrepreneurial designer is set to take his
brand global.
Ford and his business partner, Domenico De Sole, have inked a series of
strategic agreements?with both franchise and wholesale partners?that
would allow them to expand the Tom Ford brand in key cities on three
continents starting in spring 2008. The expansion plan confirms a
report in this week?s DNR.
Adhering to the designer?s original plan, the Tom Ford men?s line will
retail exclusively in the Madison Avenue boutique for the first year.
Starting next spring, however, the label will begin a focused rollout
in the U.S. and abroad through a multi-tiered plan that involves
franchised and directly operated stores, as well as exclusive
shop-in-shops.
The list of partners?a who?s who of global luxury retailing?includes
Lane Crawford Joyce Group for Asia, Villa Moda and UAE Trading in the
Middle East, Mercury in Russia, Harrods in London and the Neiman Marcus
Group in the U.S. Other partners include Trois Pommes in Switzerland
and Daslu in Brazil.
?This is a great day for us as we have now laid the foundation
necessary to become a true global luxury brand,? said Tom Ford,
president and chief executive officer. ?The plan will allow us the
platform needed to reach and service our customers worldwide.?
When completed, the 10-year plan will create 100 freestanding Tom Ford
stores and many shop-in-shops. Global distribution will begin next year
with the opening of a directly operated flagship in Milan, as well as
franchised stores in Moscow, Zurich, St. Moritz, Hong Kong, Beijing,
Kuwait, Dubai and Qatar.
Stateside, Ford?s brand of fashionably luxurious tailored clothing and
indulgent accouterments like embroidered velvet slippers will be
available in a shop-in-shop in Bergdorf Goodman as well as select
Neiman Marcus stores starting in spring 2008.
Senior Bergdorf brass, including CEO Jim Gold, were among the first
retailers invited to view the collection and take in the concept when
Ford opened the doors to his two-level New York store in April. At the
time, Tommy Fazio, men?s fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman, called
the collection ?the best execution ... of mixing Old World haberdashery
with a modernistic approach.?
Outside the U.S., shop-in-shops are planned for Harrods in London,
Daslu in Sao Paulo, and multiple units in Joyce Boutique stores in
Tokyo and Osaka. ?We will remain in much tighter distribution than our
competitors and will place a priority on delivering the highest-quality
product and the greatest standard of service,? Ford said.
Service, despite a New York Times write-up lambasting the lack of it in
the Madison Avenue store, remains fundamental to the Tom Ford brand. A
source close to Ford said the company was working to correct any
shortcomings at the Manhattan shop and noted that Ford was bringing in
additional floor staff to meet the surging demand.
Following the Milan store, directly operated units will open in London
(where Ford has his design studio), Los Angeles and Hawaii over the
next three years. The London flagship is slated for a 2009 opening, as
are 11 franchised shops in locations that include Shanghai and Beijing.
In 2010, Ford will inaugurate the Los Angeles and Hawaii shops along
with 15 franchised stores throughout Asia, including a flagship in
Tokyo.
A cornerstone of the expansion plan is the deal with the Lane Crawford
Joyce Group. Over the next 10 years at least 87 franchised Tom Ford
stores will open throughout Asia in partnership with the group, in
countries including but not limited to Japan, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan,
Macau, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia.
?Our franchise and retail partners are the best in the business, and
with them we are confident that we will build a strong global presence
and stand for excellence in a world of decreasing standards,? Ford said.
Tom Ford chairman De Sole added: ?We have partnered with the finest
companies internationally ... giving us the necessary competitive
advantage as we expand our men?s wear business globally.?
The expansion agenda is just the latest in a series of well-conceived,
precisely executed plans designed to launch Tom Ford as an independent,
new luxury brand. From key licensing deals with Estée Lauder for
cosmetics and Ermenegildo Zegna for men?s wear, Tom Ford has gone from
perfume to pinstripes in just two years.
While at Gucci Group, Ford and De Sole eschewed franchising in most
markets, but clearly this a new era and Ford couldn?t take the usual
designer route to brand building?he needed the accelerated version.
Despite his talk of exclusivity, the retail push will be aggressive in
developing markets like China.
The company declined to give a sales forecast but emphasized its
commitment to becoming a formidable global player. ?With a clearly
defined distribution plan in place, and a discerning eye on quality,
service and design,? said De Sole, ?we are poised to establish the
first true luxury brand of the 21st century.?
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