The Renowned Designer Will Present His First Collection for the Brand in Paris in March for the Fall 2025 Season
Haider Ackermann has been named as the new creative director of Tom Ford, effective today. “It is with tremendous pride that I will seek to honour the legacy of Tom Ford, a man I have long admired and have the utmost respect for,” Ackermann said this morning via a statement released by the brand’s owner, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
The brand’s previous creative director, Peter Hawkings, departed after just two seasons after taking on the role from Tom Ford, who founded the brand in 2005. Ford stepped down in 2023 following the sale of the company to ELC for $2.8 billion in 2022.
Ackermann will be based in Paris, where he will lead the creative direction of the brand, overseeing womenswear, menswear, accessories, and eyewear. According to a company statement, he will also “guide the creative vision for the overall brand.” His first collection for Tom Ford will debut in March at Paris Fashion Week for the Fall 2025 season.
Tom Ford himself warmly welcomed Ackermann’s appointment, saying: “I have long been a great fan of Haider’s work. I find both his womenswear and menswear equally compelling. He is an incredible colourist, his tailoring is sharp, and above all, he is modern. We share many of the same historical references, and I could not be more excited to see what he does with the brand. I suspect that I will be the first on my feet to applaud after his show in March.”
Known for his long-standing influence in the fashion world, Ackermann ran his eponymous label for nearly two decades before stepping back in 2020. He has previously been celebrated for his work at Berluti, and, though he was once tipped as a potential successor to Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Ackermann’s career has continued to evolve in other directions, including collaborations with stars such as Tilda Swinton and Timothée Chalamet. He was also recently appointed as the first creative director at Canada Goose. He has also launched collaborations with Fila, and presented an excellent collection as one of the guest designers in Jean Paul Gaultier’s couture series.
With this new role, Ackermann brings his distinct design sensibilities to Tom Ford, blending his aesthetic with the codes established by the founder. This transition is particularly exciting for the brand’s licensee, the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, which is eager to expand its womenswear business, a sector that made up 30% of Tom Ford Fashion’s revenues in 2023.
In 2023, Tom Ford International was acquired by the Zegna Group, as part of a larger deal with ELC and eyewear partner Marcolin. Ermenegildo Zegna, chairman and CEO of Zegna Group, shared his confidence in the future of the brand, stating: “The appointment of Haider as the brand’s new creative director will further strengthen the team we are building and makes me even more confident in the future of Tom Ford Fashion.”