Intelligencer

Ford Explorer

A close reading of the loquacious yet inscrutable Tom Ford.

By Jacob Bernstein
Published May 21, 2005

(Photo: Garth Gay/Alpha/Globe Photos)

Can we ever really know Tom Ford, no matter how much he tells us about himself? Since announcing that he was leaving Gucci last spring to pursue a career in Hollywood, Ford has given extensive interviews to the New York Times, W, Index, GQ, Arena, i-D, and Vogue. And lately he’s been promoting his book, Tom Ford. But it turns out he’s not always so easy to read. Some selected quotes from fashion’s international playboy—and man of not-insignificant mystery.

Tom Ford on Sluttiness
“Just look at the Paris Hilton phenomenon and the way every other teenager looks like a prostitute. We’re still trading on that whole flash thing, and for me the Paris Hilton thing is almost an evolution too far of that.” (i-D)

“If sluttiness is what you like, what’s wrong with that? Why do we think being a slut’s bad? Sluttiness is just a lot of freedom.” (GQ)

Tom Ford on Fun
“I’m a very serious person. Fun isn’t a word I think about so much.” (i-D)

“I’m very silly. I like to just have fun and be silly and say pretty much whatever comes into my mind, do pretty much whatever I want.” (GQ)

Tom Ford on Monogamy
“My own sex life is very monogamous and happy . . . just a happy married sex life! Next question.” (i-D)

“I think that monogamy is artificial. I do not think it’s something that comes naturally to us . . . The relationship I’ve been in for 18 years—I don’t even want to get into this because he’s going to read this and I’m going to be in so much shit!” (Arena)

(To GQ interviewer) “You’re adorable . . . You want us to get a room . . . I’ll go get a room . . . We can do the rest of the interview naked.”