25 Tom Ford Quotes For The Fashion Lover In You

By Clifton Sankofa

School Leader, Language Arts Expert & Master Quote Curator

Published June 9, 2023

Step up your fashion sense with our Tom Ford quotes.

Tom Ford is a man of many hats who has taken the fashion and film world by storm.

Check out our Tom Ford quotes below to learn more.

Who is Tom Ford?

Tom Ford is an American fashion designer and filmmaker.

He was born in Texas and grew up in Houston and San Marcos.

He graduated from The New School with a degree in architecture.

After that, he served as the creative director of both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurant over the years.

His brand, Tom Ford, launched in 2005.

He wrote and directed two films, 2009’s A Single Man and 2016’s Nocturnal Animals.

Check out these cool Tom Ford facts below:

Tom Ford saved Gucci from bankruptcy.
Ford’s films received several Golden Globe nominations.
Ford has worked under many of the elite designers in fashion.

What is Tom Ford known for?

Ford is known for many things.

He has had elite-level success as a fashion designer and has done well writing and directing movies.

During the 1980s, when Gucci faced a financial collapse, Ford came aboard and turned the company around.

He worked hard to change the brand’s image, and by the end of the 1990s, the company was worth over 4 billion dollars.

However, Ford has had a string of controversies over the years.

Part of turning Gucci around was changing the company’s public image.

Ford gave the company an overtly sexual style.

His advertisement campaigns have been banned in some countries.

Ford was criticized for using nude women in his ads.

In 2003, he personally shaved a letter G for Gucci into a female model’s pubic hair.

He also faced backlash for another ad featuring a naked woman shoving a perfume bottle between her breast and another between her legs.

However you feel about Tom Ford, there is no denying his success.

To learn more, check out our Tom Ford quotes below.

Short quotes from Tom Ford about failure and perfection

Ford is known as a perfectionist, and his success is a testament to his work ethic.

1. “I thrive on failure.” — Tom Ford

2. “Every day is one less day.” — Tom Ford

3. “I love doing different things.” — Tom Ford

4. “Fashion creates a bit of a dream.” — Tom Ford

5. “I am a shy and introspective person.” — Tom Ford

The top Tom Ford quotes about good manners and perfection

Ford is a self-described perfectionist who loves when people exhibit good manners.

6. “Dressing well is a form of good manners.” — Tom Ford

7. “Do something first, then talk about it.” — Tom Ford

8. “I’m a perfectionist to the point of insanity.” — Tom Ford

9. “Time and silence are the most luxurious things today.” — Tom Ford

10. “They don’t want ordinary, and in fact, ordinary doesn’t sell for me.” — Tom Ford

The best Tom Ford quotes about striving for quality

Ford has reached the apex of his industry because he focuses on creating quality products.

11. “I’m just not intimidated by anyone.” — Tom Ford

12. “When you find somebody good, keep them in your life.” — Tom Ford

13. “I strive to create products with authenticity, quality, and substance.” — Tom Ford

14. “I think people who are compelled to achieve never really think they’ve achieved.” — Tom Ford

15. “I probably do have an obsessive personality, but striving for perfection has served me well.” — Tom Ford

You will also enjoy our article on Ralph Lauren quotes.

Famous Tom Ford quotes about being a gentleman and helping women

Ford reminds us that what matters most is how we feel about ourselves.

16. “Good manners is what transforms a man into a gentleman.” — Tom Ford

17. “My goal is to help women become the best version of themselves.” — Tom Ford

18. “It’s not about what your friends or partner thinks; it’s about what you feel.” — Tom Ford

19. “From the time we’re born until we die, we’re kept busy with artificial stuff that isn’t important.” — Tom Ford

20. “I hate going out for lunch during a workday because it slows down my pace and ruins my rhythm.” — Tom Ford

Tom Ford quotes and sayings about having fun and fate

Ford reminds us to be silly, laugh and have fun in life.

21. “Material possessions don’t mean much to me. They’re beautiful, and I enjoy them, but ultimately they’re not important.” — Tom Ford

22. “I like to just have fun and be silly and say pretty much whatever comes into my mind, do pretty much whatever I want.” — Tom Ford

23. “I’m a believer in fate and in fulfilling your destiny. I’ve always had a kind of an inner voice that I have learned to listen to.” — Tom Ford

24.“Glamour is something more than what you put on your body. It has to do with the way you carry yourself and the impact you have on others.” — Tom Ford

25. “Perfectionism is almost an illness with me, but sometimes I have moments where everything is absolutely clear, and you can feel, rather than think.” — Tom Ford

What inspired Tom Ford?

Tom Ford is intrinsically motivated, but that does not mean he can’t find motivation outside himself.

Ford is inspired by integrating his work life into his everyday life.

He notes, “I love to work.

If I’m awake, I’m working.

But working isn’t working for me; working for me is the way I am; it’s just fun.”

When we begin to see our job as our passion, we stop working and start having fun.

Ford admits that it is not always easy but finds ways to adjust.

For example, Ford is a shy person.

You would not think the face of a fashion brand or a movie director would be shy, but he does not prefer to be in the spotlight.

He once shared, “I’m actually a very, extremely, almost pathologically shy person, which no one believes today because I have mastered a work/public facade that takes an enormous amount of energy to project.”

Ford is a reminder that all of us have the potential to excel even in the face of difficulty if we are open to getting outside of our comfort zone and following our dreams.