Peter Hawkings‘ debut as Tom Ford‘s creative director felt like yet another re-edition of Tom’s all-time classics. We had all the Tom Ford signifiers on the Milan runway. Velvet blazers and sculptural belts from the Gucci years (quite ironically, Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci debut happened on the same day, leaving a similar impression of bleak plainness). Silk fringed dresses from the Yves Saint Laurent days. Meanwhile, slinky, floor-sweeping knitted maxi dresses and croc-embossed leather pencil-skirts with hot slits were Ford’s mainstay offer for seasons at his namesake brand. It’s understandable that Hawkings, who worked with Tom for decades as his right hand, wanted to keep all the house-codes and make a sort of tribute to the master of sexually-charged fashion. However, the spring-summer 2024 collection looked more like an in-store version of the runway deal. This brand has its unique language and vocabulary that can become a base for a truly creative venture. Hopefully, Hawkings will take a step away from his comfort zone.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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