Ford’s relationship with Yves Saint Laurent of which he was appointed Creative Director of in 1999, was famously frosty, with Saint Laurent openly speaking about his displeasure with Ford and his work at the label. Ford elaborates on the disagreement:
“At the very beginning we were quite friendly and then I believe when I started to deviate from what he felt was appropriate for the house, and we started to become successful and I started to get quite alot of press for it, he didn’t really like it very much.”
“And I do have some letters in his hand. I remember one line was ‘in thirteen minutes you’ve destroyed 40 years of my work’ or ‘my life’s work’ or something like that.”
Now with an own brand label that spans beauty, eyewear, menswear and womenswear under his belt, of which he says has finally made him feel like himself again, Ford is looking to a new season.
The decision to hold his autumn/winter show in Los Angeles this Friday is based on more than a passing whim; staging his show two days before the Oscars means he is in the thick of it for when it comes to dressing his leading ladies, for which there’s more than likely to be few.