Tom Ford

Pauleta I McCracken/ English 101 Blog 4

My forth blog is about Tom Ford, an American designer born August 27, 1961 in Austin, Texas. He attended Parsons School of Design where he landed a prestigious spot in the school. Parsons is where he embarked on a degree in interior design. Ford begin his career in high fashion in 1986, when he joined the creative staff of American designer Cathy Hardwick. Two years and several daring campaigns later, he received an impressive promotion when he was named the design director of Perry Ellis. Ford stayed with the high-profile company until 1990 when he relocated to ltaly to take a position with Gucci. Ford single-handedly turned Gucci into a $4 billion brand before he became the creative director of Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. On a website AskMen.com said "In 2006, the multitalented Tom Ford worked hard on new designs for his own eponymous brand and toward the launch of his own store."



Tom Ford does things big.In a text book call THE DYNAMICS OF FASHION THIRD EDITION composed by ELAINE STONE said "Two months after the debut of his men’s line and standalone flagship store in Manhattan, the entrepreneurial designer was ready to develop his brand globally. Tom Ford explains why he chose to move into men’s wear. He said, "I love designing the men’s collection because in the men’s business, people respond to fabric, cut, and the shoulder. In women’s, the overall image is more important than the actual clothes". With men’s wear, I’m very comfortable doing it myself because I am the men’s customer. Men are really weird: if you change a pocket a little bit, they can go crazy, something a woman wouldn’t be conscious of.”

Tom Ford has approached his new venture as a sartorial architect for men who want the surface perfection of “Old School” haberdashery meets “New School.” Looking at Tom Ford designs I can see one of his influences is Bill Blass and his popular design styles in clothes and in Bill Blass An American Designer book composed by Helen O’ Hagan Kathleen Rowold and Michael Vollbracht. Tom Ford said “Bill Blass did for fashion in America what Yves Saint Lauren

did for fashion in France. Bill Blass gave American women their uniform – modern, clean, chic clothes that are timeless.” Although Bill Blass is known more for women’s wear he also did men’s too. If I look at Blass’ vintage men’s designer suit. I can see Tom Ford was influence by Blass' popular design style.



This is Tom Ford in one of his men's suits design's in his line today.

This is Tom Ford suit in the present and some of Bill Blass vintage suits in the past.

Tom Ford suits are for the men who want the surfacw perfection of "Old School" haberdashery meets "New Shool."

Although Tom Ford's designs are influenced by Bill Blass at the same time these designs are based on his own theory, "Old School " haberdashery meets "New School."

Bill Blass Timeless Designer

Pauleta I. McCracken/ English 101 Blog 3

Bill Blass’ designs were developed in a time when other designers were designing clothes. That were known more for being a works of art. However, Blass was designing clothing that even everyday women could wear day or night. His popular styles in clothing designs are why American sportswear is at its highest level today. Blass’ focuses on sports for day and glamorous styles for night. For example, Blass’ popular styles in clothes are minimal and young giving his clothes designs a clean-cut, crisp, modern, wearable and pretty and impeccable style. Bill Blass said he didn’t show any ball gowns because the shot evening dress- we used to call it the cocktail dress-seems more acceptable to more women. The suit jackets are generally shaped closely to the body in high-waistline cut; dresses also follow this Empire silhouette. The results are styles that look fresh and snappy. One of my favorite designed is the black dress this garment was deign for the day and can go in to the night. This garment gave you a uniform-modern, clean, chic look that are timeless.

These are some black dress designs that are influence by Bill Blass timeless popular design style.

There is every indication that the economy is improving, and this certainly will prove a boon to fashion. Also, Bill Blass believes that we have to create a new style-not too bizarre, not too exotic, not too opulent. The clothes have to maintain a contemporary image and appeal to women of all ages, not just the very young. His collection succeeded in solving this problem. He suggested, it was because he solved some of the problems involved in making this new style happen. Blass said the business still intrigues hem. And he loves the fact that he can re-emerged again we he is create a new style clothes. This goes back to the fact that Blass knew his customer and understood her, which is what, makes his popular styles timeless. Although Bill Blass died June 12, 2002 in New Preston, Connecticut of throat cancer. Bill Blass lives on you can see his popular deigns styles in Peter Som's deigns that are under Bill Blass label today.

In photo 1# this vntag Bill Blass in the past and photo 2# Peter Som in the present influences by Bill Blass under the label today.

Donna Karan

Pauleta I. McCracken/English 101 Blog 2

This blog post will discuss Donna Karan popular designs influenced by Christian Dior. Looking at Donna Karan born Donna Faske in 1948 in New York she was raised on Long Island her mother was a model and her father a haberdasher. Donna Karan was fashion-obsessed from an early age. She later attended Parson’s School of Design, which she left without getting a degree. She began her career by taking an assistant position at Anne Klein, was one of the top design firms in the country, this was in the 1960’s she began her own line, the Donna Karan York Collection in the mid eighties. Her design style grew with every season. For example, spring is one of the big seasons for Donna Karan and she designs with the body in mind. Sophistication is a word often used to describe her clothing. Bodysuits wrap skirts and corseted eveningwear makes her popular not only on the east coast but the west as well.
I look at Donna Karan’s design and I believe some of her designers were influenced by Christian Dior popularity timeless design. For instance, her Haute Couture is (French for “high sewing” or “high dressmaking”; pronounced) refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. A-and Y-Lines are skirt that slightly flared skirt introduced in the early 1960s. In silhouette, it appears like the letter A. and the Y-line of Christian Dior’s 1955 collection which showed a slender body with a top-heavy look achieved by large collars that opened up into a V-shape. The Y could also be inverted in the form of long tunics with deep slits at each side. At the same time these design are based on her own theory of visually inspired instincts making her one of the top fashion designers in the world today.

This is one of Christian Dior’s Haute Couture Popularity design styles in the Past. Haute Couture is high fashion. Also, these designs they have A-and Y-lines in them.

This is Christian Dior’s in the Present Haute Couture High Fashion. In addition these design also have A-and Y-lines in them.

Donna Karan Haute Couture Influenced by Christian Dior’s Timeless Popularity Designs Styles. These also have A-and Y-lines.

I look at Donna Karan and I can see how she was influenced by a timeless designer like Christian Dior’s popular designs.

Christian Dior Timeless Designer

Pauleta I. McCracken/ English 101 Blog 1

Christian Dior from the past to the present. Who is Christian Dior? He is the most
influential fashion designer of the late 1940s and 1950s and also the present. He was born in Normandy, France and he studied political science. After military service and several years of indecision, he returned to Paris in 1935 where he began his design career by selling sketches, but his hat designs were initially more successful than his dress designs. But he concentrated on his dress design in doing so he created the extremely popular “New Look” Dior created an opulent clothing style. He also defined a new business model in the post-war fashion industry by establishing Christian Dior as a global brand across a wide range of products.

In 1953, Christian Dior hired Yves Saint Laurent as an assistant. And after Christian Dior’s sudden death in October 1957 in Italy, Yves Saint Laurent became head designer but Yves Saint Laurent was call for military duty in 1960, and Marc Bohan took over, remaining until Gianfranco Ferre became designer in1989. Ferre is side to be replaced by the end of 1996. After much talk finally the possible successors will be John Galliano who took Ferre’s place as chief designer for Christian Dior in October 1996. As the designer for Christian Dior he lives on in the fashion house he founded, which is now operates worldwide to cover broad sectors of the fashion and luxury industries.



And in the influence exerted by his creations on 1950s haute couture (French for “high sewing” or “high dressmaking”;pronounced) refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing also is usually applies to women’s fine garments and has come to define a segment of the fashion industry that has lasted to the present day . Christian Dior lives on making his designs timeless you can see his popular design styles in today’s designers for instance the “New Look” design which featured rounded shoulders, a cinched waist, and a very full skirt. And other collection like classic suits, ballerina-length skirts, the H-line and the A-and Y-lines. These styles can be seen in today’s designer collection like Donna Karan.

This is the Christian Dior’s “New Look” and Classic styles in the Past.

This is Christian Dior “New Look” in the Present this is a A-and Y-lines.

This is Donna Karan “New Look “ A-and Y-lines Influences by Christian Dior‘s Popular design style .