「私たちは思い出の守り手です」：ハイダー・アッカーマンがトム・フォードを日本人に再構築

This story is taken from the Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of AnOther Magazine: 

The first thing Haider Ackermann does when we meet for a drink in the leafy courtyard of La Réserve, a sexy hotel in Paris – it’s a romantic place, good for a date – is to tell me to be careful because my shoelace is undone. 

That wouldn’t be so remarkable were it not for the fact that it is the tiniest ribbon of leather, just peeking out from the hem of a pair of wide-legged trousers. The impression, immediately, is that he misses nothing, notices every last detail. Not that anyone who knows him or his work need be reminded of that. It was apparent in the immaculately choreographed collections for the signature label he launched in March 2001. They went on to become a much-loved, considered and contemplative Saturday-morning fixture of the Paris season for almost 20 years. It was clear in his perfectly constructed tailoring for Berluti, where he was creative director for two years, from 2016 to 2018, and in his standout collection for Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture. He was guest designer for Spring/Summer 2023 and his painstakingly crafted, achingly elegant collection was among that house’s most critically and commercially well received. 

And it was evident, too, throughout his runway debut for Tom Ford back in March: from the soundtrack to the plush velvet banquettes, to the words graffitied on what looked like steamy nightclub walls, it was nothing short of perfect. As was every look that came down the runway, from a black leather perfecto and moto trousers to a citron yellow washed duchesse silk trouser suit and a languid, asymmetric powder blue crepe jersey evening dress. If Tom Ford (the man’s) most memorable shows were notable for a hardcore level of bravura, this Tom Ford (the brand, under Ackermann’s tutelage) was more subtle, more gently appealing to the senses. That is, our senses of sound (Nick Cave’s Into My Arms was the closing song), of sight, as well as the base sensuality of emotion and touch.

Mr Ackermann – it feels only right and proper to call him that as he applies the honorific to others of his profession and to Mr Ford in particular – was both the most and least obvious choice for the role. In a world moving faster than ever, where it is not uncommon for fashion’s big names to churn out a collection – even two – each month, this designer has always been interested in slowing things down. At a time when the most respected names talk about brands and product as a matter of pride as opposed to houses and clothes, Ackermann represents the polar opposite. He has renamed Tom Ford a maison, relocating both studio and show to Paris, still the fashion capital of the world. He is respectful to the point of formality, unashamedly haute, from his person to his delivery to his work. But he is also open-minded, filled with curiosity and an almost frenetic excitement for the new that, in the end, makes him – as it did Tom Ford before him – the ultimate fashion designer. 

Ford was, of course, more than a fashion designer. If not the first creative director, he certainly became a blueprint for the modern fashion head whose remit roams through everything from store design, to advertising campaigns, to the colour of flowers in corporate offices (for Ford, only white). Ford’s focus was cinematic in scope – it surprised precisely no one when he pursued a career as a movie director during a design hiatus; equally no eyebrows were raised when the results were excellent – Oscar-nominated in fact. Ackermann is resolutely a designer – he drapes, he manipulates cloth, he has a soul for craft. But he too has that wide-angled, all-encompassing vision – there was a filmic bent to his Tom Ford debut that tied him right back to those old Gucci shows of the 1990s and early 2000s, when Ford moved his audience to cheers and, sometimes, tears. Ackermann has the same clarity and depth of vision. For him, the essence of the brand, entirely grounded in the persona of Ford himself, must be preserved – sweet homages included gardenia buttonholes, elongated white shirt cuffs and more than a nod to the tuxedo. But this is a different time, a new era. Ackermann, since his appointment, has talked of the morning after the night before. It’s more nuanced, and that seems about right.

Ackermann was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and adopted by French parents. His father was a cartographer and the family, including Ackermann’s brother and sister, also adopted, travelled across Africa – Ethiopia, Chad, Algeria – before settling more permanently in the Netherlands when Haider was 12. As a young man interested in dress from an early age, he moved to Antwerp to study fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in that city. If Tom Ford will forever be associated with the slick disco glamour of Studio 54, student Ackermann worked in rather different nightclubs – warehouse spaces filled with devotees of gabber and 1990s new wave – to support himself. “That was my Studio 54.” However, lacking the discipline to complete assignments, he was “more or less kicked out” before graduation. That decision – brutal at the time – hasn’t harmed him, though his path hasn’t always been straightforward. Having exited Berluti, and following a dispute with his backer, he lost control of his label and name, though he has now regained ownership of the latter. And it wasn’t long before Tom Ford came calling: “It was not a difficult decision to accept,” he says.

Susannah Frankel: You said of your debut in March that at least some of the people looking at it may be too young to remember Tom Ford’s early work for Gucci. For that reason, it was about capturing the spirit – the memory – of that time and aesthetic, the essence of what the man Tom Ford represents, which is, I guess, what the brand has always been about. 

Haider Ackermann: For me, memory is the basis of everything. Especially now. We should learn from the past, from history. You know I was very happy when Mr John Galliano did his last show for Maison Margiela, his Artisanal show [Spring/Summer 2024], which everyone raved about. I thought, but I’ve seen this from John 20 years ago. A whole new generation never saw it though. And suddenly he woke them all up, he woke us all up again. That show was excellent. Not only because of the collection but also it reminded us what beauty is about. And beauty doesn’t change with the times. Beauty remains. 

That’s what is so moving about it. Concerning me and Mr Ford, yes, not everyone from the young generation knows what Mr Ford did at Gucci – even the kids at the academies might not know. It’s our responsibility, as a house, to educate young people, to make them dream as much as Mr Galliano made me dream when I was young and still makes me dream. Madame Grès made me dream, Rei Kawakubo made me dream. It’s our obligation to make them dream. 

SF: Tom Ford’s mid- and late-Nineties designs are heavily referenced right now. It would have been very simple for you to do that. 

HA: We designers, when we take over houses, we are the keepers of memories but we need to take them somewhere else. What I did with Mr Ford’s life and work, over last summer, I took everything in. I saw everything. I saw every one of his interviews. I saw every piece of his work. And then I rejected everything. And what remains in my memory is the importance, the essence. Perhaps it was just words from our conversations, perhaps it was the fantasy or the idea that I have about Mr Ford and his universe. Perhaps it wasn’t the clothes.

SF: What is your first memory of Tom Ford – as a person or of his work?

HA: My very first memory of Mr Ford comes from when I was interning at John Galliano. There was a Galliano party and Mr Ford was there. He was the most attractive man in the room. I didn’t even know who he was. I was a student at the academy in Antwerp, so I knew all about the Japanese designers, I knew all about the Belgian designers. But not about Tom Ford, that sexualised aesthetic. I saw this man standing there, holding himself together, very strange, very precise. Which of course provokes respect and the question, “Who is this man?” So that was the first memory, and then all the work came, of course.

SF: And how would you say your Tom Ford relates to that memory, to that time? How was it different and how was it the same? What was the conversation, the dialogue, there?

HA: It is a very difficult task to take over a house, and it’s certainly a difficult task if the person the house was named after was also the main ambassador for the brand. It’s all about Tom Ford the man, about his attitude, about the way he talks and the things he says, about his gestures, his sexuality, his form of seduction. I knew I wanted velvet, because it’s warm and we need warmth, and it belongs to his world. I knew I wanted to think about what he wore. I knew I wanted there to be a gentleness. There’s a kindness to Mr Ford’s clothes that not many people talk about. But really, his world is not so much about the clothes as it is about the persona. What do you do with that? It’s all about him but he’s not there. He’s very present, highly respected, but not there. Suddenly I’m there. It is disturbing, exciting, challenging. 

I started to analyse it – OK, Mr Ford. We know about the night, we know about the evenings, we know about the eccentricity, the debauchery, we know what that looks like … That whole period was about debauchery. And he was the greatest example of that. So I thought, I’m following this highly respected persona. I’m coming after him and I’ve left my nights in the past. Perhaps I’m just the morning after. Perhaps I’m the one who’s dreaming of this man that I meet in the café at seven o’clock in the morning and he’s there in his tuxedo, or maybe he’s in his gym clothes, because he went home to change, then went to get his coffee and he’s reading his newspaper. You could feel, you could smell the night before. I’m observing him. So I’m the morning after. 

SF: The departure of the previous creative director was abrupt. There wasn’t time for the typical, intense speculation about who was going to take over. Then came your announcement, which felt sudden, even surprising, but immediately also made complete sense.HA: Mr Ford and I speak the same language, but we have different accents – his references, everything that catches his eye, that he thinks of as beautiful … We are both big admirers of Monsieur Saint Laurent. We are both big admirers of Madame Grès. We are both big admirers of Tadao Ando and of Francis Bacon. Our aesthetics are quite similar.

“It’s our responsibility, as a house, to educate young people, to make them dream as much as Mr Galliano made me dream when I was young and still makes me dream” – Haider Ackermann

SF: Those aesthetics are highly developed. They share a richness, a sensuality, a sensitivity with the world around them.

HA: I spent last summer in British Columbia in a tent. I was lost in a forest, in the middle of the forest, with bears and everything. And to occupy myself at night I would say to my loved one, “Please, let’s watch A Single Man. Let’s watch Nocturnal Animals.” I watched those films again. Even the Nocturnal Animals soundtrack has one of my favourite songs, Baudelaire by Serge Gainsbourg. There are similarities, we speak the same language, but we have a different approach. And, of course, it’s a different time. 

SF: I thought the dresses in the collection with the slashes at the hip were interesting. They’re a reference to Tom Ford in one way, to the Halston dresses at Gucci, but you did the slashed hip for your collections too. It was a reference to your own work.

HA: Mr Ford touched a lot on sexuality and sensuality in his previous work. I touched a lot on sensuality in my previous work. I like to think that I, personally, am more about sensuality, because sensuality provokes desire. Desire is something that is missing from our vocabulary nowadays – the longing, the teasing, the searching. Everything is so open and out there, but I think the more you cover, the more sensual and sexual you become. We’ve seen too many sheer fabrics, too many nude colours. To cover up and just show a slash of skin is more than enough. It provokes more desire than anything else.

SF: Tom Ford’s history is well documented – born in Austin, Texas, moved to New York, was a fixture at Studio 54 as a young man. Yours couldn’t really have been more different. As a child you were travelling around Africa, seeing covered women, seeing bright colours. And then you arrived in Antwerp, in that cold northern European place, to study fashion. I remember you telling me once that it was a culture shock – “The low grey skies,” you said. That’s beautiful. Poetic.

HA: People often say that about me. That I’m poetic. But I’m not sure I understand. I mean, if someone plays Britney Spears, I’m the first one dancing on the table. But yes. That’s my past. That’s my story. And I had my lost nights too – they were very different from his, but I had my nights. There was a time when I used to go to Rotterdam, to gabber clubs, where I was the only black person, the only guy who didn’t shave his head. All the guys were in trainers and joggers. That was my Studio 54. It was not about a velvet sofa. When you were exhausted from dancing you just sat on the floor. There was beer everywhere. It was rough. I loved it. 

You know you can only draw on what you’ve seen, on what you have experienced in your life. So, as a child, one moment I saw covered women, the next I was confronted with the most beautiful colours in the world. If you admire the work of Monsieur Saint Laurent, so much of that comes from Morocco. I lived in Algeria, so all those elements are in there. Then, in Antwerp, you can almost touch the sky. Is it depressing that you can almost touch the sky?

SF: And now you’re working for a company that’s part American, part Italian, steeped in the culture of Italian ready-to-wear.

HA: But look at Mr Ford. He’s an American who worked with an Italian brand and for the most prestigious French house. He’s also a traveller. Sensuality, sexuality can be transported everywhere around the world. And he did it on his own terms, in his own way. One cannot relate to one country. Yes, of course there are aspects that relate to him being American but he lived in London and was inspired by the British – there were collections that were very British too. We absorb the moment we are going through. It’s like Coco Chanel when she was with the Russian prince – suddenly there was all of that – and then with the English duke. With Mr Ford you can see the beauty springs from living in Los Angeles at one time or that it has an Italian spirit the next. When he lived in France you can see it in his work. 

SF: What is the starting point of a collection for you?

HA: I start with words. I start with conversation or written words. Something I’ve read, something from a song or from a book … I write everything down. Next to my bed are notebooks filled with words. I describe the silhouette in words.

SF: There is a sense of freedom, but also of intense control, to your work. And that seems true of Tom Ford’s work also. There’s a hedonism to it and a sensuality, but it’s controlled, or perhaps precise is a better word. At first glance people might look at one of your dresses, for example, and it would appear so easy. But it’s not actually like that at all. Tom Ford told me once that he was “a control freak”.

HA: He’s more transparent than I am. I’m learning so much from my conversations with him. He talks about the ground he’s standing on in a very straightforward, direct way, which I love. You know what’s nice about this whole adventure? I’m still learning. I’m still excited. I’m still in love with everything. It’s a beautiful journey, what I’m going through.

SF: Does the reach of Tom Ford feel challenging for you, the scale – the ready-to-wear but also the fragrance, the beauty, the eyewear, the campaigns? 

HA: It’s not big like other houses are big. And I’ve always dreamt of doing campaigns. It’s about creating a universe, a language, a dictionary, a story. You continue telling the story, whatever it is. Not everyone has to wear Tom Ford. Not everyone has to wear everything. Some clothes are not reachable and accessible for people, and that’s OK. I have to watch my words, but I dislike when luxury is affordable. I haven’t always been able to afford so many clothes.I still can’t afford many things. But the desire to have it, the longing for it, that’s even more beautiful. You dream, you get nervous, you get excited, you go through so many emotions. The moment everything is reachable and everyone can have everything, desire is over. There’s nothing more beautiful than feeling desire, than desiring something, than being desired. Nothing is more beautiful than that.

SF: Black Orchid is relaunching for autumn – that is a great fragrance. Do you wear it?

HA: I like it but I’ve been wearing the same fragrance for the past 16 years, so I wouldn’t change that. It’s part of me. I love perfume. I love when I walk down the street and the person in front of me is wearing the same perfume as my loved one, or my former loved one. You’re thrown back in a second to your past or to a moment you shared with a person. And when I go to Morocco and I’m in the market and I smell the sheep and everything, it’s my childhood. Everything comes back. So I love smells. I do smell people. I always smell a person when they hug me.

SF: Tom Ford smells amazing.

HA: I’m not telling you if I’ve smelled Mr Ford. But you know what, he provokes everything that is animalistic. And I am made like that as well. I think that’s where our world relates. It’s very simple, it’s animalistic.

SF: But the clothes are not.

HA: The clothes are not. But they are kind of pure. It’s very pure. It’s like one line, one circle, one opening in the back. It’s not about drapery, it’s not about decoration. There’s nothing tormented about it. No, Mr Ford is all about purity. And it’s very precise.

SF: I remember you told me once that, when Lady Gaga wore a dress of yours on the cover of US Vogue, they had to bring you to the studio to make sure it was put on the way you intended it to be.

“Desire is something that is missing from our vocabulary nowadays – the longing, the teasing, the searching” – Haider Ackermann

HA: Once I was with Mr Lagerfeld. We were in Paris, at Café de Flore. And Princess Charlotte of Monaco was there, and he was like, “Oh, Charlotte, Charlotte, you need to wear Haider. You need to wear Haider. But make sure that when you get a dress, Haider is sent as well, because then you will know how to wear it.” Thank you, Karl. 

SF: He once said that you should be his successor at Chanel.

HA: I think that was very generous of him. We spoke about 10,000 things, he and I, and I never raised that subject. I’m not sure how serious he was. I think he just wanted me to be seen. And that was his way of speaking, of doing things. You always felt so rich when you left Karl. It was a privilege. People like that are so rare. The generosity of his words, of his recollections, of his stories.

SF: Of his jokes.

HA: Of his jokes. I went to the Chanel show because he would invite me and afterwards he would speak to me in German – I speak German – and he would make the weirdest, funniest jokes about everyone else there. It’s just those private moments. I maybe wish I had been less shy at that time and embraced him more, but I also think it was important for me to keep a distance. You don’t want to be in the court of the king.

SF: You have never really sought the spotlight. How do you feel about being so visible? I mean, you’re on the red carpet, going to the Met Gala with Madonna.

HA: I really am very shy. It was strange for me to do that red carpet. But Anna Wintour invited me personally and she’s been such a support. She’s helped me more than once. And she’s been very supportive of this new adventure too. I have a job where I have to be present for things whether I like it or not, that’s part of it. And at the end of the day it’s Madonna. Really, seriously – Madonna. And I’m with her in the car, we’re on the way to the Met Gala, and she asks, “Have you been arrested?” I say, “Yes, once.” And I tell her the story. I refused to do military service in France. “And what about you, Madonna?” She answers, “I wanted to be arrested.” I mean, she spoke out in favour of Pussy Riot on stage in Moscow. She provoked the Vatican. She did so many things. And while she was mentioning all those things, sitting in the car with her next to me, I’m thinking, she’s much more than all the songs. She’s culture. On every level. 

I went to her last concert and she’s still talking about all the people who died of Aids. The woman is a certain age and she’s still on the barricades. And she doesn’t have to do it. Why does she do it? Because that’s what makes her heart beat faster. That’s her purpose. She told me, “I was never frightened of being arrested because I was working for humanity and I think that I did the right thing.” I felt like a little child next to her, and I’m so blessed and proud that she chose me. And hell, yeah, I want to do that red carpet next to her. There’s one picture of us together and I’m looking at her and you can see the pride in my eyes. As designers we are at the service of the celebrities. We are at the service of the house that we are working for. We don’t need to catch the light. We are there for them to feel loved, embraced and to give them confidence. We are there to accompany them. We don’t need to be the superstars.

SF: How about Tilda Swinton and Timothée Chalamet? That feels like more than just dressing someone.

HA: I have always chosen the people I want to collaborate with personally. It’s a story we tell every time. If a person tells me they want to wear a dress of mine because it’s beautiful, that’s not enough. Every person I dress means something to me privately. You create and you build stories with those people. I’m not a celebrity designer who wants to dress everyone. I’m not and I never will be. But I like relationships, I like stories. I like meeting people who I know can add something to my life, who can bring something. 

I had dinner on Saturday with Mr Pedro Pascal. I knew I would meet him. It was written somewhere that he and I would meet. I didn’t know when but I knew it would happen. And that encounter was everything that I have been dreaming of. The way he advocates, the way he uses his words, the way he uses his voice. Tilda says the same concerning me. We have both forgotten when we actually met, but we knew, she knew, we were meant to meet. And Timothée is like that too. You just know and you stand by each other in good and bad times. I know when I went through difficult times my two Ts were there. They didn’t give up on me. They wore me on the red carpet, because that was the only thing I could do, I wasn’t allowed to make a commercial collection. And that’s very important. They are my companions. And that’s not something to be taken lightly. The fact that I’m where I am today, that I have the role that I have, I owe that also to them. I know that I brought them something too, I’m aware of that. My ego is big enough. But I know what they brought me. I know that I owe them.

SF: Would you describe yourself as a creative director? Or a designer? What about that? Does it matter? Tom Ford was very much a creative director and he used to quip that he wasn’t interested in sitting, sketching dresses in a garret somewhere.

HA: Lord knows. All those titles nowadays. Everybody wants a title. Let me do my job. I just want to work and do the best I can. You name me creative director, you name me head of design. I know my job and my responsibilities, and that’s what I want to do.

SF: Your process starts with words. There were also words written on the mirrors that formed the backdrop to your show in March. There was the word “fuck” written on the wall, right? Juergen Teller was sitting beneath it.

HA: I’m happy you read that. There were also some lines from the poems of Dorothy Parker. There was “I love Tom”, “Protect the dolls”. There were the phone numbers of friends of mine. There were many things that I wanted to say on the walls. I didn’t want anything in the show to be heavy. The world is heavy. I’ve said this before but if people can, even for ten minutes, escape their life, looking at our show, looking at the clothes, the light, the woman and man walking in front of them, listening to the music, then we have succeeded.

SF: That escapism – is that, for you, the importance of fashion?

HA: Certainly that’s how I see it. How much did the piano collection of Mr Yohji Yamamoto make me dream? [In 1995 Ryuichi Sakamoto wrote a piano solo for the designer’s runway collection.] How much did some of John Galliano’s shows make me dream? The Martin Margiela subway show with all the candles [Spring/Summer 1992]. How much did that transport me to another world? I look up to every designer who is transporting their audience to a universe. That’s a gift. It’s a gift to receive it and a gift to give.

SF: And now your universe is Tom Ford. And you’re in Paris. You live in Paris and you have moved the creative offices of Tom Ford from London to Paris. Paris wasn’t especially kind to Tom Ford. It was, in the end, where he was most harshly criticised.

“The world is heavy. I’ve said this before but if people can, even for ten minutes, escape their life, looking at our show, looking at the clothes, the light, the woman and man walking in front of them, listening to the music, then we have succeeded” – Haider Ackermann

HA: And that’s why I want to show in Paris. I think the moment Mr Ford called me, the moment I decided to accept – it was not difficult to accept – I knew I wanted to honour the man because he put his trust in me. I immediately wanted to honour him back. And I was ambitious. I want to put the name Tom Ford back into Paris, into the landscape where it belongs. That was my goal. Perhaps in Milan the task would have been easier. In Paris, it’s the highest level.

SF: Your appointment began with a phone call from Tom Ford himself. Can you tell me about that?

HA: It was in the evening. And I know exactly where I was. I know exactly what I was doing when I got the phone call. Anyway, he called me and I couldn’t pick up the phone. After that, I felt nervous at the table, I knew I had to pick up his message, so I excused myself, went to the bathroom and listened to it. “Hello, it’s Mr Tom Ford,” he said with his most sensual, dark voice. And immediately I thought, whatever he’s going to say now, I’m going to say yes. Because what else can you do when you hear his voice. And then he explained what he was calling about and asked me to call him back. I wrote him a text saying I’d call back tomorrow. When I did, he explained what he would like to happen and for what reasons. Again, he was very straightforward. I would never have accepted the job if I hadn’t had the blessing of Mr Ford. And the fact that I knew Domenico De Sole wanted me as well. Having those two godfathers gives you strength when you’re nervous before the show. You’re like, “Close your eyes. Breathe. Those two godfathers believe in you, so now you better stand up straight and believe in yourself. Just do it and stand up straight with your team.” My team is also a new love affair, because they had never met me before. I’m working with all these strangers. They have to discover a new vocabulary. They are anxious. It is a very strange moment. And we didn’t have the time to really get to know each other, to trust and understand each other. We had to go straight to work.

SF: Tom Ford chose to move away from fashion. He made movies. He sold his company. He says he wants to make more. Do you ever feel you would follow a different path?

HA: There were moments where I was doubting. Of course. I’m going to sound very corny now but I love fashion. It’s in me. I love to look at how well something is made, the technique, the silhouette, the pattern cutting, the form of the fabric, the way it falls. There was a period, just before Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture, when I doubted I had a voice. The industry was looking at things in a way that was very different from what I’m about. It was all about designers who have a high profile on social media, that was what counted, that was what was looked at and respected. I thought, I’m living in a different world. I’m old. I’m not relevant any more. It wasn’t about the clothes people designed but about selling product. I was a bit lost. And then Jean Paul Gaultier was offered to me – it had a very good response. And then I saw John Galliano’s show and I thought, Oh my God, really. Yes, I do belong here. Yes, I still want to do it. Yes.

SF: What’s going on for the next show? What happens next?

HA: Wouldn’t you like to know? I don’t know. I’m just continuing on my road, trying to understand more. So far I have achieved what I wanted to do. The first show was intense because so many people had very high expectations. It’s Mr Ford, it’s me. And it is not a done deal that, if you have the big name of Tom Ford and you have me, it would align. It’s like when you have a big director and a very good actor, it doesn’t always work. But I do think I was ready for the job. I have my years of experience. I had done Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture just before. I did Augustinus Bader, which meant that I’d touched on beauty. I have the feeling that everything that I have done was leading towards this moment. And I am ready.

Hair: Anthony Turner at Jolly Collective. Make-up: Lynsey Alexander at Jolly Collective using PRADA BEAUTY. Manicure: Delphine Aïssi. Casting director: Anita Bitton at Establishment Casting. Casting: Lorenzo Rotondo at Establishment Casting. Models: Charlotte Boggia at Women Paris, Gabriel Bohus at Rock Men, Emmett Fernebro at MIKAs, Nanne Groenewegen at Milk Model Management, Lou Hughes, Fatou Kebbeh and Anna Robinson at Next Model Management Paris, Lauren Huyskens and Bodine Van Galen at RAYM Management, Antonín Holas at Clique Models, Blayse Jennings at IMG Models Paris, Emma Labens and Maria Mavarez at Elite Model Management Paris, Leo Levy and Stiene Verstraete at The Claw Models, Djairo Mulder at Premium Models, Carol Monteiro at Oui Management, Salam Mohammed at New Madison, Andrea Rispoli at Bananas Models, Kai Wijers at Success Models and Wonder Adeshina at Premium Models. Lighting: Romain Dubus. Digital technician: Olivier Looren at Dejavu Paris. Photographic assistants: Corentin Thevenet and Yves Mourtada. Post-production: Stéphane Virlogeux. Styling assistants: Francisco Reis, Stephy Galvani, Brando Prizzon and Emilie Carlach. Hair assistants: John Allan, Karen Bradshaw, Vincent Allenby, Beth Shanefelter and Villaine Walcott. Make-up assistants: Sarah Edenborough, Federica Russo, Noel Inocencio, Zahra Redgrave and Claudia Melis. Studio manager to Willy Vanderperre: Charlotte Cogen. Production: 138 Productions. Executive producer: Simon Malivindi. Production manager: He Young Shim. Unit assistant: Manon Lateuliere. Production assistants: Thomas Deslandes, Sarah Baily, Roman Krassoulia Vronsky and Adrian Dohan. Production runner: Vito Pasquier

This story features in the Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of AnOther Magazine, on sale internationally on 25 September 2025. Pre-order here.

This story is taken from the Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of AnOther Magazine: 

The first thing Haider Ackermann does when we meet for a drink in the leafy courtyard of La Réserve, a sexy hotel in Paris – it’s a romantic place, good for a date – is to tell me to be careful because my shoelace is undone. 

That wouldn’t be so remarkable were it not for the fact that it is the tiniest ribbon of leather, just peeking out from the hem of a pair of wide-legged trousers. The impression, immediately, is that he misses nothing, notices every last detail. Not that anyone who knows him or his work need be reminded of that. It was apparent in the immaculately choreographed collections for the signature label he launched in March 2001. They went on to become a much-loved, considered and contemplative Saturday-morning fixture of the Paris season for almost 20 years. It was clear in his perfectly constructed tailoring for Berluti, where he was creative director for two years, from 2016 to 2018, and in his standout collection for Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture. He was guest designer for Spring/Summer 2023 and his painstakingly crafted, achingly elegant collection was among that house’s most critically and commercially well received. 

And it was evident, too, throughout his runway debut for Tom Ford back in March: from the soundtrack to the plush velvet banquettes, to the words graffitied on what looked like steamy nightclub walls, it was nothing short of perfect. As was every look that came down the runway, from a black leather perfecto and moto trousers to a citron yellow washed duchesse silk trouser suit and a languid, asymmetric powder blue crepe jersey evening dress. If Tom Ford (the man’s) most memorable shows were notable for a hardcore level of bravura, this Tom Ford (the brand, under Ackermann’s tutelage) was more subtle, more gently appealing to the senses. That is, our senses of sound (Nick Cave’s Into My Arms was the closing song), of sight, as well as the base sensuality of emotion and touch.

Mr Ackermann – it feels only right and proper to call him that as he applies the honorific to others of his profession and to Mr Ford in particular – was both the most and least obvious choice for the role. In a world moving faster than ever, where it is not uncommon for fashion’s big names to churn out a collection – even two – each month, this designer has always been interested in slowing things down. At a time when the most respected names talk about brands and product as a matter of pride as opposed to houses and clothes, Ackermann represents the polar opposite. He has renamed Tom Ford a maison, relocating both studio and show to Paris, still the fashion capital of the world. He is respectful to the point of formality, unashamedly haute, from his person to his delivery to his work. But he is also open-minded, filled with curiosity and an almost frenetic excitement for the new that, in the end, makes him – as it did Tom Ford before him – the ultimate fashion designer. 

Ford was, of course, more than a fashion designer. If not the first creative director, he certainly became a blueprint for the modern fashion head whose remit roams through everything from store design, to advertising campaigns, to the colour of flowers in corporate offices (for Ford, only white). Ford’s focus was cinematic in scope – it surprised precisely no one when he pursued a career as a movie director during a design hiatus; equally no eyebrows were raised when the results were excellent – Oscar-nominated in fact. Ackermann is resolutely a designer – he drapes, he manipulates cloth, he has a soul for craft. But he too has that wide-angled, all-encompassing vision – there was a filmic bent to his Tom Ford debut that tied him right back to those old Gucci shows of the 1990s and early 2000s, when Ford moved his audience to cheers and, sometimes, tears. Ackermann has the same clarity and depth of vision. For him, the essence of the brand, entirely grounded in the persona of Ford himself, must be preserved – sweet homages included gardenia buttonholes, elongated white shirt cuffs and more than a nod to the tuxedo. But this is a different time, a new era. Ackermann, since his appointment, has talked of the morning after the night before. It’s more nuanced, and that seems about right.

Ackermann was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and adopted by French parents. His father was a cartographer and the family, including Ackermann’s brother and sister, also adopted, travelled across Africa – Ethiopia, Chad, Algeria – before settling more permanently in the Netherlands when Haider was 12. As a young man interested in dress from an early age, he moved to Antwerp to study fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in that city. If Tom Ford will forever be associated with the slick disco glamour of Studio 54, student Ackermann worked in rather different nightclubs – warehouse spaces filled with devotees of gabber and 1990s new wave – to support himself. “That was my Studio 54.” However, lacking the discipline to complete assignments, he was “more or less kicked out” before graduation. That decision – brutal at the time – hasn’t harmed him, though his path hasn’t always been straightforward. Having exited Berluti, and following a dispute with his backer, he lost control of his label and name, though he has now regained ownership of the latter. And it wasn’t long before Tom Ford came calling: “It was not a difficult decision to accept,” he says.

Susannah Frankel: You said of your debut in March that at least some of the people looking at it may be too young to remember Tom Ford’s early work for Gucci. For that reason, it was about capturing the spirit – the memory – of that time and aesthetic, the essence of what the man Tom Ford represents, which is, I guess, what the brand has always been about. 

Haider Ackermann: For me, memory is the basis of everything. Especially now. We should learn from the past, from history. You know I was very happy when Mr John Galliano did his last show for Maison Margiela, his Artisanal show [Spring/Summer 2024], which everyone raved about. I thought, but I’ve seen this from John 20 years ago. A whole new generation never saw it though. And suddenly he woke them all up, he woke us all up again. That show was excellent. Not only because of the collection but also it reminded us what beauty is about. And beauty doesn’t change with the times. Beauty remains. 

That’s what is so moving about it. Concerning me and Mr Ford, yes, not everyone from the young generation knows what Mr Ford did at Gucci – even the kids at the academies might not know. It’s our responsibility, as a house, to educate young people, to make them dream as much as Mr Galliano made me dream when I was young and still makes me dream. Madame Grès made me dream, Rei Kawakubo made me dream. It’s our obligation to make them dream. 

SF: Tom Ford’s mid- and late-Nineties designs are heavily referenced right now. It would have been very simple for you to do that. 

HA: We designers, when we take over houses, we are the keepers of memories but we need to take them somewhere else. What I did with Mr Ford’s life and work, over last summer, I took everything in. I saw everything. I saw every one of his interviews. I saw every piece of his work. And then I rejected everything. And what remains in my memory is the importance, the essence. Perhaps it was just words from our conversations, perhaps it was the fantasy or the idea that I have about Mr Ford and his universe. Perhaps it wasn’t the clothes.

SF: What is your first memory of Tom Ford – as a person or of his work?

HA: My very first memory of Mr Ford comes from when I was interning at John Galliano. There was a Galliano party and Mr Ford was there. He was the most attractive man in the room. I didn’t even know who he was. I was a student at the academy in Antwerp, so I knew all about the Japanese designers, I knew all about the Belgian designers. But not about Tom Ford, that sexualised aesthetic. I saw this man standing there, holding himself together, very strange, very precise. Which of course provokes respect and the question, “Who is this man?” So that was the first memory, and then all the work came, of course.

SF: And how would you say your Tom Ford relates to that memory, to that time? How was it different and how was it the same? What was the conversation, the dialogue, there?

HA: It is a very difficult task to take over a house, and it’s certainly a difficult task if the person the house was named after was also the main ambassador for the brand. It’s all about Tom Ford the man, about his attitude, about the way he talks and the things he says, about his gestures, his sexuality, his form of seduction. I knew I wanted velvet, because it’s warm and we need warmth, and it belongs to his world. I knew I wanted to think about what he wore. I knew I wanted there to be a gentleness. There’s a kindness to Mr Ford’s clothes that not many people talk about. But really, his world is not so much about the clothes as it is about the persona. What do you do with that? It’s all about him but he’s not there. He’s very present, highly respected, but not there. Suddenly I’m there. It is disturbing, exciting, challenging. 

I started to analyse it – OK, Mr Ford. We know about the night, we know about the evenings, we know about the eccentricity, the debauchery, we know what that looks like … That whole period was about debauchery. And he was the greatest example of that. So I thought, I’m following this highly respected persona. I’m coming after him and I’ve left my nights in the past. Perhaps I’m just the morning after. Perhaps I’m the one who’s dreaming of this man that I meet in the café at seven o’clock in the morning and he’s there in his tuxedo, or maybe he’s in his gym clothes, because he went home to change, then went to get his coffee and he’s reading his newspaper. You could feel, you could smell the night before. I’m observing him. So I’m the morning after. 

SF: The departure of the previous creative director was abrupt. There wasn’t time for the typical, intense speculation about who was going to take over. Then came your announcement, which felt sudden, even surprising, but immediately also made complete sense.HA: Mr Ford and I speak the same language, but we have different accents – his references, everything that catches his eye, that he thinks of as beautiful … We are both big admirers of Monsieur Saint Laurent. We are both big admirers of Madame Grès. We are both big admirers of Tadao Ando and of Francis Bacon. Our aesthetics are quite similar.

“It’s our responsibility, as a house, to educate young people, to make them dream as much as Mr Galliano made me dream when I was young and still makes me dream” – Haider Ackermann

SF: Those aesthetics are highly developed. They share a richness, a sensuality, a sensitivity with the world around them.

HA: I spent last summer in British Columbia in a tent. I was lost in a forest, in the middle of the forest, with bears and everything. And to occupy myself at night I would say to my loved one, “Please, let’s watch A Single Man. Let’s watch Nocturnal Animals.” I watched those films again. Even the Nocturnal Animals soundtrack has one of my favourite songs, Baudelaire by Serge Gainsbourg. There are similarities, we speak the same language, but we have a different approach. And, of course, it’s a different time. 

SF: I thought the dresses in the collection with the slashes at the hip were interesting. They’re a reference to Tom Ford in one way, to the Halston dresses at Gucci, but you did the slashed hip for your collections too. It was a reference to your own work.

HA: Mr Ford touched a lot on sexuality and sensuality in his previous work. I touched a lot on sensuality in my previous work. I like to think that I, personally, am more about sensuality, because sensuality provokes desire. Desire is something that is missing from our vocabulary nowadays – the longing, the teasing, the searching. Everything is so open and out there, but I think the more you cover, the more sensual and sexual you become. We’ve seen too many sheer fabrics, too many nude colours. To cover up and just show a slash of skin is more than enough. It provokes more desire than anything else.

SF: Tom Ford’s history is well documented – born in Austin, Texas, moved to New York, was a fixture at Studio 54 as a young man. Yours couldn’t really have been more different. As a child you were travelling around Africa, seeing covered women, seeing bright colours. And then you arrived in Antwerp, in that cold northern European place, to study fashion. I remember you telling me once that it was a culture shock – “The low grey skies,” you said. That’s beautiful. Poetic.

HA: People often say that about me. That I’m poetic. But I’m not sure I understand. I mean, if someone plays Britney Spears, I’m the first one dancing on the table. But yes. That’s my past. That’s my story. And I had my lost nights too – they were very different from his, but I had my nights. There was a time when I used to go to Rotterdam, to gabber clubs, where I was the only black person, the only guy who didn’t shave his head. All the guys were in trainers and joggers. That was my Studio 54. It was not about a velvet sofa. When you were exhausted from dancing you just sat on the floor. There was beer everywhere. It was rough. I loved it. 

You know you can only draw on what you’ve seen, on what you have experienced in your life. So, as a child, one moment I saw covered women, the next I was confronted with the most beautiful colours in the world. If you admire the work of Monsieur Saint Laurent, so much of that comes from Morocco. I lived in Algeria, so all those elements are in there. Then, in Antwerp, you can almost touch the sky. Is it depressing that you can almost touch the sky?

SF: And now you’re working for a company that’s part American, part Italian, steeped in the culture of Italian ready-to-wear.

HA: But look at Mr Ford. He’s an American who worked with an Italian brand and for the most prestigious French house. He’s also a traveller. Sensuality, sexuality can be transported everywhere around the world. And he did it on his own terms, in his own way. One cannot relate to one country. Yes, of course there are aspects that relate to him being American but he lived in London and was inspired by the British – there were collections that were very British too. We absorb the moment we are going through. It’s like Coco Chanel when she was with the Russian prince – suddenly there was all of that – and then with the English duke. With Mr Ford you can see the beauty springs from living in Los Angeles at one time or that it has an Italian spirit the next. When he lived in France you can see it in his work. 

SF: What is the starting point of a collection for you?

HA: I start with words. I start with conversation or written words. Something I’ve read, something from a song or from a book … I write everything down. Next to my bed are notebooks filled with words. I describe the silhouette in words.

SF: There is a sense of freedom, but also of intense control, to your work. And that seems true of Tom Ford’s work also. There’s a hedonism to it and a sensuality, but it’s controlled, or perhaps precise is a better word. At first glance people might look at one of your dresses, for example, and it would appear so easy. But it’s not actually like that at all. Tom Ford told me once that he was “a control freak”.

HA: He’s more transparent than I am. I’m learning so much from my conversations with him. He talks about the ground he’s standing on in a very straightforward, direct way, which I love. You know what’s nice about this whole adventure? I’m still learning. I’m still excited. I’m still in love with everything. It’s a beautiful journey, what I’m going through.

SF: Does the reach of Tom Ford feel challenging for you, the scale – the ready-to-wear but also the fragrance, the beauty, the eyewear, the campaigns? 

HA: It’s not big like other houses are big. And I’ve always dreamt of doing campaigns. It’s about creating a universe, a language, a dictionary, a story. You continue telling the story, whatever it is. Not everyone has to wear Tom Ford. Not everyone has to wear everything. Some clothes are not reachable and accessible for people, and that’s OK. I have to watch my words, but I dislike when luxury is affordable. I haven’t always been able to afford so many clothes.I still can’t afford many things. But the desire to have it, the longing for it, that’s even more beautiful. You dream, you get nervous, you get excited, you go through so many emotions. The moment everything is reachable and everyone can have everything, desire is over. There’s nothing more beautiful than feeling desire, than desiring something, than being desired. Nothing is more beautiful than that.

SF: Black Orchid is relaunching for autumn – that is a great fragrance. Do you wear it?

HA: I like it but I’ve been wearing the same fragrance for the past 16 years, so I wouldn’t change that. It’s part of me. I love perfume. I love when I walk down the street and the person in front of me is wearing the same perfume as my loved one, or my former loved one. You’re thrown back in a second to your past or to a moment you shared with a person. And when I go to Morocco and I’m in the market and I smell the sheep and everything, it’s my childhood. Everything comes back. So I love smells. I do smell people. I always smell a person when they hug me.

SF: Tom Ford smells amazing.

HA: I’m not telling you if I’ve smelled Mr Ford. But you know what, he provokes everything that is animalistic. And I am made like that as well. I think that’s where our world relates. It’s very simple, it’s animalistic.

SF: But the clothes are not.

HA: The clothes are not. But they are kind of pure. It’s very pure. It’s like one line, one circle, one opening in the back. It’s not about drapery, it’s not about decoration. There’s nothing tormented about it. No, Mr Ford is all about purity. And it’s very precise.

SF: I remember you told me once that, when Lady Gaga wore a dress of yours on the cover of US Vogue, they had to bring you to the studio to make sure it was put on the way you intended it to be.

“Desire is something that is missing from our vocabulary nowadays – the longing, the teasing, the searching” – Haider Ackermann

HA: Once I was with Mr Lagerfeld. We were in Paris, at Café de Flore. And Princess Charlotte of Monaco was there, and he was like, “Oh, Charlotte, Charlotte, you need to wear Haider. You need to wear Haider. But make sure that when you get a dress, Haider is sent as well, because then you will know how to wear it.” Thank you, Karl. 

SF: He once said that you should be his successor at Chanel.

HA: I think that was very generous of him. We spoke about 10,000 things, he and I, and I never raised that subject. I’m not sure how serious he was. I think he just wanted me to be seen. And that was his way of speaking, of doing things. You always felt so rich when you left Karl. It was a privilege. People like that are so rare. The generosity of his words, of his recollections, of his stories.

SF: Of his jokes.

HA: Of his jokes. I went to the Chanel show because he would invite me and afterwards he would speak to me in German – I speak German – and he would make the weirdest, funniest jokes about everyone else there. It’s just those private moments. I maybe wish I had been less shy at that time and embraced him more, but I also think it was important for me to keep a distance. You don’t want to be in the court of the king.

SF: You have never really sought the spotlight. How do you feel about being so visible? I mean, you’re on the red carpet, going to the Met Gala with Madonna.

HA: I really am very shy. It was strange for me to do that red carpet. But Anna Wintour invited me personally and she’s been such a support. She’s helped me more than once. And she’s been very supportive of this new adventure too. I have a job where I have to be present for things whether I like it or not, that’s part of it. And at the end of the day it’s Madonna. Really, seriously – Madonna. And I’m with her in the car, we’re on the way to the Met Gala, and she asks, “Have you been arrested?” I say, “Yes, once.” And I tell her the story. I refused to do military service in France. “And what about you, Madonna?” She answers, “I wanted to be arrested.” I mean, she spoke out in favour of Pussy Riot on stage in Moscow. She provoked the Vatican. She did so many things. And while she was mentioning all those things, sitting in the car with her next to me, I’m thinking, she’s much more than all the songs. She’s culture. On every level. 

I went to her last concert and she’s still talking about all the people who died of Aids. The woman is a certain age and she’s still on the barricades. And she doesn’t have to do it. Why does she do it? Because that’s what makes her heart beat faster. That’s her purpose. She told me, “I was never frightened of being arrested because I was working for humanity and I think that I did the right thing.” I felt like a little child next to her, and I’m so blessed and proud that she chose me. And hell, yeah, I want to do that red carpet next to her. There’s one picture of us together and I’m looking at her and you can see the pride in my eyes. As designers we are at the service of the celebrities. We are at the service of the house that we are working for. We don’t need to catch the light. We are there for them to feel loved, embraced and to give them confidence. We are there to accompany them. We don’t need to be the superstars.

SF: How about Tilda Swinton and Timothée Chalamet? That feels like more than just dressing someone.

HA: I have always chosen the people I want to collaborate with personally. It’s a story we tell every time. If a person tells me they want to wear a dress of mine because it’s beautiful, that’s not enough. Every person I dress means something to me privately. You create and you build stories with those people. I’m not a celebrity designer who wants to dress everyone. I’m not and I never will be. But I like relationships, I like stories. I like meeting people who I know can add something to my life, who can bring something. 

I had dinner on Saturday with Mr Pedro Pascal. I knew I would meet him. It was written somewhere that he and I would meet. I didn’t know when but I knew it would happen. And that encounter was everything that I have been dreaming of. The way he advocates, the way he uses his words, the way he uses his voice. Tilda says the same concerning me. We have both forgotten when we actually met, but we knew, she knew, we were meant to meet. And Timothée is like that too. You just know and you stand by each other in good and bad times. I know when I went through difficult times my two Ts were there. They didn’t give up on me. They wore me on the red carpet, because that was the only thing I could do, I wasn’t allowed to make a commercial collection. And that’s very important. They are my companions. And that’s not something to be taken lightly. The fact that I’m where I am today, that I have the role that I have, I owe that also to them. I know that I brought them something too, I’m aware of that. My ego is big enough. But I know what they brought me. I know that I owe them.

SF: Would you describe yourself as a creative director? Or a designer? What about that? Does it matter? Tom Ford was very much a creative director and he used to quip that he wasn’t interested in sitting, sketching dresses in a garret somewhere.

HA: Lord knows. All those titles nowadays. Everybody wants a title. Let me do my job. I just want to work and do the best I can. You name me creative director, you name me head of design. I know my job and my responsibilities, and that’s what I want to do.

SF: Your process starts with words. There were also words written on the mirrors that formed the backdrop to your show in March. There was the word “fuck” written on the wall, right? Juergen Teller was sitting beneath it.

HA: I’m happy you read that. There were also some lines from the poems of Dorothy Parker. There was “I love Tom”, “Protect the dolls”. There were the phone numbers of friends of mine. There were many things that I wanted to say on the walls. I didn’t want anything in the show to be heavy. The world is heavy. I’ve said this before but if people can, even for ten minutes, escape their life, looking at our show, looking at the clothes, the light, the woman and man walking in front of them, listening to the music, then we have succeeded.

SF: That escapism – is that, for you, the importance of fashion?

HA: Certainly that’s how I see it. How much did the piano collection of Mr Yohji Yamamoto make me dream? [In 1995 Ryuichi Sakamoto wrote a piano solo for the designer’s runway collection.] How much did some of John Galliano’s shows make me dream? The Martin Margiela subway show with all the candles [Spring/Summer 1992]. How much did that transport me to another world? I look up to every designer who is transporting their audience to a universe. That’s a gift. It’s a gift to receive it and a gift to give.

SF: And now your universe is Tom Ford. And you’re in Paris. You live in Paris and you have moved the creative offices of Tom Ford from London to Paris. Paris wasn’t especially kind to Tom Ford. It was, in the end, where he was most harshly criticised.

“The world is heavy. I’ve said this before but if people can, even for ten minutes, escape their life, looking at our show, looking at the clothes, the light, the woman and man walking in front of them, listening to the music, then we have succeeded” – Haider Ackermann

HA: And that’s why I want to show in Paris. I think the moment Mr Ford called me, the moment I decided to accept – it was not difficult to accept – I knew I wanted to honour the man because he put his trust in me. I immediately wanted to honour him back. And I was ambitious. I want to put the name Tom Ford back into Paris, into the landscape where it belongs. That was my goal. Perhaps in Milan the task would have been easier. In Paris, it’s the highest level.

SF: Your appointment began with a phone call from Tom Ford himself. Can you tell me about that?

HA: It was in the evening. And I know exactly where I was. I know exactly what I was doing when I got the phone call. Anyway, he called me and I couldn’t pick up the phone. After that, I felt nervous at the table, I knew I had to pick up his message, so I excused myself, went to the bathroom and listened to it. “Hello, it’s Mr Tom Ford,” he said with his most sensual, dark voice. And immediately I thought, whatever he’s going to say now, I’m going to say yes. Because what else can you do when you hear his voice. And then he explained what he was calling about and asked me to call him back. I wrote him a text saying I’d call back tomorrow. When I did, he explained what he would like to happen and for what reasons. Again, he was very straightforward. I would never have accepted the job if I hadn’t had the blessing of Mr Ford. And the fact that I knew Domenico De Sole wanted me as well. Having those two godfathers gives you strength when you’re nervous before the show. You’re like, “Close your eyes. Breathe. Those two godfathers believe in you, so now you better stand up straight and believe in yourself. Just do it and stand up straight with your team.” My team is also a new love affair, because they had never met me before. I’m working with all these strangers. They have to discover a new vocabulary. They are anxious. It is a very strange moment. And we didn’t have the time to really get to know each other, to trust and understand each other. We had to go straight to work.

SF: Tom Ford chose to move away from fashion. He made movies. He sold his company. He says he wants to make more. Do you ever feel you would follow a different path?

HA: There were moments where I was doubting. Of course. I’m going to sound very corny now but I love fashion. It’s in me. I love to look at how well something is made, the technique, the silhouette, the pattern cutting, the form of the fabric, the way it falls. There was a period, just before Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture, when I doubted I had a voice. The industry was looking at things in a way that was very different from what I’m about. It was all about designers who have a high profile on social media, that was what counted, that was what was looked at and respected. I thought, I’m living in a different world. I’m old. I’m not relevant any more. It wasn’t about the clothes people designed but about selling product. I was a bit lost. And then Jean Paul Gaultier was offered to me – it had a very good response. And then I saw John Galliano’s show and I thought, Oh my God, really. Yes, I do belong here. Yes, I still want to do it. Yes.

SF: What’s going on for the next show? What happens next?

HA: Wouldn’t you like to know? I don’t know. I’m just continuing on my road, trying to understand more. So far I have achieved what I wanted to do. The first show was intense because so many people had very high expectations. It’s Mr Ford, it’s me. And it is not a done deal that, if you have the big name of Tom Ford and you have me, it would align. It’s like when you have a big director and a very good actor, it doesn’t always work. But I do think I was ready for the job. I have my years of experience. I had done Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture just before. I did Augustinus Bader, which meant that I’d touched on beauty. I have the feeling that everything that I have done was leading towards this moment. And I am ready.

Hair: Anthony Turner at Jolly Collective. Make-up: Lynsey Alexander at Jolly Collective using PRADA BEAUTY. Manicure: Delphine Aïssi. Casting director: Anita Bitton at Establishment Casting. Casting: Lorenzo Rotondo at Establishment Casting. Models: Charlotte Boggia at Women Paris, Gabriel Bohus at Rock Men, Emmett Fernebro at MIKAs, Nanne Groenewegen at Milk Model Management, Lou Hughes, Fatou Kebbeh and Anna Robinson at Next Model Management Paris, Lauren Huyskens and Bodine Van Galen at RAYM Management, Antonín Holas at Clique Models, Blayse Jennings at IMG Models Paris, Emma Labens and Maria Mavarez at Elite Model Management Paris, Leo Levy and Stiene Verstraete at The Claw Models, Djairo Mulder at Premium Models, Carol Monteiro at Oui Management, Salam Mohammed at New Madison, Andrea Rispoli at Bananas Models, Kai Wijers at Success Models and Wonder Adeshina at Premium Models. Lighting: Romain Dubus. Digital technician: Olivier Looren at Dejavu Paris. Photographic assistants: Corentin Thevenet and Yves Mourtada. Post-production: Stéphane Virlogeux. Styling assistants: Francisco Reis, Stephy Galvani, Brando Prizzon and Emilie Carlach. Hair assistants: John Allan, Karen Bradshaw, Vincent Allenby, Beth Shanefelter and Villaine Walcott. Make-up assistants: Sarah Edenborough, Federica Russo, Noel Inocencio, Zahra Redgrave and Claudia Melis. Studio manager to Willy Vanderperre: Charlotte Cogen. Production: 138 Productions. Executive producer: Simon Malivindi. Production manager: He Young Shim. Unit assistant: Manon Lateuliere. Production assistants: Thomas Deslandes, Sarah Baily, Roman Krassoulia Vronsky and Adrian Dohan. Production runner: Vito Pasquier

This story features in the Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of AnOther Magazine, on sale internationally on 25 September 2025. Pre-order here.