Since steering Gucci to commercial success during his tenure at the helm of the luxury group, and supercharging the creative at Saint Laurent, Tom Ford launched his namesake brand in 2006, and accelerated a business in premium accessories to boot. Ford’s range of accessories have proved to be a mainstay in closets the world over: Jennifer Lawrence was spotted out and about in New York this June carrying the Tara crossbody bag, George Clooney is a Tom Ford loyalist on the red carpet, and Kate Hudson toted around the T-clasp Tara bag a mere few weeks ago. For Ford’s Middle Eastern clientele, the eyewear collections have proved to be all the more versatile for darting between beach, boardroom, and beyond.
Tom Ford in Tom Ford Private Eyewear Collection Summer 2017. Courtesy of Tom Ford
Right on cue for the high summer season, the designer has launched a Private Eyewear Collection, comprising 11 styles with photochromic lenses (that darken and lighten automatically) that riff on his personal lineup of shades. “These are the frames that I personally wear and in some instances originally designed only for myself,” says Tom Ford. “This is truly my own private collection. In most cases these editions of my favorite frames have been produced in new elevated materials that are uncommon in most commercially produced frames.”
From real buffalo horn to Japanese titanium frames, the collection has aviator, wayfarer and the Tom N.5 styles that were crafted for Colin Firth’s role in the 2009 movie A Single Man, which was directed by Ford. While the styles touch upon established trends in eyewear beloved of the street style circuit – oversized, reflective lenses, and tomboyish detailing – this unisex lineup will prove to have style mileage.
The Tom Ford Private Eyewear Collection is available across Middle Eastern boutiques, including Rivoli EyeZone in the Dubai Mall, Magrabi Optical in Tahliya Jeddah, and Hassan’s Optician in the Avenues Mall, with prices ranging from AED 2,580 to AED 3,700.
