Tom Ford fanpage

IT IS fashion lore that Marc Jacobs hired Tom Ford to work with him during his days as vice president of Perry Ellis in the early Nineties – but in fact, Jacobs explained during his talk for Central Saint Martins yesterday evening, it seemed a natural decision at the time.

“Tom was a different person then,” the designer mused, to the delight of his audience. “He was this waspy, preppy, tasteful person – or at least, that was the look he had at the time. I wanted him for Perry Ellis America, which was our jeans line, because I thought it would be interesting to bring a touch of sophistication to that. He used to make fun of the way I look, I remember.”

So what does a designer of Jacobs’ calibre look for in hiring design assistants?

“Well, I don’t have a checklist,” he laughed. “I think it’s a feeling. I am always looking for someone who is passionate, full of energy, friendly, patient. Anxious. I decide on impulse. You never really know whether you’ve made the right decision until you work with someone, anyway.”

Source: Vogue.co.uk by Leisa Barnett