Tom Ford

TOM FORD may be reluctant to comment, but sources within the industry claim that the designer is slowly building his womenswear team in anticipation for the launch that he himself has asserted is a matter of “when, not if”. Caroline Tixier, a women’s ready-to-wear designer at Givenchy, and Pablo Coppola, an accessories designer at Alexander McQueen, have both been recruited, WWD reports, and the launch looks likely to be in for autumn 2011.

“Financing is extremely expensive right now, so if we find financing in the right situation we’ll be able to start [a women’s collection] soon. If we don’t, we may have to wait a while,” the former Gucci and YSL helmer said last year when asked about the launch. “You know it will take me 18 months when I start, because [I have] to hire the team, find the factories, put everything together and then get the stores ready so there’s a place for these clothes.”

It seems that plan is already in motion – and we may see Tom Ford womenswear designs next year.

Source : Vogue.co.uk / Lauren Milligan