PETER HAWKINGS SAYS GOODBYE TO TOM FORD

© Tom Ford

According to a statement from Estée Lauder Companies on Monday. The company mentioned that a new creative director will be announced soon. Instead of a runway show, the Spring-Summer 2025 collection will be showcased in Tom Ford’s Milan showroom this September.

Hawkings had been a significant part of Tom Ford's team for over 20 years, including his role as senior vice president of Tom Ford Menswear, a line he helped establish in 2006. He became the brand’s creative director last spring after Tom Ford sold the brand to Estée Lauder for $2.8 billion. The Italian group Zegna has a long-term partnership to license the brand’s fashion business.

At his first show last September, Hawkings honored Ford’s iconic Gucci era from the late 1990s with designs featuring leather micro-shorts, hip-hugging skirts, and plunging necklines on ruffled blouses. His second collection in March focused on outerwear, presenting military-inspired peacoats, furry bombers, and leather trenches, along with the brand’s signature smokings and evening dresses.

The luxury market slowdown is challenging smaller brands like Tom Ford, where apparel sales have lagged behind its successful fragrance and eyewear lines. It’s unclear whether Hawkings left due to these challenges or for another opportunity. His collections were known for their sharp execution and continuation of Tom Ford’s sleek style, though some critics felt they were too conservative. Zegna, which has been the licensee for Tom Ford Menswear since 2006, had a long-standing working relationship with Hawkings.

Zegna Group plans to double Tom Ford’s store count and relaunch womenswear with a focus on handbags to drive growth and profitability for its new acquisition, as menswear previously made up two-thirds of sales. A designer change could slow down the group’s plans, which benefitted from continuity under Hawkings both within the brand’s offer and its organization. The change “could add uncertainty to Zegna Group’s growth story...amid continued weak trends of the Chinese consumers,” UBS analyst Chris Huang said in a note to clients. The company reported first-quarter revenues of €65 million for its Tom Ford Fashion unit. The group will likely be asked for more information on the designer’s exit during a conference call for its first-half results Thursday, though its deal with brand owner Estée Lauder will likely limit its authority to comment on the shake-up.