Tom Ford Fashion’s Lelio Gavazza: “We will continue to strengthen our presence in the US market and expand across the Middle East”

From the stage of the 24th Altagamma Observatory, Tom Ford Fashion’s CEO Lelio Gavazza outlined the strategic directions that will guide the company’s development in the near future.

 
“We must pay close attention to some key factors: how consumers are evolving, what they expect from a luxury product, and balancing the brand’s geographic footprint worldwide,” said Gavazza. “Tom Ford was born in America; our influence there is very strong, somewhat less in the Asian market. Europe sits somewhere in between; it is a hub for international tourism. Our main objectives are to strengthen our position in the American market and to expand in the Middle East, with Dubai as a starting point. China has great potential, with a large middle class that aspires to luxury, but at the same time there are limiting external factors.”
 
Regarding the evolution of the brand, Gavazza explained, “Tom Ford has a distinctly high-end positioning and an image of refinement, elegance, and seduction. Trends in luxury have at times pushed the industry towards a kind of overindulgence, away from what consumers truly wanted. It is important to return to the brand’s true value, which must certainly be exclusive but not elitist. Having a group like Zegna behind us, synonymous with excellence in fabrics, helps in this.”

“Since his arrival as creative director, Haider Ackermann, while remaining faithful to the brand’s DNA, has adopted a softer tone of communication and different presentation formats; for example, the last two fashion shows hosted only 200 guests. It’s a bit of a return to our roots: at his first fashion show in 2005, Tom Ford invited only 100 people,” the CEO concluded. “It’s a way to look after people and give them the opportunity to fully appreciate our products.”