Tom Ford: Slob on the Couch with $9,200 Boots

The Sunday Times features a relatively provocative profile of the man who resurrected Gucci in the mid-1990s by bringing sexy back in response to grunge. While the piece touches on Ford’s notoriously inflated ego -- “I don’t think I’m a megalomaniac,” the infamously impossible designer tells the Times -- the real gem proves to be Ford’s relatively recent transition from life of the party (a role that traces back to Ford’s late teens, when, as a student, he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Andy Warhol while frequenting Studio 54) to a middle-aged man “slobbing on the sofa watching reality television and eating crisps.”

So, what exactly changed for Ford? According to the man behind the eponymous fashion house (which includes the recently launched, Erika Badu-endorsed fragrance White Patchouli), he woke up. “Over the years I’ve learnt that all this stuff we do is a bunch of crap. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its place. We are living in a material world, so why not live with something beautiful? But, ultimately, those things are not important.” In fact, Ford adds that he “was just as happy when [he] was living in a two-room apartment in New York as a student—maybe that was more fun actually.” The sentiment proves especially interesting given Ford’s incredible success as a designer (i.e. homes in half-a-dozen cities around the world). In fact, I was surprised by his sentiments ... that is, until I read about Ford’s recent debut of a line of high-end, limited edition fur boots for men. Considering the lavish footwear collection features a pair priced at a whopping $9,200, it seems Ford, despite all the talk, might not be giving up the luxury game anytime soon.