Tom Ford SS27: A Sensual Soireé by Haider Ackermann
With each new collection, the layers of Haider Ackermann’s Tom Ford continue to peel off with his latest offering being no exception. His Spring/ Summer 2027 show at Place Vendome, which Ackermann calls his most nude collection yet, showed models in sharply tailored suits against bare skin and short-shorts, deeply unbuttoned dress shirts tucked into boxer briefs, and vicuña sweaters atop bright pink thongs, bringing the sensuality and suggestive nature that defined Tom Ford’s tenure to more playful territory.
Though, at times his vision can seem even comically risqué, it’s all completely intentional in an attempt to play with the tension between dressed and undressed through showing off, but not showing everything. In SS26, we caught glimpses of Ackermann’s propensity for provocation through “skin that flashed through slits or appears through lace, a metal ring on a pair of sandals, a leather bra that peeks a boo”. In FW26, shirts lost more of their buttons and pants were practically falling off the models’ waist, held up by a single belt loop. However, with this SS27 collection, we can see the confidence of a creative director in full stride. Reshaping house codes as if they were putty in his hands, giving the classic Tom Ford house codes some room to breathe.
Despite the clear sense that with this collection, Ackermann continues to forge his own path at the house, there’s no shortage of references to Ford’s designs to choose from. Whether it be the mesh shirting, skimpy denim shorts, or white jazz oxfords, beckoning to Gucci SS 2002 by Tom Ford. Or the decadent array of velvets, cashmeres, and silks that defined his approach to eveningwear at his namesake. Ackermann’s subtle approach to referencing stands as a reminder of the enduring popularity of Ford’s work.
Being his protege, it’s hard to imagine Ford trusting anyone else to reinterpret his designs. It is especially refreshing to view through Ackermann’s perspective, considering other recent attempts at recreating Ford’s designs, namely that of Demna at Gucci, have felt noticeably disingenuous. Where Demna’s callback to Ford’s sex appeal in the 90s feels more like nostalgia porn, Ackermann’s take feels much more like he's a torch bearer. Ackermann adopted Ford’s design language and specific pieces from that era to explore sensuality, freedom, and risk in his own way, even taking it a step further in the process.
In this sense, Ackermann is beginning to outrun the colossal shadow of his predecessor, and as we continue to see the beauty of his vision unfurl, it’s becoming clear that we are watching a future legend in his prime. Even beyond the commentary on decadence and sexuality as a form of freedom, the clothes themselves are drop-dead gorgeous. Beautiful draped silks and sumptuous velvet robes contrast the razor-sharp tailoring and bare skin. Female models in slicked back hair strut confidently in slashed body suits, pinstripe suits adorned with single roses, and workwear embracing both their femininity and masculinity; which continued thematically amongst the men who presented as both stripped down and put together. Set to a soundtrack of heavy breathing and moaning mixed in with Tina Turner and David Bowie, plus a runway lined with mirrors, each look oozed eroticism and suggested that in Tom Ford, even your own reflection can turn you on.
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