Tom Ford RTW Spring 2023 New York

Glamour and star power are key ingredients in Tom Ford RTW Spring 2023 in New York toolkit. And, on Wednesday night, he delivered his sophisticated sexy starting with a runway that oozed classic sleek, cool Ford.

The mirrored runway was flanked by white velvet banquets for the first two rows while ‘opera’ boxes provided rows three and four stocked with private bars and barmen who continued to serve the tequila and gin proffered to guests upon arrival. As usual, Ford’s front row was equally sophisticated, sexy, and funky. Madonna showed up with daughter Lourdes and son Rocco, two of the singer’s six children. Basketball player Russell Westbrook was also in attendance.

From the moment the opening look of a silver blazer with a scant bikini top and baggy shiny shorts bedecked in various heart patches to a remix of Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love, palpable, raw energy was felt. (The soundtrack also included ABC’s The Look of Love, Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round and A-Ha’s Take On Me, each remixed with hip-hop and current pop tunes easily take home best runway music of the week).

In Ford’s case, the feeling is usually sexual energy. But rather than subtle or overt sexiness, this racy outing was more playful and innocent. As in, ‘do my satin cowgirl shirt, and short shorts tantalize?’ It was the sporty nature of many styles; retro Dodger shorts, bomber jackets, baggy trainer pants, and mesh tops that added to the sexual naivete.

Sure there was plenty of overt sizzle, too; bralettes graced almost every look underneath blazers and paired with super low-slung skirts and pants Ford has favored recently. The stunning cutout gowns in jersey or elaborate beading with matching oversized hoop earrings proved that Ford is the godfather of the au courant popular dress style.

In some cases, it was literally sexy with wispy black lace lingerie that Ford, ever the cultural zeitgeist tuning fork, also showed as men’s briefs much to the chagrin of Madge, who grimaced and followed the model front to back as the male model sauntered by.

The men had plenty to feel sexy about, too, leather blazers; some with croc effect or made from snakeskin, moires, animal prints, and a Barbie pink color which probably has Ryan Gosling’s name sewn inside to wear to the premiere of the upcoming ‘Barbie’ movie. Sleek leather pants and tonal ties completed the suit looks.

With their slicked-up, teased-up pompadour hair do’s, they had a retro vibe one remarked as rockabilly, and that made sense when considering the aforementioned satin cowboy shirt complete with fringe or the embroidered shirts with western flare; one editor suggested an Elvis movie influence. Though the hair, music, and even some retro western looks also read the 1980s.

However upbeat the show was, the mood did change for the evening gown and tuxedo looks as Freddie Mercury’s voice belted out his solo hit song Time Waits for Noone. It was hard not to imagine this was a deeply personal moment for Ford, one of looking back and looking forward. With the rumors of his company being on the block for sale, it’s anyone’s guess which direction Ford is looking.