ATELIER 23 · Journal · Houses of the Men's Suit

Tom Ford Suit: The House, the Cut and Where to Buy It in Lisbon

The American who rescued Gucci and then built his own house. The O'Connor and Shelton cuts, four Bond films, 2026 prices and an honest answer about where the collection is in Lisbon

Man in a dark three-piece suit in a colonnaded arcade, black and white
A dark three-piece by ATELIER 23. A close fit and a defined waist read from across a room.

A Tom Ford suit is one of the most recognisable garments in modern menswear. Named cuts, a strong shoulder line and an elongated silhouette have made it a shorthand for a certain kind of confidence on screen and off. For anyone curious about the house, its history and its current place in the market, this article offers a detailed look at the brand, the construction of its jackets and where the collection can be found in Lisbon.

Who owns Tom Ford today

The question of who owns Tom Ford has a clear answer. In November 2022 Estée Lauder announced the purchase of the brand, and the deal closed on 28 April 2023 for 2.8 billion dollars. The Estée Lauder Companies now own the Tom Ford name along with the fragrance and beauty business.

At the same time, the Italian Ermenegildo Zegna Group acquired Tom Ford International, the fashion arm, together with a long-term licence of at least twenty years. Today TOM FORD FASHION clothing is made and sold by the Zegna Group. Anyone searching for who owns the Tom Ford brand will find that the fashion side now sits within a publicly traded Italian group that specialises in luxury menswear and tailoring fabrics.

Tom Ford in a double-breasted peak-lapel tuxedo, Venice 2009
Tom Ford at the 66th Venice Film Festival, September 2009: a double-breasted tuxedo with a peak lapel, a black bow tie and a white rose.Photo: Nicogenin, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

In the first half of 2026 the Zegna Group reported revenue of 987.3 million euros. In the second quarter of 2026 TOM FORD FASHION generated 89.1 million euros of revenue and operated 67 directly operated stores worldwide.

The creative direction has passed from the founder to two successors. Peter Hawkings led the studio from April 2023 to September 2024, showing his first collection on 21 September 2023 in Milan. Haider Ackermann took over in September 2024 and presented his first collection in March 2025 in Paris. Tom Ford himself, quoted on the brand's official site, said: "I have long been a great fan of Haider's work. I find both his womenswear and menswear equally compelling. He is an incredible colorist, his tailoring is sharp, and above all he is modern."

Tom Ford brand history: from Gucci to his own house

The Tom Ford brand origin lies in a career that began long before the label existed. Tom Ford was born on 27 August 1961 in Austin, Texas, and grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He studied at Parsons in New York, beginning with interior architecture before moving into fashion.

He joined Gucci in 1990 as a womenswear designer and became creative director of Gucci in 1994. His work is widely credited with pulling the house out of crisis. By 1999 the company was worth more than four billion dollars. From 1999 to 2004 he served simultaneously as creative director of Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, the ready-to-wear line that Gucci Group owned at the time.

Ford left Gucci in 2004 and founded his own label in April 2005 together with Domenico De Sole, his long-time business partner. The brand's website went live in October 2006, and the first directly owned boutique opened in April 2007 at 845 Madison Avenue in New York.

Tom Ford with the cast of A Single Man on the red carpet in Venice
The A Single Man red carpet, Venice, 11 September 2009. Tom Ford is second from the left.Photo: Nicogenin, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Tom Ford with a microphone and Amy Adams at the Nocturnal Animals premiere
Tom Ford introducing Nocturnal Animals with Amy Adams.Photo: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

The Tom Ford brand history also includes a parallel career in cinema. His directorial debut, A Single Man, was released in 2009 and earned Colin Firth the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival. Nocturnal Animals, his second film, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2016. Ford's third film, Cry to Heaven, adapted from the Anne Rice novel, was shot in Rome from 19 January to 23 March 2026 and is now in post-production. The cast includes Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Adele. No release date has been announced.

What is a Tom Ford suit: the lapel, the shoulder, the O'Connor and Shelton cuts

For those wondering what is a Tom Ford suit, the answer begins with names. The house gives its cuts names, and two of them appear in the product names on the official site: O'Connor and Shelton.

The O'Connor cut is perhaps the most closely associated with the house. A Luxury Twill O'Connor tuxedo on the official site illustrates the details. It carries a shawl collar, which is a curved lapel without a notch or peak, typically seen on eveningwear. Satin runs along the lapel and the trouser side stripe. The jacket has a double vent, meaning two slits at the back, and measures 75.5 centimetres in length. The fabric is described as 15 micron luxury twill, where the micron number refers to the fineness of the wool fibre and lower numbers indicate finer wool. The cloth is 100 per cent wool, and the garment is made in Italy. This piece is listed at 7,490 dollars.

Ivory double-breasted dinner jacket with a shawl collar by ATELIER 23
A shawl collar: one unbroken curve, no notch and no point. Ivory dinner jacket by ATELIER 23, buttons covered in the same cloth.
Ivory double-breasted jacket with a peak lapel by ATELIER 23
A peak lapel: the top edge points up towards the shoulder. Same colour, a different line across the chest.

The Shelton cut takes a different route. A Prince of Wales Shelton jacket on the site features a peak lapel, which is a lapel whose top edge points upward and outward. It has a single vent, meaning one slit at the back, and is fully lined. The cloth is 100 per cent wool. The Prince of Wales check is a classic pattern of small squares in light and dark threads, often in grey tones. This jacket is listed at 5,450 dollars.

Navy chalkstripe suit with a wide peak lapel on a tailor dummy
A navy chalkstripe suit by ATELIER 23. Wide peak lapel, a coarse brown tie.
Prince of Wales check jacket with a peak lapel and a rust tie
Prince of Wales check in muted blue. Peak lapel, buttonhole in the lapel, rust tie.

On 23 September 2026 the Suits and Tuxedos section of the official site held 28 items. Suits ranged from 6,380 to 6,990 dollars. Separate jackets ranged from 4,500 to 8,590 dollars. Trousers ranged from 1,490 to 3,740 dollars. A Tom Ford tuxedo, like the O'Connor described above, sits at the higher end of that range. A Tom Ford black suit falls within the suit bracket of 6,380 to 6,990 dollars.

Satin peak lapel on a black ATELIER 23 tuxedo, close up
Satin along the lapel of a black ATELIER 23 tuxedo. Matt cloth and silk side by side.

Tom Ford suits and James Bond

The association between the house and cinema is well documented. Tom Ford suits dressed James Bond in four films, all starring Daniel Craig: Quantum of Solace in 2008, Skyfall in 2012, Spectre in 2015 and No Time to Die in 2021.

The official Bond site, 007.com, reported on 11 August 2020 that for No Time to Die the house supplied made-to-measure tailored clothing and casual wear. The wardrobe included eveningwear, suits, shirts, silk accessories and denim. Tom Ford himself was quoted on the same page: "I could not be happier to be dressing Daniel Craig as James Bond again."

The Bond wardrobe helped cement the image of the house as a go-to for a sharply dressed leading man. For those who search for Tom Ford suits men, the Bond films are often where the interest begins.

Side adjuster on the waistband of tuxedo trousers
Evening trousers: a side adjuster instead of belt loops.
Black and white portrait of Tom Ford in a tuxedo with a bow tie and a white rose
Tom Ford, Venice, 2009.Photo: Nicolas Genin, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Why are Tom Ford suits so expensive, and what a Tom Ford suit costs in 2026

The question why are Tom Ford suits so expensive has several layers. The brand sits at the top of the luxury menswear market. Garments are made in Italy by the Zegna Group, a manufacturer with deep expertise in tailoring and luxury cloth. The fabrics used are fine, and the construction follows a set of house codes that have remained consistent for years.

The Tom Ford suit cost reflects the materials, the country of manufacture and the position of the brand within the luxury hierarchy. As of 23 September 2026, Tom Ford suits price ranges from 6,380 to 6,990 dollars for a complete suit. The Tom Ford tuxedo men ask about most often, the O'Connor, is 7,490 dollars. Separate jackets go from 4,500 to 8,590 dollars, and trousers from 1,490 to 3,740 dollars.

Readers searching for Tom Ford suits UK or for Tom Ford custom suits should note that the figures above are the ready-to-wear prices published on the official site on that date. We have no confirmed prices for anything else, so we do not quote any.

Button card and a cloth swatch on the table at the atelier
A button card and a cloth swatch on the table at the atelier. This is where the choice starts.

Where to buy Tom Ford in Lisbon in 2026

There is no Tom Ford boutique of the house's own in Lisbon. The store locator on the official site does not list Portugal among its locations. This means the collection is not available in a directly operated store in the city.

Fashion Clinic, a Portuguese retailer, carries the brand. Its Lisbon menswear store is at Avenida da Liberdade 182, and the womenswear store is at number 144 on the same avenue. On 23 September 2026 the selection at Fashion Clinic held 246 items, 77 of them clothing. Examples include a double-breasted tuxedo blazer at 3,590 euros, a double-breasted virgin wool blazer at 3,450 euros, grain de poudre trousers at 1,950 euros, and a poplin shirt at 620 euros. Grain de poudre is a finely milled wool fabric with a subtle textured surface. Poplin is a smooth, closely woven cotton fabric.

Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon, mosaic pavement and plane trees
Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon. Fashion Clinic is at 182; our own atelier is at 110.Photo: Plaats, CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Tom Ford in a dark suit and tie at the Toronto film festival, 2016
Tom Ford at the Nocturnal Animals premiere, Toronto, 2016.Photo: GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

At El Corte Inglés Portugal the men's Tom Ford offer is eyewear only. Sunglasses and optical frames are available. Clothing is not stocked.

If this silhouette is yours

The Tom Ford silhouette is distinctive. The broad peak lapel on the day models, the strong shoulder line and the relatively long jacket create a look that reads as assertive and glamorous. Some men take to it immediately. Others prefer a softer shoulder and a narrower lapel.

Jacket at the basted fitting: canvas and white basting stitches at the lapel
The basted fitting: white stitches hold the pieces together and canvas sits where the lapel will be.
Lower part of a basted jacket with pockets still closed by cloth
The same jacket lower down: the pockets are still closed and the front edge is marked in thread.

If this silhouette speaks to you, a suit along similar lines can be built to your own measurements. ATELIER 23 makes made-to-measure menswear at its Lisbon atelier, Avenida da Liberdade 110. Cloths available at the atelier come from Loro Piana, Zegna, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Reda, Scabal, Holland & Sherry, Dormeuil and others. A garment takes four to six weeks to complete, six at most. The fitting is about four weeks after the order is placed.

You are welcome to come in, look at the cloth bunches and meet the tailor. The visit commits you to nothing. If the shape and the cloth feel right, the conversation can continue. If they do not, you will leave with a clearer sense of what you want, and that is worth the trip on its own.

Prince of Wales check jacket by ATELIER 23 on a tailor dummy
A Prince of Wales check jacket by ATELIER 23.
Navy jacket with patch pockets and a denim shirt by ATELIER 23
A navy jacket with patch pockets, worn with a denim shirt. A softer, daytime register.

Coffee, cloth books and the tailor

We will show you the cloth books from Loro Piana, Zegna, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Reda, Scabal, Holland & Sherry and Dormeuil, introduce you to the tailor and take your measurements if you wish. The visit takes about an hour and commits you to nothing.

Book a visit

Avenida da Liberdade 110, office 209
1269-046 Lisbon
By appointment · +351 912 204 778
Yours sincerely, Andrey Kostenko

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Tom Ford? The Estée Lauder Companies purchased the brand, and the deal closed on 28 April 2023 for 2.8 billion dollars. The fashion business is owned and operated by the Ermenegildo Zegna Group under a long-term licence of at least twenty years.

Who owns the Tom Ford brand today? Estée Lauder owns the Tom Ford name and the fragrance and beauty business. The Zegna Group owns and operates TOM FORD FASHION, the clothing division, through its acquisition of Tom Ford International.

What is a Tom Ford suit? A Tom Ford suit is a luxury tailored garment made in Italy by the Zegna Group, characterised by named cuts such as O'Connor and Shelton. The O'Connor tuxedo features a shawl collar and satin details, while the Shelton jacket carries a peak lapel and a single vent. Both are 100 per cent wool and made in Italy.

What is the Tom Ford brand origin? Tom Ford founded his own label in April 2005 with Domenico De Sole, after leaving Gucci in 2004. The brand's website went live in October 2006, and the first directly owned boutique opened in April 2007 at 845 Madison Avenue, New York.

Why are Tom Ford suits so expensive? The price reflects Italian construction by the Zegna Group, fine wool fabrics and the brand's position at the top of the luxury menswear market. A complete suit ranges from 6,380 to 6,990 dollars, and the O'Connor tuxedo is 7,490 dollars.

How much does a Tom Ford suit cost? As of 23 September 2026, suits on the official site range from 6,380 to 6,990 dollars. Separate jackets range from 4,500 to 8,590 dollars, and trousers from 1,490 to 3,740 dollars. The Luxury Twill O'Connor tuxedo is 7,490 dollars.

Which James Bond films used Tom Ford suits? The house dressed Daniel Craig in four James Bond films: Quantum of Solace in 2008, Skyfall in 2012, Spectre in 2015 and No Time to Die in 2021.

Where to buy Tom Ford in Lisbon? There is no directly owned Tom Ford store in Lisbon. The brand is available at Fashion Clinic, Avenida da Liberdade 182, Lisbon. El Corte Inglés Portugal carries Tom Ford eyewear only.

Sources: Wikipedia, Tom Ford and Tom Ford (brand) and their sources; The Estée Lauder Companies press release, 5 September 2024; Businesswire, 28 April 2023; Zegna Group first half 2026 results; tomfordfashion.com, 007.com, fashionclinic.com and elcorteingles.pt, checked 23 September 2026.

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