Even before Tom Ford made a highly successful artistic first feature film as a director and producer, he always gave GREAT parties with amazing turnouts. So you can imagine his guests lists have only gotten better after “A Single Man.” He hosted a cocktail party with his big honcho agent, Kevin Huvane from CAA, in Beverly Hills on Thursday night, and “A Single Man” star Julianne Moore showed up looking gorgeous, as did Anne Hathaway (who will next be seen in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in March), and, of all people, Robert DeNiro. Perhaps DeNiro and Ford are already in talks to work on Tom’s second feature. We would not be at all surprised. And of course, everyone’s expecting Julianne Moore to be wearing a custom made Tom Ford gown to the Golden Globes, as are we. The Fantastic Mr. Ford is opening a mens’wear store in Los Angeles in 2010, as well. This guy doesn’t sleep a lot.

Fifty is the new thirty, yeah, we know, blah blah blah. It’s nice in theory, but how many over 50 ladies can really prove it? Well – these two can. Madonna and Ellen Barkin both attended Tom Ford’s New York screening of “A Single Man,” hosted by the Cinema Society at the Museum of Modern Art. Both wore chic black ensembles, had killer hair, and look mind-blowingly good. We love Madonna’s new Anna Wintour look of donning super dark glasses at night. Well, she’s Madonna – she can do anything she damn pleases. And, well, we love her shoes. And her coat. Madonna’s stylist Arianne Phillips did the costumes for Mr. Ford’s movie – and she’s also been known to dress Julianne Moore, who is in the movie. Yes, those chic New York ladies all wear black – why wouldn’t they? To a Tom Ford event?

If there was ever a place to look good – to look chic – it would be at a screening of Tom Ford’s stunning new film, “A Single Man.” Not only is the Fantastic Mr. Ford’s first film (which he directed, produced and adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s novel) a tiny quiet masterpiece – it’s beautiful to look at it, as well – and costume designer Arianne Phillips did an amazing job on the costumes. Julianne Moore wears one incredible black and white sixties dress in the film that is the essence of sixties glamour. But Padma Lakshmi, usually quite well turned out on “Top Chef” (which has its finale this Wednesday night at 10 on Bravo, right before the second installment of “Launch My Line”) REALLY got it wrong at a Cinema Society Screening of “A Single Man” at the Museum of Modern Art in New York this weekend. Yes, we know she’s preggers – but a strapless white tiered gown with nude colored boots on the coldest weekend in NY so far? Please, Padma, this is a FASHION DISASTER! Good thing there’s no panel of judges sitting in front of HER on this outfit – she’d be booted off fast! – Merle Ginsberg

Tom Ford’s debut film as a director, adaptor and director, “A Single Man” – based on the Christopher Isherwood novel of L.A. academic life in the nineteen sixties – was part of The A.F.I. Festival in Hollywood this week, with the screening at the Mann’s Chinese on Hollywood Boulevard, and the party afterwards at the Roosevelt Hotel. On hand were Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, the movie’s stars Colin Firth Matthew Goode and Ginnifer Goodwin (but not Julianne Moore) – Ginnifer styled by Penny Lovell, and wearing an awesome black lace dress and her chic new short hair.) After all, one wears one’s best when you’re going to be in the presence of Tom Ford, the immaculate. Lisa Rinna was an amazing standout in a full shouldered Dolce & Gabbana sweater that was just stunning – head turning! She admitted to us she borrowed it from a friend, who had just bought it. But the star of any Tom Ford event is always Tom Ford – cutting a slim broad-shouldered figure in a slim cut Tom Ford suit, aviator glasses, and the perfect amount of facial hair. We spoke to the Fantastic Mr. Ford briefly at the premiere party, and here’s what he said about the film:

FASHIONRULES: You must be so proud tonight. You worked so hard to get a film off the ground for years – and this film has already won prizes at the Venice Film Festival.

TOM FORD: Yes, you dream about a night like this. (more…)

You know if Tom Ford, acting as a film director, asks you to make the costumes for his first film – which he also wrote the adaptation for, and produced – it’s a serious compliment. For who knows more about great looking clothes than The Fabulous Mr. Ford? So he went to Arianne Phillips, who has styled Madonna for years, and who’s been Oscar nominated for the costumes in “Walk the Line,” and who also did the costumes for “310 to Yuma.” We saw the movie at a screening last night, and we’ll get into that later – it’s a masterpiece, and we hate to say it – isn’t there ANYTHING Tom Ford CAN’T do well????- but the costumes! Julianne Moore wears one black and white long gown that is SO Los Angeles in the 1960′s – it out “Mad Men’s” “Mad Men” with its sixties glam, mod feeling, and great fit. We suspect Arianne will get another Oscar nomination, and she deserves it. Colin Firth’s and Matthew Goode’s suits and clothes are also amazingly cut – we suspect Tom Ford had a little something to do with that. – Merle Ginsberg

Tom Ford does have a house in Los Angeles, but he’s been on the road with his first film, “A Single Man” – derived from the book about gay life in Los Angeles in the nineteen sixties by author Christopher Isherwood. It’s been getting great feedback on the festival circuit, and its star Colin Firth won Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, and could very likely be nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar. Ford’s first film as directro also stars Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode (from “Matchpoint” and the upcoming “Pirate Radio”). Well, the film will be screening for the L.A. press next week, and Ford – as well as his stars – will be doing interviews at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. You can best bet that the foreign press who vote on the Golden Globes will be swarming, as well as the fashion press – because Ford recently announced (more…)

Tom Ford is the king of sunglasses, leading the way in design of his sunglass line the way he used to do in women’s clothes for Gucci and YSL. So what glasses is HE wearing? Check out this oversized cool aviator style he debuted at the London Film Festival, where he showed his new film, “A Single Man,” which he directed, staring Colin Firth. Firth won best actor at the Venice FIlm Fest, so the movie keeps picking up momentum, everyone saying Ford can actually direct. They’re surprised? It’s not like he’s a slacker! Since leaving Gucci and YSL, he did a perfume line for Estee Lauder, cosmetics, a mens’ full clothing line, created a store in NY, and then did the sunglass line. Plus he found this British novel from the sixties and made it into a film. The guy can literally do anything.

Tom Ford’s efforts to direct a film have finally paid off. It’s taken him years to get the film made, but “A Single Man,” which debuted this weekend at the Venice Film Festival in Italy, starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode, won the best actor award for Colin Firth. Following the novel written in the nineteen sixties, Firth plays a gay professor in Los Angeles, who has to survive after his lover dies.

“I’m here for the gift that Tom Ford gave me,” Firth said as he accepted the award in Venice. “Tom Ford had a cause that he put in my hands, so it became a very important thing for me as well.”
Ford’s film about a gay professor mourning the death of his partner is an adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s landmark 1964 novel. It offers a snapshot of life as a homosexual more than four decades ago. This puts Colin Firth in the frontrunner category for an Oscar in 2010 – but George Clooney, getting amazing reviews at the Toronto Film Festival for “The Air Up There,” directed by Jason Reitman (“Juno,” “Thank You For Smoking”), is up there, too.
Tom Ford just had a very good weekend!




No, Tom Ford will not be competing for best outfit on a celebrity at the Venice Film Festival at the September 2 to 12th annual event.
His movie directorial debut, “A SIngle Man,” with Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, will compete in the fest and we’re sure the newly minted director will be there on the Lido for the festivities. No doubt, the press on the film at this important fest – and the festival audience – will help determine Mr. Ford’s future as a film director. He’ll be competing with some director heavyweights: Michael Moore’s new doc “Capitalism: A Love Story,” Werner Herzog’s “Bad Lieutenant,” and “The Road,” with VIggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron from John Hillcoat are his big competition.

Out of competition will be Steven Soderbergh’s “The Informant,” with Matt Damon, and “The Men WHo Stare at Goats” with George Clooney.

We don’t think there’s much doubt what Tom Ford will wear. Let’s hope his starring man, Colin Firth, will be in Tom Ford, too.