Tom Ford fashion's new vision for China

25 Oct 2024

The luxury brand celebrated a significant milestone for its fashion business with a grand opening event for its first flagship store in China, located in Beijing. The move signals a new phase for the American luxury fashion house in the Chinese market.

Occupying 433 square meters across two floors of the upscale China World Mall, the boutique is the first in China to carry the full range of menswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories.

“In this store, you can really see our brand 360-degrees and how we want to communicate it to the market,” CEO Lelio Gavazza told Jing Daily in an interview for this partnership feature.

The flagship store is just one part of TOM FORD FASHION’s broader strategy for 2024, which includes a new menswear store opening in Hangzhou, a pop-up store in Shanghai to facilitate further expansion across China, and enhanced client services and social media engagement.

TOM FORD FASHION is at a pivotal moment. The fashion business of the luxury house founded by designer Tom Ford in 2005 became part of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group in 2023 through an exclusive long-term license agreement with The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. Since becoming CEO of TOM FORD FASHION in 2023, Gavazza has been crafting a global strategy aimed at expansion while staying true to the brand’s core identity.

“The most important thing for us is to drive brand awareness. We entered China a few years ago and opened a few stores, but it was done quietly,” says Gavazza. That is set to change. He is keen to leverage TOM FORD’s heritage and craftsmanship while connecting with younger generations of Chinese consumers, whom he regards as “one of the best-informed groups of luxury consumers in the world.”

TOM FORD FASHION’s position at the top end of the luxury market aligns with Chinese consumers who value innovation, quality craftsmanship, and exclusivity. But Gavazza believes that the brand can excel even further through personalization.

“Our way of maintaining exclusivity in this competitive market is through personalized customer experiences and products. We offer made-to-order service, ensuring that every detail – from the first interaction with our customers to the moment they wear the garment – is truly personalized,” says Gavazza.

The three new stores opened this year in Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai reflect this luxury positioning and personal approach, tailored to China. In Hangzhou, the new menswear store showcases TOM FORD’s iconic suit collection, known for its wide peak lapels, high armholes and cinched waists. The boutique offers made-to-measure suits, with an Italian tailor in-store on occasion.