Suit thumbnail 1
Suit thumbnail 2
+1
images
Not on display

This object consists of 13 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Suit

2004 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This blue silk velvet man's suit, with its accompanying accessories, comes from Tom Ford's autumn/winter 2004-5 collection for Gucci, his last for the company. Tom Ford served as the head designer for Gucci from 1990 to 2004 and was instrumental in bringing a commercial sexiness to its fashions for men and women. As seen here, Ford’s 2004-5 collection updated the traditional dinner suit with a form-fitting silhouette, jewel-toned velvet and slight ruffles at the cuffs and down the shirt front.

Fashion journalist Guy Trebay noted in the New York Times that in the past Ford mined diverse masculine stereotypes, from 1970s gigolos to Rat Pack smoothies and moustachioed porn stars. ('Review/Fashion: Selling Not Just a Man, But a Gucci Man, New York Times, 15 January, 2004). In this final collection, Ford presented an image of masculinity that amalgamated these types: models walked down the catwalk holding a glass of whiskey and a cigarette in one hand, what Trebay described as 'a stylised version of the Hugh Hefner hedonist: louche, debonair, cigarette smoking and with a tumbler of Johnny Walker Black Label, literally, at hand.'

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 13 parts.

  • Jacket
  • Trousers
  • Shirt
  • Bow Tie
  • Handkerchief
  • Cuff Link
  • Cuff Link
  • Shirt Stud
  • Shirt Stud
  • Shirt Stud
  • Shirt Stud
  • Shoe
  • Shoe
Brief description
Men's silk velvet dinner suit with cotton shirt, silk handkerchief and bow tie, patent leather shoes, cufflinks and shirt studs, Tom Ford for Gucci, Autumn/Winter 2004/5, Italy.
Dimensions
  • Shoe height: 9cm
  • Shoe width: 10cm
  • Shoe length: 32.5cm
Gallery label
(05/04/2014-27/07/2014)
Label for the exhibition: "The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014"

MAN’S EVENING SUIT
Gucci, Autumn/Winter 2004/5
Silk velvet
From the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, Gucci menswear embodied the Italian notion of sprezzatura, or dressing with a stylish nonchalance. Under Tom Ford, the design house produced wardrobes of trim, sleek suits and tailored separates. Suits such as this one were made for formal occasions, but suggested a less strict attitude toward conventional dress. Frequently featured in the press, Ford was Gucci’s own best menswear model.
GIVEN BY GUCCI
V&A: T.7:1 TO 11-2005
Credit line
Given by the maker
Summary
This blue silk velvet man's suit, with its accompanying accessories, comes from Tom Ford's autumn/winter 2004-5 collection for Gucci, his last for the company. Tom Ford served as the head designer for Gucci from 1990 to 2004 and was instrumental in bringing a commercial sexiness to its fashions for men and women. As seen here, Ford’s 2004-5 collection updated the traditional dinner suit with a form-fitting silhouette, jewel-toned velvet and slight ruffles at the cuffs and down the shirt front.

Fashion journalist Guy Trebay noted in the New York Times that in the past Ford mined diverse masculine stereotypes, from 1970s gigolos to Rat Pack smoothies and moustachioed porn stars. ('Review/Fashion: Selling Not Just a Man, But a Gucci Man, New York Times, 15 January, 2004). In this final collection, Ford presented an image of masculinity that amalgamated these types: models walked down the catwalk holding a glass of whiskey and a cigarette in one hand, what Trebay described as 'a stylised version of the Hugh Hefner hedonist: louche, debonair, cigarette smoking and with a tumbler of Johnny Walker Black Label, literally, at hand.'
Collection
Accession number
T.7:1 to 13-2005

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 13, 2007
Record URL
Download as: JSON