05.01.23
The Tom Ford brand, now owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., has appointed Guillaume Jesel to President and CEO, Tom Ford, and Peter Hawkings to Creative Director, Tom Ford, effective at the closing of the acquisition.
Ermenegildo Zegna N.V. has appointed a CEO of Tom Ford Fashion who is expected to be announced in July and assume the role in the third quarter of calendar 2023. These leaders will work together to ensure a consistent and cohesive image across all products, brand communication and retail.
About the new leadership appointments, Tom Ford said, “I could not be happier with the acquisition of the Tom Ford brand by The Estée Lauder Companies. The team there has been a great partner and Guillaume is an exceptional leader, with not only a strong business understanding of beauty, but a great understanding of fashion as well.”
Domenico De Sole said, "I am delighted with this acquisition. We have had a long-standing partnership between the Tom Ford brand and The Estée Lauder Companies dating from the brand’s inception, as well as a close relationship with Gildo Zegna and the Zegna Group over the past 30 years. Given our long and successful histories together, I am certain that the two companies, together, will carry on the legacy that Tom and I have built over the past 18 years.”
As President and CEO of Tom Ford, Jesel will have oversight across all verticals and set a holistic luxury strategy for the brand. Guillaume will report to ELC executive leaders Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Executive Group President, and Tracey T. Travis, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
“Guillaume has been instrumental in shaping the luxury beauty sector of our business. His ability to articulate the Tom Ford brand has resulted in Tom Ford Beauty achieving remarkable global success, making him ideally suited to lead the Tom Ford brand into its exciting future,” said Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies.
Under Jesel’s leadership at Tom Ford Beauty, where he worked directly with Tom Ford and his team, the brand spearheaded innovation and strategically expanded its global reach, firmly establishing Tom Ford Beauty as a powerhouse in luxury beauty. Since 2014 when Jesel started with Tom Ford Beauty, he has led the brand to achieve strong net sales growth on a compound annual basis and significantly improved ranking in global prestige fragrance and makeup, respectively.
Hawkings will be responsible for upholding the Tom Ford brand’s vision, ensuring consistency of creative direction and decisions across all fashion categories and ushering the Tom Ford brand into its next chapter. He will report directly to Guillaume and matrix report to the CEO of Tom Ford Fashion.
“In Peter Hawkings the brand has found the perfect Creative Director,” said Tom Ford. “Peter began working with me 25 years ago as a menswear design assistant at Gucci and rapidly worked his way up to become the senior men’s designer at the company when he left to join me at the Tom Ford brand. Since the creation of Tom Ford menswear, Peter has been instrumental in the success of the brand. He is an incredibly talented leader with tremendous industry experience, and his appointment gives me confidence that my commitment to creating fashion products with the highest level of design and quality will continue.”
Hawkings began his career in 1998 at Gucci under the helm of Tom Ford and worked closely with him on the development of the highly successful Gucci menswear collections. Hawkings left Gucci in 2006 to join Tom Ford in the launch of his eponymous brand where he was charged with overseeing the design and production of all categories of Tom Ford menswear including tailoring, sportswear, leather goods, and accessories.
“Peter is one of the world’s most accomplished menswear designers. His design experience working under Tom Ford is unparalleled and his commitment to quality is relentless,” said Guillaume. “There is no one more perfectly suited than Peter to carry the founder’s legendary creative vision into the future.”
Ermenegildo Zegna N.V. has appointed a CEO of Tom Ford Fashion who is expected to be announced in July and assume the role in the third quarter of calendar 2023. These leaders will work together to ensure a consistent and cohesive image across all products, brand communication and retail.
About the New Leadership Appointments
Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole will continue to serve as brand advisors through the end of calendar 2023.About the new leadership appointments, Tom Ford said, “I could not be happier with the acquisition of the Tom Ford brand by The Estée Lauder Companies. The team there has been a great partner and Guillaume is an exceptional leader, with not only a strong business understanding of beauty, but a great understanding of fashion as well.”
Domenico De Sole said, "I am delighted with this acquisition. We have had a long-standing partnership between the Tom Ford brand and The Estée Lauder Companies dating from the brand’s inception, as well as a close relationship with Gildo Zegna and the Zegna Group over the past 30 years. Given our long and successful histories together, I am certain that the two companies, together, will carry on the legacy that Tom and I have built over the past 18 years.”
Guillaume Jesel, President and CEO, Tom Ford and Luxury Business Development, ELC
Guillaume Jesel brings nearly a decade of successful brand leadership of Tom Ford Beauty to his new executive leadership position at the Tom Ford brand.As President and CEO of Tom Ford, Jesel will have oversight across all verticals and set a holistic luxury strategy for the brand. Guillaume will report to ELC executive leaders Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Executive Group President, and Tracey T. Travis, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
“Guillaume has been instrumental in shaping the luxury beauty sector of our business. His ability to articulate the Tom Ford brand has resulted in Tom Ford Beauty achieving remarkable global success, making him ideally suited to lead the Tom Ford brand into its exciting future,” said Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies.
Under Jesel’s leadership at Tom Ford Beauty, where he worked directly with Tom Ford and his team, the brand spearheaded innovation and strategically expanded its global reach, firmly establishing Tom Ford Beauty as a powerhouse in luxury beauty. Since 2014 when Jesel started with Tom Ford Beauty, he has led the brand to achieve strong net sales growth on a compound annual basis and significantly improved ranking in global prestige fragrance and makeup, respectively.
Peter Hawkings, Creative Director, Tom Ford
Peter Hawkings has been working alongside Tom Ford for nearly twenty-five years, most recently as Senior Vice President of Tom Ford Menswear. In his ascension to Creative Director, Hawkings will succeed Tom Ford with respect to his responsibilities as Creative Director of Fashion, including womenswear, menswear and accessory categories, assuming the role of lead designer for the fashion segment and fashion shows.Hawkings will be responsible for upholding the Tom Ford brand’s vision, ensuring consistency of creative direction and decisions across all fashion categories and ushering the Tom Ford brand into its next chapter. He will report directly to Guillaume and matrix report to the CEO of Tom Ford Fashion.
“In Peter Hawkings the brand has found the perfect Creative Director,” said Tom Ford. “Peter began working with me 25 years ago as a menswear design assistant at Gucci and rapidly worked his way up to become the senior men’s designer at the company when he left to join me at the Tom Ford brand. Since the creation of Tom Ford menswear, Peter has been instrumental in the success of the brand. He is an incredibly talented leader with tremendous industry experience, and his appointment gives me confidence that my commitment to creating fashion products with the highest level of design and quality will continue.”
Hawkings began his career in 1998 at Gucci under the helm of Tom Ford and worked closely with him on the development of the highly successful Gucci menswear collections. Hawkings left Gucci in 2006 to join Tom Ford in the launch of his eponymous brand where he was charged with overseeing the design and production of all categories of Tom Ford menswear including tailoring, sportswear, leather goods, and accessories.
“Peter is one of the world’s most accomplished menswear designers. His design experience working under Tom Ford is unparalleled and his commitment to quality is relentless,” said Guillaume. “There is no one more perfectly suited than Peter to carry the founder’s legendary creative vision into the future.”
