TOM FORD for GUCCI 2004 Collection Embellished Dove Grey Cocktail Dress 38
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 38 (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Montgomery, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU65315887902
Tom Ford for Gucci
No one understands sex appeal quite like Tom Ford, who joined Gucci as a womens-wear designer in 1990.
At the time, the internationally renowned Italian label was better known for leather goods than luxury fashion. It was also nearly bankrupt. After creative director Dawn Mello left in 1994, following a Bahrain-based investment group becoming Gucci’s majority shareholder, Ford was named creative director. The American designer soon infused the brand with a fresh sensuality and bold style.
Ford's potent vision of sexed-up femininity spanned everything from shirts to shoes to handbags and other accessories at Gucci — he reimagined the house's iconic double-ring-and-bar Horsebit hardware, a reference to the brand’s equestrian history, as a seductive low-slung belt, worn by Madonna when accepting an MTV video music award in 1995. For his fall show during that year, in which Kate Moss walked down the runway in an unbuttoned satin shirt, velvet hip-huggers and tousled hair, heralded an exciting, glammed-up era for the once fusty brand. Vogue critic Sarah Mower called it “one of those hitting-in-the-solar-plexus moments.”
As Ford shot to fame, he continued to explore plunging necklines, such as in the black and white looks of the Fall 1996 collection, and sumptuous fabrics like leather and tweed, with the Fall 2000 ready-to-wear collection ranging from sultry silk evening dresses to plush belted coats.
Ford also cranked up the seduction in the provocative ads for Gucci, particularly with regard to campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, which the fashion house acquired in 1999 (Ford was also named creative director for YSL and designed the brand’s ready-to-wear collection). Gucci's Fall/Winter 1997 campaign featured Carolyn Murphy grasping Angela Lindvall in what looked like a video still; in another shot, a face pressed against a foot in a lipstick-red heel. Each promoted a vision of modern fashion where women were sexually confident, the materials were luxurious and the styles were fearless.
In 2004, Ford and Gucci president Domenico De Sole left the company after failing to agree on the renewal of their contracts. In 2006, with De Sole as chairman, Ford launched his wildly successful eponymous menswear label. Today Ford is also an author, film director and chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Find vintage Tom Ford Gucci day dresses, jackets and shoulder bags on 1stDibs.
Gucci
Long before trend-bucking creative director Alessandro Michele brought his hallucinatory “Utopian Fantasy” campaign to Gucci, it was a modest Italian leather shop. Today, it’s an internationally renowned luxury house with an iconic logo, and vintage Gucci clothing, handbags and shoes are among high fashion's most covetable goods.
Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) admired the stylish suitcases he saw wealthy guests arrive with at the Savoy Hotel in London, where he worked as a bellhop. So, in 1921, after a stint at Franzi, a luggage company in his hometown of Florence, he opened a leather goods shop of his own.
At first, Gucci’s Florence business specialized in equestrian accessories. But as its reputation flourished, particularly among the English aristocracy, so too did its footprint. In 1938, he brought three of his sons — Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo — into the business and expanded it to Rome and later Milan. In the mid-1930s, a League of Nations embargo against Italy pushed Gucci to experiment with alternatives to imported leather. Its woven hemp fabric from Naples, adorned with the brand’s signature diamond print, was a hit, especially among A-list celebrities. The material was first used on suitcases before finding enduring popularity on handbags. (No list of revered designer purses would be complete without Gucci.)
In the 1950s, Elizabeth Taylor carried one of Gucci’s bamboo-handled tote bags, another adaptation to material rationing. After Jackie Kennedy was seen sporting a slouchy Gucci tote in 1961, it was renamed for the First Lady. Then Grace Kelly, on a visit to the boutique in Milan, inspired Rodolfo Gucci to work with Italian illustrator and Gucci textile designer Vittorio Accornero on the Flora print in 1966. Taking cues from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, with its pattern of flora and insects, it was painted entirely by hand and featured no fewer than 37 colors.
In 1953, just 15 days after opening his first store on New York’s 5th Avenue, Guccio passed away at 72. The early 1970s saw store openings in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but by the late 1980s, Gucci was floundering. Rodolfo Gucci took charge in 1982, but family drama and lawsuits ensued. In 1993, Rodolfo’s son, Maurizio, transferred his shares in the company to Investcorp, ending the family’s involvement in Gucci. Dawn Mello, then-president of Bergdorf Goodman, joined as creative director in 1989. But it was Tom Ford, who took over as creative director in 1994, who ultimately revived the brand.
Ford’s racy ads, shot by photographers such as Mario Testino, stirred controversy. And his potent vision of sexed-up femininity — with “jewel-toned satin shirts unbuttoned to there,” as Vogue described his breakthrough 1995 runway show — was wildly successful. The new millennium brought new ownership — Pinault Printemps Redoute in 2004 — and a more toned-down vision from Frida Giannini, who became sole creative director in 2006. Alessandro Michele was named creative director in 2015, and the storied brand took a giant leap forward.
Find vintage Gucci clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Montgomery, TX
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- New Tom Ford S/S 2017 Collection White Black Color-Block Cocktail Dress 38 & 40By Tom FordLocated in Montgomery, TXNew Tom Ford Color-Block Cocktail Dress S/S 2017 Collection Size available 38 and 40 White and Black Wrapped Dress, Attached Scarf, Black Velvet Details, Fully Lined. High Slits for ...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- $14K Tom Ford Fully Beaded Black White Long Sleeve Midi Dress with Fringe It 42By Tom FordLocated in Montgomery, TXTom Ford Fully Beaded Long Sleeve Midi Dress with Fringe. Italian Size 42 - US 6 Black and White Beads, Sequins and Embroidery, Nude tulle, Two Side Slits, Shoulder and Side Zip Clo...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Dresses
- New Yves Saint Laurent Crystal Embellished Champagne Silk Dress Fr. 44 - US 12By Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Montgomery, TXNWT Yves Saint Laurent Crystal Embellished Silk Dress Gown 2012 Collection French size 44 - US 12 Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Looked Stunning in this Column Dress by Saint Laurent. Kylie Minogue...Category
2010s French Evening Dresses
- New $20.000 Tom Ford *Broken Mirror* Lace Smokey Gray Crystal Beaded Dress It 42By Tom FordLocated in Montgomery, TXNew Tom Ford *Broken Mirror* Lace Faceted Crystal Embellished Dress Gown Tom Ford's First Womenswear Collection for his Eponimous Label Debuted in 2011. Italian size 42 Smokey Gray F...Category
2010s Italian Evening Gowns
- New Roberto Cavalli Fully Beaded Green Mesh Cocktail Corset Dress 40By Roberto CavalliLocated in Montgomery, TXNew Roberto Cavalli Fully Beaded Cocktail Dress Italian Size 40 - US 4 Color - Green Fully Beaded Over the Mesh Nude Color Build-in Corset with Lining Side Snaps Closure Made in Ital...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- New Versace $8725.00 Silk White Laser-Cut Out Leather Bustier Dress Gown 40 US 6By VersaceLocated in Montgomery, TXNew Versace Printed Silk Dress Gown Designer size - 40 ( US 6) 100% Silk, White Leather Bustier with Laser-Cut Out Details, Fully Lined In ...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- Giambattista Valli Ivory Crepe Sleeveless Wedding Gown Dress EU 40By Giambattista ValliLocated in New York, NYElegant Giambattista Valli ivory crepe sleeveless wedding gown has a delicate fitted bust, darts to accentuate the length of waist, which is finished with a stitched ribbon at the wa...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Sass & Bide Silk Crepe 3 Way Maxi Harness Bustier Dress AU 8 US 2Located in PUTNEY, NSWDress Crepe Embellished Contrasting trims SilkCategory
Early 2000s Australian Cocktail Dresses
- Gucci by Tom Ford S/S 2006 Chocolate brown backless halter bamboo cocktail dressBy Tom Ford for GucciLocated in Milano, IT- Designed by Tom Ford - Sold by Skof.Archive - Bamboo clasp detail - Open back brown cocktail dress - Fitted to the body - Spring Summer 2006 ...Category
Early 2000s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Roberto Cavalli animal print dress, Resort 2014By Roberto CavalliLocated in Milano, IT- Runway Look 3 - Sold by Skof.Archive - Animal print lycra dress - Above knee-length - Crew-neck - Fit regalar to the body - Resort 2014 Size: FR 38 - ...Category
2010s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- 2000s Diane Freis Monochrome Abstract Print Strapless Evening DressBy Diane FreisLocated in Hong Kong, HKThe Diane Freis Monochrome Abstract Print Dress in Black Silk is a chic and sophisticated piece that showcases a captivating abstract print. Crafte...Category
Early 2000s Chinese Evening Dresses
- Jacques Lelong 1980s White Leather Studded DressLocated in Scottsdale, AZStep into the glamour of the 1980s with our Jacques Lelong White Leather Studded Dress—a striking and captivating piece that effortlessly combines bold s...Category
1980s Evening Dresses and Gowns
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Red-Sequined Stunner Proves That No One Bedazzles a Gown Like Bob Mackie
The designer, who has created looks for style icons like Cher and Barbie, knows how to make a statement dress.
Explore a Century of Gucci Fashion in London
The iconic Italian label’s traveling exhibition has just arrived in London.