As travel becomes possible again, this is the wardrobe to pack: The wilder side of Tom Ford

Tom Ford’s latest capsule is drawing inspiration from 1970s Los Angeles.

Tom Ford is partnering with luxury online retailer Mr. Porter on yet another exclusive capsule collection, this time with a fun, vibrant and all-encompassing wardrobe for the summer months ahead.

MR PORTER debuts a 54 piece collection of ready-to-wear and accessories designed with Mr Tom Ford’s elevated and modern approach to menswear exhibited throughout. Drawing inspiration from 1970s Los Angeles and featuring vibrant colours and retro floral prints, the collection depicts Ford’s optimistic vision for a time free from travel restrictions while celebrating the simple act – and joy – of dressing for a holiday.

The collection spans 34 ready-to-wear pieces, four swimshorts, eight shoes, two belts, four eyewear styles, one bag and one watch – all encapsulating a versatile wardrobe that transcends a day on holiday, from a morning swim through an afternoon poolside in relaxed, luxurious loungewear to an evening in cocktail attire.

Standout pieces include the graphic poppy-printed silk robe, the floral-printed silk pyjama trousers, the light blue silk and linen suit, the woven leather espadrilles and the Ocean Plastic Timepiece with a new pink watch strap, fully exclusive to MR PORTER for four weeks from launch.

“I did go a bit wild,” confirms Tom Ford, describing the process of creating his latest capsule collection, now available exclusively on MR PORTER. “I was thinking, oh my god, what do we need right now? We need colour, flowers, pieces you can mix up together crazily. It was designed for the 25-year-old, 6ft 2in me who lives in Palm Springs or Mustique,” he jokes .

The revelation that the legendary designer creates his collections with a fantasy version of himself in mind should hardly come as a surprise, revealed Mr. Porter’s Chris Elvidge. The entire TOM FORD brand is a fantasy of sorts. It’s a devil-may-care attitude to style. It’s fashion’s take on the American dream. It’s glamour. It’s masculinity. It’s feeling no shame in wanting to look your best.

As with TOM FORD’s SS21 line, it was designed during last year’s pandemic, but Ford refuses to let that detail define the collection. “To be honest, the collection is more inspired by my living in Los Angeles than it is a reaction to Covid,” he says.

“Colour looks different here. People dress differently here. They might wear an expensive item, but they’ll wear it with jeans or a sweatpant or something that brings it down. They rarely dress in a formal way unless they’re on a red carpet or they’re a talent agent.”

It’s a softer, more languid expression of the TOM FORD brand, then, packed with vibrant floral prints, which adorn tailored shorts, full-length, kimono-style dressing gowns and generously cut shirts designed to be worn unbuttoned in Ford’s own inimitable style. There is suiting, of course – it wouldn’t be a TOM FORD collection without it – but in fabrics and colours that speak to the current mood in menswear.

“I do think tailoring will continue to thrive for evening wear,” says Ford. “Whether it’s worn with a shirt and bow tie or not, an extravagant evening jacket will always be desirable.”