Tom Ford doesn’t expect his dresses to be worn at the Oscars because celebrities are too afraid to take fashion risks and Yves Saint Laurent’s creative director thinks John Galliano’s firing from Christian Dior in March 2011 was a ‘tragic situation’.
The fashion designer says Tilda Swinton is the only actress willing to take a risk at major events because other screen beauties are so afraid of being slammed for their fashion choices.
He said, “I love it – but everyone is afraid to wear real style on the red carpets. You get completely ripped apart unless you’re Tilda Swinton, who I thought looked really great in Haider Ackermann that time – and in Celine at the BAFTAS.
“But other than her, they don’t even take advice from me – those worst dressed lists are just too harsh, it’s not good for any actress to be on them, they don’t want to take the risk.”
Tom believes most actresses have a fail safe look for the red carpet that they don’t like to deviate from out of fear of falling victim to the “fashion police”.
He said, “No one wants to take any risks. It’s all about a strapless dress, a fishtail hem, some borrowed and pretty hair and who can blame them with the fashion police on the prowl?”
The former head of the French fashion house was sacked last March after being found guilty of racist and anti-Semitic behavior and while Stefano Pilati – who is currently at the helm of YSL – doesn’t “feel bad” for him, he thinks the incident has changed the way the fashion world works.
Stefano said, “It was a tragic situation, both for him and for the maison. You have to come to terms with your responsibility and choices.
“You can do what you want, at home. But when you go out, keep it together. Look, it was a tragic situation, and I’m not justifying anybody’s actions. If I must choose sides, I might justify him, but I do so with sadness. It’s just sad. I don’t feel bad for him, though.”
The Italian designer – who has been the head designer at YSL since 2001 – admitted he has to work “24 hours a day” to ensure his collections are a success.
Stefano added in an interview with Vice magazine, “Today fashion design is a real office job that goes beyond any normal conception of what time one should devote to work. I work 24 hours a day, essentially.
“I have to make a collection every two months. You have to be in shape; you have to be more athlete than rock star. When you go outside that world and meet the 90 per cent of society who have no clue what you’re doing, you end up choosing to go back home with your friends.”
