Why Tom Ford?

Lately, I haven't been buying any new shoes. For slip-ons, I wear Saint Laurent's Vamps, and for lace-ups, I wear custom-made shoes I've had crafted over time. Among my collection are shoes from Corthay, and from Chihiro Yamaguchi, who heads Guild of Crafts. I also wear ready-to-wear shoes from Tom Ford.

My Corthays are in green, purple, and crocodile. Yamaguchi's are basic black and brown, which I wear with great pleasure. I find Tom Ford shoes at their New York flagship store and at Hankyu Men's in Osaka, among other places.

The reason I like Tom Ford is that his shoes feature a sharply defined 'Beveled Waist'—the waist of the sole is cinched—and a small heel cup. While these are specifications achievable with custom orders, they are rarely found in ready-to-wear shoes.

Tom Ford creates his shoes by transcending the conventional boundaries of ready-to-wear, resulting in a beautiful aesthetic. I believe he possesses a highly refined sense of beauty.

However, while he is an excellent director, he is not a designer in terms of creativity. I think he has revived the fashion of a golden age through his own perspective.

It's interesting how revivals are so highly valued in fashion, yet the automotive industry doesn't seem to embrace them. There are many beautifully designed cars like the 2000GT or the American Challenger. I'm convinced they would sell well if revived.