The Tom Ford [IG] A/W 2025 Campaign presents the highly-praised, debut collection of designer Haider Ackermann in sophisticated images focused on clothes. The deeper you look, more is revealed.

The campaign cast includes Charlie Jones, Henry Kitcher, Julia Nobis, Kristen McMenamy, Milan Bodemer and Scott Barnhill. Jacob K styles the shoot in images by Mark Kean [IG]. / Hair by Tom Wright; makeup by Lucy Bridge

Surely the Colombian-born designer, who was famously expelled from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 1977, is enjoying the juxtaposition of then and now realities in his career.

Student Ackermann failed to complete any of his assignments — and not because he was a rakish louche. Rather, Ackermann’s standards were so high, he couldn’t meet them on the academic time schedule.

Times have changed and now Haider Ackermann, handpicked by Tom Ford himself to carry his name forward, is able to inflict [or inspire] others with his pursuit of fashion perfection.

Form Over Function

I’m reminded of Kylie Jenner wearing a custom Haider Ackermann for Jean Paul Gaultier gown to the 2023 Met Gala. The fiery red, one-armed gown with dramatic cutouts and a silk blue robe-like coat lived at the top of the press images worldwide.

There was only one problem. Kylie Jenner asked the designer if she could sit down, and his response was “no”.

"I would not like you to sit down," Ackermann instructed Jenner at a fitting a few days before the Gala. "And I would not like you to move this arm," he added, pointing to the arm wearing the full-length sleeve.

Like every Jenner-Kardashian woman walking the high bar of perfection herself, Kylie complied with a smile on her face as she endured the designer’s mandate, standing up for hours at the Met Gala 2023. Her unexposed arm finally went to sleep in the third hour, giving up its own fight for freedom.