We'll still say he has put the cart the horse in so many ways, but Tom Ford has spelled out his plan for global domination expansion in DNR, and it includes among other things, a rollout of more freestanding and in-store shops starting with a dedicated boutique within Bergdorf Goodman's men's store and select Neiman Marcus locations starting in Spring 2008. Having built the lavish showplace flagship boutique, Ford and business partner former Gucci Chief Domenico De Sole are now planting the seeds for the immense luxury machine needed to support it, and let's hope they grow fast. The plan includes 100 wholly owned or franchised stores throughout the western (and eastern) world within 10 years, and the company has signed up a series of partners to take the brand to nearly every corner of globe. Bergdorf's may be one of the few stores that already matches Ford's opulent level of presentation, but we wonder how even their well trained staff will take to hanging all the merchandise behind glass cabinets. It still remains to be seen just how, in De Sole's words, "first true luxury brand of the 21st century¿¿¿ will be built only on menswear. Ford continues to hedge when asked when women's lines will be introduced, but to paraphrase James Carville, "It's about the handbags and shoes, stupid!" Now, when will we see those?
BREAKING NEWS: Tom Ford Set for Global Rollout (DNR)