Haider Ackermann finds the sweet spot between seduction and restraint at Tom Ford

Everyone once in a while a runway show transcends the season, eclipsing expectations and injecting a genuine sense of excitement into the month-long fashion marathon. That moment came in Paris with Haider Ackermann’s presentation for Tom Ford Autumn Winter 2026.

Paris Fashion Week is no stranger to spectacle - see Dior’s spectacular multi-million euro production set in the Tuileries gardens - but this show felt almost deliberately restrained. Perhaps it was the intimate setting rather than a colossal venue. The cube of white walls initially appeared dimly lit, the colours and silhouettes slightly obscured, until the eye adjusted and the room seemed to glow. Gradually the space revealed the clothes in full clarity, as if the lighting had been calibrated to slow the audience down, forcing attention onto the models, and of course, the clothes.

Some of the magic came from the interplay between the men and women on the runway. Ackermann styled them with a shared vocabulary: deconstructed tailoring, slouched trousers worn low on the hips, sharply cut jackets, shirts opened just enough to hint at skin. There was confidence in their sex appeal, an attribute that has always been central to the DNA of Tom Ford. The brand’s founder, Tom Ford the person, built a reputation for selling desire, from the provocative campaigns that helped propel Gucci back into the spotlight in the 1990s to the now infamous diamanté G-strings that defined the decade’s unabashed glamour.

Ackermann, however, brings a different register of sensuality. His version is less high octane and more subtle, expressed through proportion, colour, fabric and gesture rather than shock value. The result was a co-ed dialogue that felt natural rather than gimmicky, a rare thing on contemporary runways where gender-blending often feels forced or comes across as a budget necessity.

Ultimately it was the clothes that did the talking. Tailoring formed the backbone of the collection: sharply cut suits rendered in classic materials, dense wool, pinstripes, and textured bouclé. Jackets hugged the torso while trousers slouched at the hip, sometimes secured by a band across the waist. The silhouettes flirted with exposure but never lost their composure, revealing skin while projecting attitude.

Flashes of irreverence


Crisp shirting finished with Dalmatian-printed collars, a wink of humour against the otherwise disciplined palette. Denim appeared washed and lived in, worn with a nonchalant ease that felt possible to wear from a board meeting to a night out. Red lipstick punctuated the women’s looks, while cognac-coloured pieces brought warmth and depth to the palette.

One particularly memorable moment came in the form of a checked suit worn by a seasoned model whose slicked-back grey hair suggested a life well lived, a subtle reminder that seduction, in fashion at least, is not the exclusive domain of youth.

Pieces in conversation

Ackermann frequently sent the looks out in pairs or small groups, allowing the outfits to converse with one another. This staging reinforced the sense of cohesion that ran through the collection: men and women sharing silhouettes, fabrics and attitude. It created a rhythm on the runway that made the clothes feel part of a broader wardrobe rather than isolated statements.

Even the more experimental pieces felt surprisingly grounded. Transparent plastic outerwear, seams deliberately visible, managed to look wearable rather than conceptual, a reminder that the best runway theatrics are those that still translate into real wardrobes.

In an era when fashion often struggles to balance spectacle with commercial appeal, this collection managed both. Many viewers could easily identify a piece they wanted for themselves, a suit, a leather jacket, a slouched trouser. And in luxury fashion, where aspiration remains the most valuable currency, that ability to generate desire is no small achievement.

Finding his footing

Ackermann’s stewardship of Tom Ford is still relatively new but already notable. The Colombian-born designer, adopted and raised by French parents and educated at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, was appointed creative director of the house in 2023, following its acquisition by Estée Lauder Companies in a deal valued at approximately 2.8 billion dollars, which closed in 2023.The fashion division itself is operated under licence by Ermenegildo Zegna Group, a structure that places considerable pressure on the creative direction to deliver both cultural relevance and commercial momentum.

Three seasons into the role, Ackermann appears to have found his footing. He has carefully balanced the codes of the house - glamour, sensuality, impeccable tailoring - with his own sensibility, which leans toward poetic restraint rather than overt decadence. It is a delicate equation, especially considering that Tom Ford himself remains a living figure with a formidable legacy in modern fashion.

The result, at least this season, was a collection that felt both respectful and independent. Ackermann did not attempt to replicate Ford’s past; instead he translated its spirit through his own lens. In doing so he offered something increasingly rare during the relentless fashion calendar: a show that left the audience energised rather than exhausted.