MILAN — Haider Ackermann, the recipient of the 2026 WWD Honor for Womenswear Designer of the Year, continues to develop the Tom Ford brand as creative director of the fashion collections and, in just two years, he has crystallized his own take on the label and further developed its business.
Asked to comment on the designer’s talents, here are remarks by those closest to his work and those who have been watching his trajectory.
Guillaume Jesel, president and chief executive officer of Tom Ford
“Haider is one of fashion’s most visionary talents, honoring Tom Ford’s remarkable legacy while bringing a creative voice unmistakably his own. I especially admire how he connects the brand with culture, creating powerful emotional connections and welcoming new audiences into the world of Tom Ford.”
Gildo Zegna, chairman of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group
“Haider has taken the codes of Tom Ford in fashion and made them contemporary, impeccable and strong. This WWD award celebrates this journey and his visionary creativity.”
Linda Fargo, senior vice president, fashion office and store presentation at Bergdorf Goodman
“Just saying the name ‘Haider Ackermann’ brings to mind an evocative and sensuous world. It’s a place of almost dangerous beauty, where mysterious women and men self-define their sexuality and make no apologies. The characters within Haider’s world are stylistically powerful, edgy and erotic. They are romantic yet unknowable. His cinematic shows for Tom Ford have become one of the hottest tickets on the Paris fashion calendar. Haider for Tom Ford has already proven to be one of the most exciting new creative director alignments.”
Chloe King, fashion director, women’s, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue
“Haider Ackermann’s Tom Ford has been one of the most exciting new chapters in fashion. With his signature precision and elegance, Haider has quickly found an expansive and mesmerizing visual language — evident in everything from casting choices to garment construction. We believe in his sleek sensuality and are excited to launch a Tom Ford x Neiman Marcus exclusive capsule in early November to meet the fashion moment.”
David Thielebeule, Bloomingdale’s fashion director, womenswear and menswear
“Haider Ackermann is one of the few designers who can make me question my entire wardrobe after seeing a collection, which, to me, is one of the greatest things fashion can do. From the genius sense of color and the romantic fluidity of his own collections to the way he reimagined menswear at Berluti, his work has always felt personal and real. But there is something particularly exciting about what he is doing at Tom Ford. He has an instinctive understanding of the house’s sensuality and glamour, but brings his own sense of poetry and precision to it. The result feels unmistakably Tom Ford, yet completely his own.”
Joseph Tang, fashion director, Holt Renfrew
“Haider Ackermann has an exceptional ability to create desire through design. At Tom Ford, he has brought a fresh perspective to the house’s signature seduction, balancing sensuality with restraint and sophistication. What makes his work compelling to our customers is the way he combines what Tom Ford stands for alongside codes of his own distinctive approach to color, fabric and tailoring. Clients who have followed Ackermann throughout his career understand the longevity of his design language. His pieces quickly become modern archive pieces, with a timelessness that extends well beyond the season.”