Tom Ford’s Newest Empire

 

Fashion mogul Tom Ford, renowned for his sleek James Bond-style suits and his directorial work on films like "A Single Man," has established a remarkable real estate empire. After selling his brand to Estée Lauder in a $2.8 billion deal, Ford embarked on a real estate buying spree, adding at least three trophy homes to his portfolio in rapid succession. 

 

Today, Ford's U.S. properties are estimated to be worth over $250 million, including homes in New York, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, and the Hamptons.

 

 

Ford paid $52 million for Lasata, a Hamptons property where a young Jackie Kennedy summered.

 

As a child, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis spent summers at Lasata, a 7-acre compound in East Hampton, N.Y., owned by her grandfather John Vernou Bouvier Jr.

 

 

In August 2023, Ford paid $52 million for this iconic property, just shy of the $55 million asking price. “[Ford] was looking for something iconic, classically East Hampton, and which had a real sense of place,” said Frank E. Newbold of Sotheby’s International Realty, who represented the fashion mogul in the deal. “Lasata was all those things.”

 

 

The main house at Lasata measures around 8,500 square feet with eight bedrooms and has undergone extensive renovations by Paris-based interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch and French landscape architect Louis Benech. The estate also includes a two-bedroom guesthouse, a caretaker’s cottage, a pool house, and a three-car garage with a workshop.

 

The house, which has tall casement windows and beamed ceilings, was originally built for George Wellington Schurman, a Manhattan lawyer. Zander hired Paris-based interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch for the interiors and French landscape architect Louis Benech for the grounds. He told The Wall Street Journal last year that he spent “gobs and gobs” of money on the renovation, bringing in a crew of artisans from Paris to paint some of the rooms.

 

 

In late 2023, Ford quietly acquired a roughly 9,500-square-foot modern home on Red Mountain in Aspen for $42.25 million. The newly completed six-bedroom home, designed by California-based architecture firm Ro | Rockett Design, offers panoramic views and features an interior courtyard, multiple patios, and decks. Local agent Tim Estin noted the property's appeal due to its secluded location on a small single-lane road.

 

 

 

In May 2023, Ford engaged in a house swap with Palm Beach real-estate executive Brian Kosoy. Ford traded a modern mansion for a landmarked, 1920s-era estate designed by architect Maurice Fatio, known as Casa della Porta. Local real-estate agents estimate the value of the Fatio house at around $100 million.

 

The Mediterranean-style house features ornate coffered ceilings, pecky cypress paneling, and quarried keystone. Italian artisans were brought to Palm Beach to carve the ornate Romanesque-style front doorway.

 

 

Halston’s former townhouse has a large sunken living room with floating catwalks and open staircases. At the rear, a two-story glass greenhouse contains long bamboo stalks.

 

 

The 7,500-square-foot, four-bedroom house on the Upper East Side was designed in the 1960s by architect Paul Rudolph and built on the foundation of an 1880s carriage house. It has a dark-brown, steel-and-glass exterior and a two-car garage at street level. The main entertaining space is a large sunken living room with floating catwalks and open staircases. At the rear of the house, a two-story glass greenhouse contains long bamboo stalks. 

 

 

 

Ford’s Hollywood Regency-style estate in L.A. was once home to Alfred Bloomingdale and his wife, socialite Betsy Bloomingdale. Ford bought the 10,000-square-foot home in Holmby Hills for $38.75 million in 2016. The estate includes a formal dining room, a lush courtyard, a poolhouse, a tennis court, and an elaborate rose garden. Ford has approached several real-estate agents about potentially selling the property, although it hasn’t been formally listed for sale.

 

 

Luxury real estate authority Brendan Brown provides unique insights into the type of strategic decisions and market acumen required to build a portfolio like Tom Ford's. Brendan, known for his deep understanding of the high-end market and his ability to identify emerging trends, highlights how Ford's choices reflect a blend of historical appreciation and modern sophistication.

 

 

According to Brown, Ford's acquisition of the Lasata estate in the Hamptons underscores a strategic appreciation for properties with storied histories and presidential connections. "Iconic properties like Lasata don't just offer luxury—they offer a narrative, a piece of history that adds immense value beyond the physical structure," says Brown.

 

 

Ford's Aspen acquisition also reflects a keen eye for prime locations and architectural brilliance. "The Red Mountain property in Aspen exemplifies modern design and breathtaking views. These elements are crucial in attracting high-net-worth individuals looking for exclusivity and prestige," Brown notes.

 

 

Ford’s Palm Beach property swap demonstrates an understanding of the market's fluidity and the importance of landmark properties. "Trading a modern mansion for a historical estate designed by Maurice Fatio shows a sophisticated strategy to diversify and enhance one's real estate portfolio," says Brown.

 

 

Tom Ford's impressive real estate portfolio showcases his exquisite taste and penchant for iconic properties. From the historic Lasata estate in the Hamptons to the modern marvel in Aspen, Ford’s homes reflect a blend of sophistication, history, and architectural brilliance.