Thomas Carlyle Ford, better known as Tom Ford, is an American fashion designer and film director. He was initially trained as an architect at the Parsons School of Design, but spent a year abroad as an intern at the fashion house Chloé, where he developed a feel for the fashion world.

Tom Ford returned to the United States and in 2005 announced the creation of his own brand. Ford also formed a partnership with Estee Lauder that same year to develop fragrances and cosmetics.

The first fragrance produced under this collaboration, Black Orchid (2006), was an instant success. Since then, a series of successful fragrances for men and women have been launched, as well as a prestigious line, Tom Ford Private Blend, whose first fragrance was Purple Patchouli in 2007.