His Tom Ford is for the woman in the corner of the party who doesn't need the light to find her—though, ironically, Teyana Taylor's bronze crystal gown ensured she became it. Fashion, for Ackermann, is architecture, movement, and emotional pleasure, not display.
Haider Ackermann has dressed Tilda Swinton, Timothée Chalamet, and countless other stars, but he remains notoriously low-key. In a world obsessed with visibility, Ackermann may almost be described as 'shy'.
The Anti-Fame Designer
His approach owes something to the Antwerp Six — Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Marina Yee — designers who made architectural shapes, draping, and texture into their signature language.
Teyana Taylor's 2026 Grammys Look: Ackermann's Muse Moment
Teyana's gown at the 2026 Grammys was a clear reflection of Ackermann's Tom Ford: sculptural (like Teyana's abs), deliberate, and bold. Teyana's custom bronze crystal gown, asymmetric and backless, was adapted from Look 58 of Ackermann's Spring 2026 collection. She styled herself for the night, emphasising what she calls 'emotional sexiness'. Unlike the overt power-suit era of early Tom Ford, Ackermann's vision is sculpturally visceral. A Strategic cutout frames Teyana's figure, not to shock, but as part of the architecture of the dress—a 'crack in beauty' that turned the body into part of the garment's storytelling.
Haider Ackermann's Global Aesthetic and Design Philosophy
Ackermann's upbringing reads like a world map. Born in Colombia, adopted by French parents, and raised across Ethiopia, Chad, and Algeria, he brings a borderless perspective to design. His work isn't easily labelled 'American' or 'European'.
His designs are shaped by diverse experiences and influences. In Teyana's gown, the bronze micro-crystals and asymmetric draping were meticulously engineered—the weight of the heat-pressed stones provided a structural anchor, allowing the sheer stretch-tulle base to move with her body like a second skin.
A Master Colorist Behind Tom Ford's Red Carpet Looks
Julia Garner wears TOM FORD by Haider Ackermann on the red carpet for "Eddington" on May 16, 2025 during the 78th Cannes Film Festival. #TOMFORD #JULIAGARNER
Ackermann approaches color as chromatic saturation rather than simple palette selection; his work favors 'bruised' tones — oxidized bronze, lavender (specifically described as lilac fringe), and oxblood — that demand specific light interaction. For Teyana's gown, this meant swapping standard gold for tarnished bronze micro-crystals, creating a low-chroma 'metallic nude' matching her skin tone.
This is tonal architecture, where the color is engineered to absorb and refract the red carpet's high-intensity flash without washing out the garment's sculptural depth
Bridging Street Cool and Red Carpet Couture
Ackermann's dual roles as Creative Director for Tom Ford and Canada Goose allow him to move between utility and spectacle. This 'schizophrenia', as he calls it, gives him the ability to make red-carpet gowns feel alive, flexible, edgy, and made for his woman without losing couture precision. Teyana's dress feels performative and natural at the same time, blending the grit of real life ( Teyana is best known for her strong, rebellious female lead roles) with French couture discipline.
It's a balance few designers achieve: street-level cool infused with high-fashion refinement.
