Tom Ford

A childhood steeped in creativity took Ford from the southwest to New York and Paris, where his talent and charm helped bring him into the Gucci fold. There, he brought elegance and fire to their stagnant look, and revived their fortunes tenfold. Ford's Midas touch had the same effect on Saint Laurent, but in 2004, he parted ways with both companies to strike out on his own. His reputation naturally made his own label a success, but few could …