Designer The oldest of the bunch and the cream of the crop Tom Ford, for now, heads up Gucci Group. As creative director for the company, Ford brought glamour and style back to a sagging industry. He was cited, along with Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent as one of the greats of fashion by the New York Times.

Ford was born in Austin Texas in 1962 and went on to attend New York University, party all night at Studio 54, and briefly pursue acting before turning his focus to fashion. He worked for designers Cathy Hardwick and Perry Ellis and then signed with Gucci in 1990 to design the women's ready-to-wear collection. In 1994 he became the creative director at Gucci. Under Ford's direction, Gucci ventured into men's and women's sportswear and evening clothes, and even home furnishings; a turn around for a company known for its leather goods and accessories.

DesignerUnder Ford's leadership and his business partner Domenico De Sole revitalized the House of Gucci. The house went from $200 million in revenue to $3 billion. The dynamic duo created a conglomerate with subsidiaries that include the brands of Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen.