Traditionally I suppose the concept of the American ranch would impart images of expansive prairies, wrap-around porches, wooden homesteads and cattle. But that quickly changed when I, waiting at the dentist and flicking through an old issue of Vogue Paris, read the profile on Tom Ford’s Santa Fe ranch (photographed by Guido Mocafico, and first published in the December 2010 Issue).
Ford’s architect, the renowned Tadao Ando, brings his distinct Japanese energy to the barren New Mexico landscape in a skilled display of minimalism and constraint. The stark structure works to accentuate and celebrate the shapes and colors inherent to the immediate surroundings (brandished earth tones pair with vivid blues – reflected in the manmade lake and paneled windows). For Ford, who grew-up in New Mexico, the desert provides a respite from the hassles of modern life. “I have less need for contemporary culture and big cities and all the stuff we are bombarded with. I am happier at my ranch in the middle of nowhere watching a bug carry leaves across the grass, listening to silence, riding my horse, and being in open space.”
In addition to Santa Fe, Tom Ford keeps homes in Los Angeles, Paris and London – all are immaculately executed. And as for the takeaway here? If anything, the concept of a ‘ranch’ is forever changed – for the better.
– Tom Ford’s eponymous brand is synonymous with modern luxury. Shop a selection of Tom Ford fragrance, here.
