Tom Ford confirmed his return to women’s wear on Tuesday, but the
designer-turned-director remains unsure of when he will premiere the
first collection.

Ford, who is currently promoting his new film, A Single Man, went on the record about his decision to expand Tom Ford International and the challenge of finding financial backing.

“Financing is extremely expensive right now, so if we find financing in the right situation we’ll be able to start [a women’s collection] soon. If we don’t, we may have to wait a while,” Ford told Women’s Wear Daily.

Rumors have been swirling for a month about Ford and Tom Ford International chairman Domenico De Sole seeking $50 million to form a women’s collection.

Once backing is secured, Ford said that it would take more than a year before clothes will hit the runway. “You know it will take me 18 months when I start, because [I have] to hire the team, find the factories, put everything together, and then get the stores ready so there’s a place for these clothes,” added Ford.

While the designer failed to give a definitive date, sources told WWD that Ford is eyeing a launch date for the new line as early as fall 2010.

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