Is There a Hidden Meaning Behind Tom Brady’s Tom Ford Sweater?
Tom Brady has never hidden his love for designer Tom Ford — the Patriots quarterback has a guilty penchant for the brand’s suits and sneakers. The pair even have a stylish connection through Brady’s supermodel wife, Gisele Bündchen.
But the Ford sweater Brady chose to wear at the Super Bowl ceremony on Monday — a gray, wool, zip-up cardigan with suede trim — seemed less like a fashion statement and more like a crystal-clear snub of President Trump, in light of a recent feud between the POTUS and Ford.
Hear us out: Back in November, during an appearance on The View, Ford said he had declined to dress Melania Trump, saying, “She’s not necessarily my image.” After insinuating that his clothes were too expensive for the incoming first lady, the designer and director added he was “sad and disappointed” with the election results. Fast-forward to January when Trump told Fox News, “I’m not a fan of Tom Ford. Never have been,” and stated that Ford had never, in fact, been asked to dress his wife.
What does all this have to do with Brady? Well, the war of words may have put the footballer in an awkward position. Brady has always maintained that Trump is a “good friend”: The two have played golf together for years; Brady has refused to publicly comment on Trump’s infamous “Grab them by the p****” comments; and he stashes a “Make America Great Again” hat in his locker (although it remains to be seen if that was actually a prank pulled by Patriots owner Robert Kraft). Still, in November, Gisele vehemently denied that she and her husband support the president, tweeting “NO!” when asked by a follower. It’s possible that Brady’s sweater was his way of throwing support to his designer friend — and denouncing the president in the process.
Celebrity shade is nothing new, but the presidential election has been especially divisive in Hollywood, with athletes, designers, and beauty icons sharply declaring their allegiance in one veiled form or another. Over the weekend, Kanye West quietly deleted all his pro-Trump tweets after his highly publicized support for the president. At January’s SAG Awards, Big Bang Theory star Simon Hedberg carried a sign stating “Refugees Welcome” while wife Jocelyn Towne painted “Let them in” across her chest. Without uttering his name, Meryl Streep famously blasted Trump during her Golden Globes speech, and Lena Dunham, America Ferrerra, and Scarlett Johansson have all pounded the pavement at Women’s Marches across the country.
Was Brady’s sweater a simple style decision or an attempt at activism? Only the fashion gods know.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
