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If anyone knows that sex sells, it’s Tom Ford. The legendary designer fuses his signature hypersexual style with his products, making each piece absolutely irresistible. We’ll take one of each of those handbags, thank you.

Things reached a zenith with the still-referenced 2003 ad campaign, which showed a G shaved into model Carmen Kass’s pubic hair. (Testino jokingly called it “Pubic Enemy.”) How did people react? Well, the Advertising Standards Authority fielded countless complaints, the watchdog group Mediawatch wanted the campaign banned in the U.K., and The Daily Mail responded to the ad with the following less-than-ambiguous headline: “The people behind this advert are no better than pimps and those who advertise sexual services in phone boxes.” The columnist went on to call the work “predictable, exploitative, upmarket sleaze.”

But for those who were picking up what Ford was putting down — especially as the ’90s wore on and the ideals of conspicuous consumption and bodily perfection were twinned — the ads would speak to a large segment of the population. And like Calvin Klein’s ’80s campaigns — a clear predecessor — they pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in fashion advertising. Now, when Ford publishes a provocative image for his eponymous line, the occasional blogger may squawk, but for the most part, it’s accepted as what it is: a straightforward (and successful) grab for the viewer’s attention. And guess what? It still works like a charm.

So, the “sex sells” strategy is still working for Tom Ford but is it working for everyone? Only time will tell.

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