Tom Ford thinks dressing well is an ''expression of manners''.

The esteemed menswear designer is known for his dapper, bespoke suits and tuxedos and believes dressing sharply is just as important as being polite and courteous.

He explained: ''I believe if you're meeting someone for dinner, you dress smartly to show that you respect them. I absolutely think that dressing well is an expression of manners. I think dressing well on an airplane is an expression of manners, too.''

The 52-year-old fashion expert - who recently had a song devoted to his stylish suits by rapper Jay Z - reveals that his love of fashion started an early age, and he would even dress older than his years when he was a child.

He added to the new issue of GQ UK magazine: ''It started with a love of fashion for me. As a little kid, I just loved adult clothes. I would wear tailored trousers and blue blazers and I carried a briefcase to school. I wore a man's single-breasted raincoat when I was six or seven. I wanted to be an adult.''