Tom Ford Reveals Half Of His College Friends Died From AIDS

The early and tragic days of the AIDS epidemic greatly affected fashion designer Tom Ford as many of his close friends from college sadly passed away from the sexually transmitted disease, but the 53 year-old will never forget them.

The pair were tested for AIDS in 1988, which is around the same time Buckley was diagnosed with cancer. "I remember Richard calling me in tears with his results to tell me joyfully that he only had stage four cancer and not HIV," Ford said. "Who could have imagined that only having stage four cancer was something to celebrate?"

Although Ford did recognise the vast progress made against the disease, he did note that "today's generation of young adults have never known the ravages of AIDS as some of us have and for that reason, in some cases, they have let down their guard. We cannot let down our guard."