Could Tom Ford return to Gucci, the label he presided over for over a decade? The designer is being linked to the top job at Gucci after Frida Giannini made a surprise exit from the label one month before her scheduled departure.

According to Page Six, Tom Ford's name has now been tossed into the hat as the next creative director of Gucci. Ford's tenure at Gucci is the stuff of legends. When then-creative director Dawn Mello hired him in 1990 to design womenswear, "no one would dream of wearing Gucci". 

After six months, Ford had taken over menswear; then accessories. He oversaw a huge turnaround in the brand's fortunes, turning it from the ailing Italian label into a global powerhouse. Ford also helmed Yves Saint Laurent after its acquisition by Gucci.

In 2004, he left Gucci when he fell out over artistic differences with PPR (now known as Kering), which owned a majority stake in the company. Ford went on to found his own label, which some say is worth as much as $1 billion.

So how likely is his return? Ford may well be busy with his own label, but never say never. At the time of his exit from Gucci, one insider said that "PPR was unwilling to give Tom... the freedom to run the company". Who knows what might happen if Kering decided to offer him just that? 

But there are several other high-profile names in the ring, too. At one point, Hedi Slimane was reported to be at the top of Gucci's shortlist, along with American designer Joseph Altuzarra. Riccardo Tisci has also been linked to the position. 

UPDATE: A spokesperson for Tom Ford has "categorically denied" the Gucci rumour to Style.com. The plot thickens...