Tom Ford didn't realise homosexuality existed until he turned 17

Fashion designer-filmmaker Tom Ford says he had no clue anything like homesexuality existed in the world before he turned 17.

The Nocturnal Animals filmmaker, who married Richard Buckley in 2014 after 28 years together, said he had happy relationships with women when he was young and only understood his sexuality when he went to New York as a teenager, reported Female First.

"It was only when I went to New York when I was 17 that I realised I was gay. Before then, I had girlfriends, I was happy with them and they were happy with me. I suppose I didn't really imagine that homosexuality even existed back then. Then I went to New York and it was, 'Oh. Right. That's what it is.'" Ford, 55, said.

The designer is a father to four-year-old son Alexander and feels he took the decision to become a parent at the right time.

"I'm tired of being me and I'm ready to give more time to another person. That's why I'm happy now to be a father. It's absolutely the right time in my life, I couldn't have had a son when I was 40 - I was probably too drunk, for one thing."