MILAN, Jan 17, 2001/ --- There has been a great deal of controversy of Gucci's award of four million stock options to Tom Ford -- even if it's probably fair to say most people in fashion believe the designer has more than earned them. Yet it still came as quite a surprise when Ford's men's Fall/Winter 2001 collection for Gucci debuted with nine all-black outfits any cat burglar would have been proud of.

We're talking leather blousons or lambskin-collared jean jackets worn with low-cut pants, flat caps and large leather bags for the loot. Just grand for outrunning les flics or hiding from a security guard.

"Fashion always needs a little danger, you know," the ever-tanned, striking Ford joked backstage after the show.

But as the show progressed Ford's criminal types doffed their natty trawlermen's coats and workers' caps. They must have pulled off a major heist. Instead they strutted their success in tightly cut ponyskin jackets and looked great in spruce chocolate velvet suits.

For evening Tom liked dapper white two-button corduroy suits or ecru and pale silver tuxedos.

The Gucci males looked their most dashing in a series of devilishly well-cut military coats with sleek high collars and in exotic three-quarter-length black mink coats, some with lambskin interiors. Smooth criminals, indeed.

Fittingly, these high-end felons celebrated their new lease on life to the tune of John Lennon's soundtrack "Starting Over," which played during the finale.

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