Tom Ford's husband and partner of 35 years Richard Buckley dies, aged 72, of natural causes

RIP: Tom Ford's (L, pictured in 2017) beloved husband - fashion journalist Richard Buckley (R) - passed away peacefully, aged 72, from natural causes at their LA home on Sunday night

Richard previously underwent surgery for throat cancer in 1989.

The 60-year-old designer-filmmaker and their eight-year-old son Jack were by the fashion journalist's side when he passed away peacefully at their LA home.

Ford originally met Buckley in 1986 at a New York fashion show and they wed in 2014 shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized in the States.

Richard previously underwent surgery for throat cancer in 1989.

Tom Ford's beloved husband, fashion journalist Richard Buckley, passed away peacefully from natural causes at their Los Angeles home on Sunday night. 

'It is with great sadness that Tom Ford announces the death of his beloved husband of 35 years, Richard Buckley,' a statement from the family read.

'Richard passed away peacefully at their home in Los Angeles last night with Tom and their son Jack by his side. He died of natural causes after a long illness.' 

Ford, 60, originally met Buckley, 72, at a New York fashion show in 1986. They wed in 2014 shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized in the U.S. and share a son, Alexander John 'Jack' Buckley Ford, who turns 9 on Thursday.

Buckley was born in 1948 in Binghamton, N.Y. and grew up in a military family that lived in the U.S. France and Germany.

He attended the University of Maryland in Munich and following graduation pursued a career in journalism.

His journalistic career began in 1979 at New York Magazine and in 1982 he moved to Paris to serve as the European editor of Fairchild Publications' Daily News Record, according to Women's Wear Daily.

Buckley was recognized in the professional community for his 'uncanny ability' to spot the 'next big thing' and had spotted talented several designers, musicians, actors and actresses right before they began stars.

He spent also worked with several other world-renown publications including Women's Wear Daily, Vanity Fair, Mirabella, Italian Vogue, and Vogue Hommes International where he served as editor in chief.   

Ford and Buckley met in 1986 in a manner that Ford previously described as 'love at first sight'.

'Our eyes locked and within a month we were living together,' Ford said during a 2016 television interview reported on by People Magazine.

'We have been together ever since.'

According to Ford, he and Buckley were riding in a New York elevator together and had an instant connection. 

He claims by the end of the ride, he knew he had found the man he would spend the rest of his life with.

'By the time that elevator landed on the ground floor I thought, 'You're the one.' That's it. Click. Sold,' Ford shared. 

'It was literally love at first sight.'

The tastemaking couple also shared residences in London, Richard's native New York and Tom's Santa Fe hometown. 

Tom also received acclaim for writing, producing and directing the 2009 drama A Single Man and the 2016 psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals.