Tommy Nutter

Born in April 1943, Tommy Nutter was raised in Edgware, Middlesex, where his father owned a cafe.

After the family moved to Kilburn, Nutter and his brother David attended Willesden Technical College, where Nutter initially studied plumbing and then architecture. He abandoned both aged 19 to study tailoring at the Tailor and Cutter Academy.

In the early 1960s, he joined traditional tailors Donaldson, Williamson & Ward as an apprentice. In 1969, he joined up with Edward Sexton to open Nutters of Savile Row at No 35a Savile Row.

They were financially backed by Cilla Black and her husband Bobby Willis, Managing Director of The Beatles‘ Apple Corps Peter Brown, and lawyer James Vallance-White.

The business was an immediate success, as Nutter combined traditional tailoring skills with innovative design. He designed for the Hardy Amies range and then for the man himself. His clients included Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger and Elton John.

Nutter was most proud that, for the cover of The Beatles‘ album Abbey Road in 1969, he dressed three out of the four (George Harrison chose to be photographed on the zebra crossing in denim).

In the 1970s, his bespoke business became less successful, but he branched out into ready-to-wear clothing, marketed through Austin Reed. He also successfully expanded into East Asia, establishing the Savile Row brand in Japan.

Sexton bought Nutter out of the business in 1976, and Nutter went to work for Kilgour French and Stanbury, managing his own workroom.

Sexton continued to run Nutters of Savile Row until 1983 when Nutter returned to the row with a ready-to-wear shop called “Tommy Nutter, Savile Row”. This new venture, which traded at No 19 Savile Row until Nutter’s death, was backed by J&J Crombie Limited, who continue to own the “Tommy Nutter” trademark.

Nutter created the clothing of The Joker for the 1989 Batman film.

Tommy Nutter died in 1992 at the Cromwell Hospital in London of complications from AIDS.