Obituary - Richard Nicoll, fashion designer

Died: October 21, 2016

RICHARD Nicoll, who has died of a heart attack aged 39, was an award-winning fashion designer who first came to prominence when Dolce & Gabbana bought his graduation collection.

He went on to launch an eponymous fashion label and his career moved freely between high fashion and high street, including the chain Topshop. He was a regular fixture at London Fashion Week for a decade and his clothes were worn by celebrities including Kylie Minogue, Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller and Julianne Moore.

He was born in London but moved to Perth, Australia with his family when he was three years old. Later, his mother, who was a lawyer, and his father, a surgeon, divorced and the young Richard stayed on in Australia with his father.

His original plan was to become a sculptor, but he changed course and returned to London to study for an MA in women's wear at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design.

In 2002, his women's wear graduation collection attracted attention and the whole lot was bought by Dolce & Gabbana. He also won several awards and started working for Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton in 2004 before creating his own label.

He debuted his first own label collection at London Fashion Week in 2006 with a ready to wear women's wear collection; six years later, he showed his first men's wear collection. He also adapted his collections for Topshop, Thomas Pink, Fred Perry and Jack Wills.

In 2010, he became creative director of the luxury Parisian label Cerruti before closing his own label last year after sales slowed and moving back to Australia. There, he worked as a consultant for the beach brand Double Rainbouu, but had recently been appointed as creative director of Adidas in Germany. He was due to start there in January.

In 2006, Nicoll was awarded the British Fashion Council's Fashion Forward Award and was named the Best Young Designer at the Elle Style Awards in 2009.

After his sudden death, Vogue Australia's editor-in-chief Edwina McCann said: "Richard was an extraordinarily talented designer and a wonderful, warm, generous human being."

In a statement his family said: “Richard was one of the quiet stars of fashion. He was a true gentleman, a wonderful friend and a much loved son. Anyone that had the privilege of knowing him knew that he had a heart of gold, an innate kindness and a modesty and humility that sometimes didn’t allow him to acknowledge his own exceptional creative talent.

"He loved his life in Australia. He had recently confirmed a new role at Adidas and a collaboration with Woolmark both of which he was excited about. We will miss his handsome face, his sense of humour and his love.”

Richard Nicoll is survived by his parents and sister.