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Harold Tillman
Harold Tillman CBE (born 15 October 1945) is an English retail entrepreneur and investor. He was formerly head of Jaeger and Aquascutum, who was awarded CBE in 2010. Until September 2014, Tillman was chair of the British Fashion Council. In 2016, he became chair of the Ethical Fashion Group and in 2016 he was appointed Chair of Fashion Matters, London College of Fashion's fundraising committee. In 2019, he was Chief Barker of Variety the children's charity. Most recently, in 2020, Tillman was appointed Enterprise and Business Advisor for the London College of Fashion.
Tillman was born into a Jewish family and grew up in south London. He was the only child of a Yorkshire-born tailor father who trained at Montague Burton's, and a milliner mother. As his father's business developed, the family moved to Streatham and then Wimbledon, where Tillman went to Balham Central School for Boys.[citation needed]
As his father had been injured in World War II and suffered poor health, Tillman ran the whole family business for extended periods. He left school at 15 to study to be an accountant, before becoming one of the first male students at the London College of Fashion in 1962.
Aged 19, on graduation in 1965 he became an apprentice at Lincroft in Savile Row, becoming its managing director in 1966. Tillman acquired Kilgour, a Savile Row tailors, which he merged with Lincroft, forming Lincroft Kilgour plc. Aged 24 he floated Lincroft Kilgour on the London Stock Exchange in 1969, becoming the youngest British person to float on the UK Stock Market. Tillman developed a business plan based around good design, employing a young Paul Smith; and using George Best to promote the clothes. Tillman sold out in 1974, as a multi millionaire aged 29.
Under a UK non compete contract, he went to the USA and set up a fashion design business, and at the same time discovered the all new American Style Cocktail bars. He brought the concept to London, opening Rumours Cocktail Bars in Covent Garden.
After the non-compete expired, Tillman made a full bid for Sumrie Clothes plc, a public company which was at the top end of menswear. The company was then trading at a loss and Tillman went into the business and successfully returned it to profits. He faced a takeover bid and accepted.
In 1987, Tillman became Non-Executive Chairman of Honorbilt a Men’s Fashion Group.
Tillman led the buy out of BMB, a suits wholesaler that supplies Debenhams, Bhs and other retail chains, from William Baird.
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Harold Tillman
Harold Tillman CBE (born 15 October 1945) is an English retail entrepreneur and investor. He was formerly head of Jaeger and Aquascutum, who was awarded CBE in 2010. Until September 2014, Tillman was chair of the British Fashion Council. In 2016, he became chair of the Ethical Fashion Group and in 2016 he was appointed Chair of Fashion Matters, London College of Fashion's fundraising committee. In 2019, he was Chief Barker of Variety the children's charity. Most recently, in 2020, Tillman was appointed Enterprise and Business Advisor for the London College of Fashion.
Tillman was born into a Jewish family and grew up in south London. He was the only child of a Yorkshire-born tailor father who trained at Montague Burton's, and a milliner mother. As his father's business developed, the family moved to Streatham and then Wimbledon, where Tillman went to Balham Central School for Boys.[citation needed]
As his father had been injured in World War II and suffered poor health, Tillman ran the whole family business for extended periods. He left school at 15 to study to be an accountant, before becoming one of the first male students at the London College of Fashion in 1962.
Aged 19, on graduation in 1965 he became an apprentice at Lincroft in Savile Row, becoming its managing director in 1966. Tillman acquired Kilgour, a Savile Row tailors, which he merged with Lincroft, forming Lincroft Kilgour plc. Aged 24 he floated Lincroft Kilgour on the London Stock Exchange in 1969, becoming the youngest British person to float on the UK Stock Market. Tillman developed a business plan based around good design, employing a young Paul Smith; and using George Best to promote the clothes. Tillman sold out in 1974, as a multi millionaire aged 29.
Under a UK non compete contract, he went to the USA and set up a fashion design business, and at the same time discovered the all new American Style Cocktail bars. He brought the concept to London, opening Rumours Cocktail Bars in Covent Garden.
After the non-compete expired, Tillman made a full bid for Sumrie Clothes plc, a public company which was at the top end of menswear. The company was then trading at a loss and Tillman went into the business and successfully returned it to profits. He faced a takeover bid and accepted.
In 1987, Tillman became Non-Executive Chairman of Honorbilt a Men’s Fashion Group.
Tillman led the buy out of BMB, a suits wholesaler that supplies Debenhams, Bhs and other retail chains, from William Baird.
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