Norma Tullo
Australian fashion designer (1935–2019)
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Norma Tullo (31 January 1935 – 18 February 2019) was an Australian fashion designer, known for her use of Australian wool in her women's fashion collections during the 1960s and 1970s. A recipient of the Wool Board Awards, the Lyrebird Award, and the David Jones Award, she was also appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1972 for her contributions to fashion.[1][2]
Norma Tullo | |
|---|---|
| Born | 31 January 1935 |
| Died | 18 February 2019 (aged 84) |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Years active | 1960s–1980s |
| Spouse | Brian King (m. 1962) |
Early life and career
Tullo was born on 31 January 1935 in Australia. Before becoming a designer, she worked as a legal secretary in Melbourne, where she began creating clothes for herself and her friends.[3]
In the early 1960s, she opened her own studio in Melbourne. She was an early advocate for using natural fibers, especially wool, in her designs, promoting Australian wool as a premium fabric.[1]
In 1965, she was invited to collaborate with Butterick Patterns to produce patterns for home sewers as part of their Young Designers collection.[4]
She signed a contract with the Isetan department store in Japan in 1966.[5]