Nafisa Tosh, the London tailor behind many red carpet moments

London tailor Nafisa Tosh has become the fairy godmother of the red carpet, responsible for many of the most memorable looks in recent years even though few people know her role exists. Her work includes tailoring Bella Ramsey’s recent Prada ensemble and adapting the corset of Cynthia Erivo’s Prada cage dress for the London premiere of Wicked: For Good.

“I have become the go-to for Mrs. Prada and Raf Simons for special events,” Ms. Tosh said, and she described adding layers of crinoline and paneling and carrying a repair kit with extra beading, threads, zips and boning. Ms. Tosh, 56, comes from a fashion family; her father arrived in London from India in 1960 and worked as a tailor.

She studied fashion and apprenticed in studios including Elizabeth Emanuel and Jasper Conran, and became part of Alexander McQueen’s studio starting with the 2006 “Widows of Culloden” collection, working on the complex dress Kate Moss wore in the finale. Recalling that production, she said the pattern required cutting 80 pieces and that “I still can’t listen to the music from ‘Schindler’s List.’” She has become a trusted presence for houses such as Prada and Chanel and for actors including Gwendoline Christie, Pedro Pascal and Tilda Swinton, and serves as a visiting mentor at Central Saint Martins.

Time is the biggest luxury for red carpet tailoring, the article notes, and Ms.

Key Topics

Culture, Nafisa Tosh, Prada, Chanel, Bella Ramsey, Cynthia Erivo