Nolan was best known for designing elegant workwear and evening wear for women, and he spent a great deal of his career as chief designer for Ellen Tracy. Before that, he apprenticed for Bill Blass and Christian Dior.

Since 2004, he’s been the proprietor of a lovely boutique on Gansevoort Street, where he sold his own collection as well as a mix of books, housewares, and even furniture (which he designed himself).