Professor Andrew Ramroop Makes history by becoming the first black man to own a business in the formerly all-white Savile Row.
The only black tailor on Savile Row has bags of awards
Professor Andrew Ramroop who came to came to the UK to Southampton on a boat from Trinidad when he was 17-years-old with a self-confessed “funny accent”?
Prof Ramroop already an accomplished tailor who would, after few short years, create history as the first man of colour to own a business on the notoriously snooty Savile Row. The plaque presented to him from the Federation
of Asian Master Tailors, the framed, personal letter of thanks from England cricketer Mark Ramprakash and certificates of congratulations in languages I do not even pretend to understand adorn his office and you realise that this
is a man at the top of his field. This is the environment of a professional for whom nothing but the best will do.
One award not on display is his recently-received Chaconia Gold Medal, for distinction in the field of tailoring and business. Presented by Trinidad’s President to Ramroop in a live television extravaganza in the land of his birth, it clebrated one of the island’s most accomplished sons.
“I am very, very proud. I felt like I was 6ft 5in that day, even though I’m only 5ft 7in.
The Chaconia Gold is the highest civilian award that anyone can receive in Trinidad. It is humbling.” “I don’t do things for accolades and so on. You do things because you enjoy what you do and by virtue of that you become very good at it".
"Opportunities may present themselves and if you are prepared you take advantage of those opportunities. There are some things in life that leave you absolutely dumfounded and this is one of them. The Prime Minister of Trinidad called me a month before the ceremony.
He was being very complimentary in the conversation and I was thinking ‘this is interesting’.
He then said ‘I am going to recommend you to receive the second highest award that
the country gives to its citizens, the Chaconia Gold.’ I was floored.
This is not something you even dare to dream about.”
FACTFILE
· 1971 Arrives in the UK after a journey by sea from his home of Trinidad.
· 1972 Enters London College of Fashion and completes a three-year course in two years and is awarded a certificate of Distinction.
· 1974 Joins Maurice Sedwell on Savile Row as Assistant Cutter
· 1988 Makes history by becoming the first black man to own a business in the formerly all-white Savile Row
· 2001 Is conferred with the honorary title of Professor by the London Institute for Distinction in the Field of Tailoring.
· 2004 Is reconferred with the Professor title by the newly created University of Arts London.

FULL ARTICLE copyright: The Voice UK Newspapers issue 1190.