1 week ago
Bespoken Traces Savile Row Master Tailor’s Indian Heritage and Rise
Bespoken is a book about the life of tailor Andrew M. Ramroop.
He was born in Trinidad and Tobago and grew up poor.
He moved to England when he was 17 to pursue tailoring.
At first, people rejected him because of his appearance, skin color, hair and accent.
He later became the owner of Maurice Sedwell, a famous tailoring business on Savile Row.
He also founded the Savile Row Bespoke Academy.
Author Ashok Kumar Bal wrote the book after learning about Ramroop in a Mumbai tailoring shop.
The book explains that Ramroop has Indian ancestors, even though many people thought his heritage was African.
Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner said Ramroop’s life connects India and Trinidad and Tobago.
Ashok Kumar Bal’s book Bespoken chronicles Andrew M. Ramroop’s journey from poverty in Trinidad to Savile Row.
Ramroop owns London’s Maurice Sedwell and founded the Savile Row Bespoke Academy.
Bal says Ramroop’s Indian ancestry was overlooked despite his frequent identification as Black.
Ramroop moved to England in 1970, overcame racism and workplace rejection, and became a Savile Row business owner.
The book was launched at New Delhi’s India Habitat Centre, with Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner Chandradath Singh praising its cultural significance.
- Who
- Author Ashok Kumar Bal, tailor Andrew M. Ramroop and Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner Chandradath Singh.
- What
- The book Bespoken was launched as an account of Ramroop’s life, Indian ancestry and tailoring career.
- Where
- At the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, India.
- When
- The book was launched on Saturday; the articles do not specify the date.
- Why
- Bal wanted to document Ramroop’s achievements, craftsmanship, perseverance and Indian heritage, which he said had been misunderstood.
Indian Heritage Emphasis
Black Identity and Public Perception
How Ramroop’s background is understood
Indian Heritage Emphasis
Ashok Kumar Bal and Ramroop emphasize his Indian ancestry and say the book corrects the belief that his heritage is African.
Black Identity and Public Perception
Ramroop was repeatedly described publicly as Black, including in a BBC documentary and on Maurice Sedwell’s website; he said he did not initially feel the need to correct it.
Meaning of his identity
Indian Heritage Emphasis
Bal presents Ramroop’s Indian roots as an integral part of his career story and as a link between India, Trinidad and Tobago, and the wider diaspora.
Black Identity and Public Perception
Ramroop said being described as Black referred to his colour rather than African ancestry, and he accepted that description for much of his life.
Understanding workplace rejection
Indian Heritage Emphasis
The book portrays Ramroop’s rise as an achievement built through ambition, persistence, innovation and craftsmanship.
Black Identity and Public Perception
Ramroop said he faced rejection because of his appearance, skin colour, hair and speech, but was initially too naive to recognize that racism was involved.
Key facts
- Book
- Bespoken: From Tunapuna to Buckingham Palace
- Author
- Ashok Kumar Bal
- Subject
- Andrew M. Ramroop
- Birthplace
- Trinidad and Tobago
- London business
- Maurice Sedwell
- Academy
- Savile Row Bespoke Academy
- Major innovation
- Ramroop introduced and trademarked the “ultra bespoke” philosophy in 2008
- Honour
- Ramroop received an OBE in 2008
Quotes
Andrew M. Ramroop
Professor, tailor and owner of Maurice Sedwell
“The challenges were deep. The challenges were not being trained in a field in a different way of working, but it went beyond that. The challenges were how I looked, the colour of my skin, the colour of my hair when I used to have it. There were so many challenges, even the way I spoke.”
thehansindia.com
“Ashok Bal has given me an opportunity to correct this in an important way. A media interview or any other format is not deep enough. It may or may not get read. It is short lived. The book is permanent.”
indianexpress.com
Ashok Kumar Bal
Author of Bespoken, a book about Andrew M. Ramroop’s life and work
“It read, 'Savile Row Bespoke Academy,' and below it was the commanding signature of Andrew M. Ramroop. Then I inquired about this academy. The owner of the shop went on to talk about Andrew. He told me that Andrew is a legend, a craftsman of extraordinary order.”
thehansindia.com
“When I told him that the first chapter would deal with his Indian ancestorial roots, he became emotional and excited, as many people think of him as African.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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