A Historic Purchase on Savile Row 1988

In July 1988, Andrew Ramroop became the owner of Maurice Sedwell Limited, the first person of colour to own a tailoring house on Savile Row.

Andrew Ramroop arrived on Savile Row in 1974 with a natural gift for the craft. He learned under Maurice Sedwell himself, not just the cutting and the fitting, but the business of tailoring, the standards it demanded, and what it meant to carry a name like Maurice Sedwell.

He was good. Good enough that others noticed. Three times, Andrew tried to leave.

The first time, Maurice Sedwell matched the offer he had been made elsewhere and persuaded him to stay. The second time, Mr Sedwell offered Andrew the opportunity to buy nine percent of the company. Andrew stayed again. The third time, Mr Sedwell made a different kind of offer entirely; he asked Andrew to buy the business.

Andrew thought it was a remarkable opportunity. He also did not have the money.

The only way to make it work was to pay for it himself, working for half his salary while taking on evening and weekend jobs to cover the difference. It took five years to pay for the shares in full.

He has been there ever since.