When master tailor Andrew M. Ramroop OBE first joined Maurice Sedwell on Savile Row back in 1974, he recalls that there were no people of color working in the front of the shops. The Trinidad-born craftsman, who moved to the U.K. to pursue his design dreams in 1970, was even told by another company at the time that customers would not respond kindly to “foreigners” being in the front-of-house—and that he could work in the back.
Fast-forward to 1988, after studying at the London College of Fashion, and Ramroop made history when he became the first Black business owner on Savile Row, assuming ownership of the Maurice Sedwell tailoring house. Ramroop can still be found there today, creating exceptional suits for his impressive clientele. He also now serves as the creative director. “Sartorial art, sculpting cloth around the human body, is what I am about with the Maurice Sedwell brand,” Ramroop tells Vogue. “I became the ‘first’ simply because no one else would give me a job when I graduated; I didn’t fit in, wrong accent, wrong color, wrong decade. However, I persevered, not to prove anything to anyone but myself.”
These days, Ramroop is as a legend of sorts in the tailoring world—known for building a suiting house during an era where few Black business owners were given the proper support to do so. “Despite the many challenges I have faced in my journey to excel in the field of ultra bespoke tailoring, what truly matters to me is creating a pathway for others to follow,” says Ramroop. “This value is and has been my purpose—my calling, if you like.”
In 2008, he founded his Savile Row Bespoke Academy, which is a leading tailoring school with the goal to train “elite tailors of the future to the pinnacle of sartorial excellence.” Ramroop aims to provide up-and-coming tailors of all backgrounds with the proper tools to succeed. “Savile Row is one of the most competitive environment to excel in business; it is where delivering excellence is the norm,” says Ramroop. “We focus on delivering the highest standard of craftsmanship attainable. Our holistic training in all seven disciplines are essential foundations for artisans to start their own collections. My intention is to expand to other countries.”
Ramroop’s personal style, meanwhile, is just as notable as his long list of achievements. Just like the bespoke designs he creates for his clients, you can always find Ramroop impeccable suiting. “I believe there is a huge difference between style and fashion,” says Ramroop. “Fashion is a moving target, it is seasonal; one follows fashion as opposed to leading.” He adds that he enjoys pushing the boundaries of tailoring and suiting with his own wardrobe—spoken like a true dandy. “Conforming to a sartorial image without imagination is absolutely boring to me,” he says.
Given the theme of the 2025 Met Gala this year—which focuses on Black dandyism—it’s only natural that Ramroop and his work also landed in the forthcoming Costume Institute exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Ramroop’s red silk-patterned tuxedo jacket for Maurice Sedwell is among pieces that will be on display.
As his work gets the due and celebration it deserves, Ramroop hopes fashion fans will bear witness to the Black excellence that has occured on Savile Row—and beyond. “[I hope it highlights] the important role tailors play in clothing the world,” says Ramroop.
He also hopes viewers will become aware of the influence that Black Dandies have had on the fashion world at large. “Black Dandies are about taking the old English and French aristocratic way of dressing, and personalizing it to create their very own self expression,” he says. “Personal style is an expression of individuality. Black dandies are the creators of style, elegance, and gentlemanly good manners—while others simply wore clothes.”
