Kavelle Anglin-Christie, Staff Reporter

A model strike a pose in a Carlton Brown piece. - File

Carlton Brown. By now, it's a name that most fashion-conscious Jamaicans and some foreigners are familiar with, but it's a name that was once lost in the cesspool of abandoned children.

Brown, 33, grew up without knowing who his real parents were. As a result, he spent some of his early years in foster care. But, fortunately, fate felt he should meet Martha Wallace, who became his adopted mother. "She was basically a dressmaker and her son Ronny used to design sportswear, and he had a friend whose name was also Ronny, so we used to call him 'Tailor Ronny'. So, it's all three stuff combined that created Carlton Brown," said Brown.

Still, years later after meeting his wife, Nicole Fletcher-Brown, the struggle persisted. "We struggled a lot. I remember the days when we were living in one room - bed, fridge, stove, sewing machine and everything in one room - and I would have to push the fabric one side so she could sleep. My wife and my two boys are the main reasons I have the drive to do what I do. I want to live to see them have what they want," he said.

Again, as fate would have it, he met yet another person who would help him channel his creativity. For the past two years he has been mentored by Andrew Madan Ramroop, master tailor and managing director of Savile Row, one of the world's top tailoring companies.

Sunday Gleaner: How do you feel about being chosen by Andrew Madan Ramroop to be mentored?

Carlton Brown: When you talk about 'cloud nine', I am still on it. It's a great feeling. I went to London with Deiwght Peters for the Kulture2Couture show and I would always hear about Savile Row, but I didn't know just how big it was.

SG: How did that happen?

CB: When I went to London in '05 he was also showcasing some of his stuff and I say 'blow wow ... I really want to meet this person'. Then days later we (Peters and other designers) decided to go out for a walk and I decided to go to Savile Row and meet Mr. Ramroop. He saw some pictures of what I did and was telling me areas that I could do better in and stuff like that. So when I came back to Jamaica I put scissors to fabric and thread to machine.

SG: What are some of the things you feel you need to improve on?

CB: To be honest, it would be my choice of fabric, but when you don't have the facilities you just have to use what you have. Apart from that, I really want to work on my finish.

SG: What are some of the things he said you needed to work on?

CB: One of the main areas was in the final fit of the jacket. No matter how good the jacket looks, if the final fit not right then it is just not there.

SG: Do you currently mentor anyone?

CB: I would say 'yeah', because there are some designers who have said to me that I really inspire them to do some stuff. You know sometimes when man and man just a reason and I will say 'set this this way' and things like that, but it's just out of concern and to make their work better. So when my peers will tell me that I inspire them, that is totally unexpected.

SG: How will the mentorship take place? Is it through workshops, phone calls?

CB: From I met Andrew in '05 we have mainly been talking on the phone, so he was extremely surprised when he came to Jamaica for Style Week Jamaica and saw everything. He was like,'Oh, imagine if I was here then!'

SG: How much longer do you think Ramroop will be your mentor?

CB: I see that even years from now, because there will always be something that he knows that I won't know and something that he knows but I will have to learn on my own.

SG: How long have you been in the business?

CB: Well, it was from mi eye deh a mi knee, but it was really when my son was born (he is now 11 years old) that I had to take up some responsibility. It was either music or fashion and I wasn't about to siddung at a studio door and all that ... So when I realised that fashion was where the bread was at I went with it. It was slow and, to be honest, up to this day it hasn't happened yet, but I am trying. I will be okay when just like there is the building saying 'Spencer's Tailoring', when there is a building saying 'Carlton Brown' I know I kinda reach.

SG: Where have people seen some of your latest pieces?

CB: Well, in THE STAR where they had the best dressed for Sumfest and Busy Signal, Wayne Marshall and Chris (Martin) were in it, those are some of my pieces."

SG: Where do you want to be in five years?

CB: Well, as I said, the building that says 'Carlton Brown' and I see myself being a mentor to someone else on Savile Row. Savile Row has been around for a number of years and it is the one place in the world where you can go to get a suit completely stitched by hand. There it's all about the standards and if you're a tailor or designer, that's the place you want to eventually be at.