By KARI MUTU

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Hawkins Ramah entered the field of bespoke menswear by accident. It all started when he could not find the perfect wear for his wedding in 2014 and ended up tailoring a suit.

“I’m always looking for opportunity and thought that many other men must be having a similar problem,” says Ramah.

Within a year he had opened a small shop in downtown Nairobi and hired two tailors. A week later, he had an order of seven suits for a wedding party.

Today his company, Le Kasri Bespoke Tailoring, is not only helping grooms look their finest but dressing the discerning man in well-fitting, high quality suits that match the best readymade garments from Europe.

Ramah’s background is in documentary filmmaking which has benefited his new career. “I feel like all arts are related. It starts with the way light falls on people,” he says.

Contemporary designs

Ramah only takes clients by appointment to ensure that they get his full attention. Inside his customised space, now located in the upmarket Nairobi neighbourhood of Westlands, clients relax on a sofa, chat about clothing and review photo catalogues with soft jazz music playing in the background.

“Like me, the first time most Kenyan men got to wear a suit was either for a funeral or a wedding and it was a bad fit,” says Ramah. When deciding on client needs, he considers one’s personality, style preference and recommends shades of grey or navy colours.

A model shows off a well-fitting bespoke suit from Le Kasri. PHOTO COURTESY

Le Kasri’s elegant styles vary from classic to contemporary designs, with flamboyant patterns that Ramah produces for fashion shows and runways to showcase the fabrics. He incorporates British, Italian and French suit making traditions but says, “I bring soul to tailor-made suits.”

In 2016 he produced a collection called African Kings, inspired by historic African leaders such as Shaka Zulu. The 2017 collection called Linda Ufalme was drawn from his love of black history. These were contemporary and vibrantly coloured suits.

Kenya men prefer conservative suits but Ramah notes that tastes are changing, especially with attire for social events. “If you get a good fit then you start feeling confident about bespoke suits. You can’t imagine how many red suits I’ve made.”

A customised suit takes up to three weeks to make. Ramah recommends at least two fittings, which allows him to make adjustments.

“I hate tweaking once it’s done because it loses its shape.” Sometimes he gets short orders, especially from people visiting Kenya, in which case there is an extra charge.

The suit price depends on the fabric. Australian and Tasmanian wool are some of the best globally. The most expensive is vicuna wool from Peru, made from the fur of a wild animal resembling a llama.

“A metre of vicuna goes for $5,000 and you need three metres to make a suit,” says Ramah. Le Kasri suits start at around Ksh18,500 ($184) going upwards.

Ramah sources fabric from Italy, India, China, Australia, UK, and local suppliers of quality textiles. For the warm weather he recommends linens and breathable wool fabrics.

Some customers come with very exact specifications such as the style worn by Britain’s Prince Charles, made from super-fine material that Ramah has to source.

He says the best jackets are constructed with full canvas interiors, to hold the shape and keep the garment flexible. Another option is a half-canvas lining in the lapels and chest areas only. A fused jacket, with interlinings glued to the shell, is a more affordable but less durable jacket.

The cutting process is foundational. Says Ramah. “If the cutting is off, no matter how good the tailoring the suit is not going to make it.”

In addition to learning from experienced tailors and researching online, Ramah spent time in Italy training in suit cutting. His tailors are veteran craftsmen, many of them taught by experts of Indian descent who have a long tailoring tradition.