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Jamie Gill: The British bloke with a brown heart
UK’s leading fashion entrepreneur opens up about growing up in a conservative society, coming out as gay and making a mark in fashion
Until 1967, love between two men or two women was against the law in the UK. In India, gay sex was a criminal offence until 2018. But today, gay marriage is legal in 29 countries. Countless publications, social media accounts, brands, social workers and world leaders support the LGBTQIA+ community wholeheartedly. And yet the battle hasn’t ended.
Jamie Gill, the 31-year-old chief executive officer at British brand Roksanda (worn by everyone from Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton to Cate Blanchett and Emily Blunt) has also braved these personal struggles.
Born in the Midlands, in England, as a brown man in a mining town full of white people, Gill’s family did not have the slightest idea about his sexuality until he turned 22.
“My parents are second-generation immigrants and my grandparents are from Punjab. And, the Midlands is not cosmopolitan at all; it’s very rural. And it was a bit challenging for me to grow up in a working-class background. My mother worked part-time for the police and my dad ran a takeaway business with his brother. We weren’t poor but we never had much,” he recalls as we speak over a video call.
Getting schooled
Gill knew he was gay very early on. He was just eight years old when he realised he was very different from other boys. “I went through state school, where I was a top student. I knew education would be my ticket to a better life. In secondary school, I was the only child out of thousands of kids who belonged to an ethnic minority. Everyone else was white,” he says.
“I don’t want to paint it in a negative way,” Gill adds. “But it was tough – I hated the colour of my skin and I struggled with my sexuality quite a bit. I had very loving parents and grandparents but it was only when I went to university and afterwards that I started finding my ground.”
Gill acquired a degree in architecture from the University of Nottingham, along with a strong skill set for finance while studying accounting and business management later on. In 2010, he joined Deloitte where he managed operational and financial strategies for luxury conglomerates like LVMH, Prada and Louis Vuitton.
At Deloitte, he met many people from the LGBTQIA+ community and that gave him the confidence to finally come out to his family.
Mum, dad, I’m gay
He decided to tell his 19-year-old brother first. “He’s straight, into football and quite boyish. But he has been so supportive throughout and just amazing,” Gill exclaims. Six months later, Gill came out to his parents.
“Think of all the gay stereotypes. I’m into fashion. I love design, I love paintings. I hate sports. I was studious and straightened my hair. I fit the bill for them all,” he laughs, “But my parents had no idea. When I came out to them at 22, they were really surprised. My dad said, ‘I’m really proud of you for coming out. Well done!’ My mum was shocked and didn’t know quite how to take it. It took her three months to come around. But she really did. And she’s such an advocate now for LGBTQIA+ rights. She was with me at the gay pride parade in London last year along with my brother and his girlfriend. Ten years ago, the struggle to socially come out – which isn’t any different now – was tremendous. A lot of Indian parents take some time to understand that it really is biological,” he sighs.
After five years at Deloitte, Gill was desperate to venture into fashion. So he moved to Mumbai in 2015 to start an Indian bridal wear brand. “I met Sonam (Kapoor) and all the Vogue staff. And the week I moved to India, I downloaded an app and met someone. He was the first love of my life. We had an amazing time together. Unfortunately, the brand I was trying to set up didn’t work and I came back. But I loved being in Mumbai,” says Gill.
Discovery of India
Moving to Mumbai wasn’t just a professional lesson for Gill. “I always had this perception that India was more conservative and the NRI population was more party hungry. But people love to party in Mumbai. It has such a great vibe that I don’t think London has. I came back at the end of 2015 and I was in a bit of depression. My business didn’t work and I had split with what I thought was the love of my life. And I had zero money. And I had come back from a city where it was so easy to meet people and connect with them. Coming from that to the Midlands to live with my parents again was quite a stark contrast,” he explains.
Soon, Gill joined Eiesha Ltd, led by private investor Eiesha Bharti Pasricha, as an investment director. The fund had bought a stake in Roksanda and the revenue grew from £3 million to £10 million during Gill’s tenure. In March 2018, Gill joined the brand full-time. Today, Roksanda isn’t just known for its colour-blocking and sculptural designs but also for collaborations with athleisure brand Lululemon, for making a guest appearance at Shanghai Fashion Week and a partnership with the new King’s Cross estate to design a Roksanda apartment.
Love will win
Looking back, Gill feels that taking a different route for his current position might have been tougher. But he enjoys doing what he does now. He is even happy with his life on pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And he hopes that many more Indians will break into the operational side of fashion businesses.
What kind of advice would he like to share with the young, LGBTQIA+ community in India?
“Know you’re not the only one,” says Gill. “Statistically, there’s going to be one in 10 people who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. So, find these people. That’s what I tried to do as well. And work on building a support group. Be open and kind. You need that more than ever when there’s a certain social taboo around it. And in the end, love’s going to win.”
From HT Brunch, July 12, 2020
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