My Grandfather used to say: 'Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.' Today in 2008, my work in music and fashion is dedicated to my ancestors who rose against oppression, racism and bad taste over the past few centuries. The story began over 200 years ago with my great great Grandfather Terry Mardi I (the first), born in Paris in 1869. He was a rare mixed race child, his father was a french diplomat; Monsieur Thierry Mardi who fell in love with an Indian industrialists' daughter from Punjab, Preetam Sagwant. He met her on a visit to India for an agricultural meeting with Indian Politicians, I was told that the meeting was about Wheat export from India. Terry was moved from Paris when he was only 6 months old to London and resided in a small town close to London, a town called Isleworth. He lived there until the age of 6 before being 'shipped' to India for his formal education. It was in 1875 that Terry Mardi began his schooling and was classmates with a boy named Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who later became one of the worlds most remembered Lawyers. Mardi and Gandhi remained good friends, even when Mohandas Gandhi moved to London and then South Africa to practice law. Apon Gandhi's return to India, Terry Mardi had established himself as a self made Fashion Designer and had been draping high society clients that his father would introduce to him. Gandhi was becoming more and more vocal about his views against modern machinery and believed that manual labour was to be retained. He was dead against machine woven cotton and said to Mardi that he wanted to wear handwoven cotton only. Terry Mardi decided to honour Gandhi Ji's request. Terry Mardi then recreated Gandhi's look when he designed the first Tunic (in 100% handwoven cotton) for Mahatma Gandhi. This became the attire of choice for M. Gandhi and indeed it is how I remember him. I have pictures of Gandhi with the late Terry Mardi I, which I will update onto my Desi Hits page asap once they have been restored, they are quite fragile and have eroded over the years. Therafter he went on to create fashion statements for visionaries across the globe. He met with Mother Theresa who taught him many wonderful things about how to treat fellow human beings, these teachings were passed on me too.
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