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Tailor made to be magic!
Jul 29 2003
By Alison Dayani, Evening Mail
Deep in the heart of Handsworth lies a magical place vital to this years Birmingham Carnival.
Magician and tailor Alton Browne (pictured), known as Professor Black, is not only whipping up 200 extravagant dresses for the day, but also training the steel band and troupe of limbo dancers.
With his small band of helpers at Oaklands Sports and Social Centre, in Oakland Road, he has spent the past year painstakingly making fantastic, glittering costumes in his Aladdins Cave of treasures.
Every spare minute of the day is occupied with making the carnival on Sunday a success and even a recent spate in hospital has not dampened his enthusiasm.
Ever since I came from the Caribbean 20 years ago, I have been at the centre of the carnival, said father-of-four Alton.
Birmingham Carnival gave me the chance to use my tailoring skills and I become the first carnival costume maker in Birmingham.
Alton, who is also a professional magician, is a popular figure across Handsworth and starred alongside Lenny Henry and Paul Daniels on TVs New Faces.
Yvette Morris, who is one of Altons eight volunteers making the costumes, said: The dresses for this year are the main centrepiece and so extravagant and elaborate.
Everyone here has put so much hard work into the carnival and Alton does so much.
The carnival procession is due to start at around 12.30pm.
