Fashion designer Lucien Harrison has been honing his craft for over a decade. A former hairdresser, he made his mark in the fashion world by introducing bold colours and textures to ready-to-wear and haute couture.
“Fashion is everything to me. I can't live without it. Fashion gives me the opportunity to connect with so many people and touch so many lives. It means a lot to me, I enjoy it and it's the only thing I feel like doing,” he told Living magazine.
Harrison started out as a wedding designer, creating dresses and suits, but with the market in a slump, he decided to branch out into couture and boutique style. This year, he presented his first collection, much to the delight of family, friends and fashion fans.
Harrison has had a strong passion for fashion for as long as he can remember, and his astonishing creative expression contrasts with his shy and reserved demeanor. This talent was evident from an early age when he would make clothes for dolls out of tissue paper.
However, he credits his style inspiration to his mother, who is also a fashionista. “My most vivid style memory is of my mother getting ready to go out to work. For me, fashion started at home. I would always see my mom wearing matching coloured outfits, skirts and Asian style stick head wraps to accentuate her style. My mom was also a fan of the best suits. We weren't like that but I would be happy when my mom came to school because I knew she would wear heels and dress up. My mom always told me that first impressions are memorable so always dress to impress,” he said.
By the seventh grade, his interests had taken on a new pattern and he had become an active hobbyist. During his time at St. Andrew Technical High School, he embraced the idea of becoming a designer. Along the way, he pursued an artistic path as a barber and created magical pieces with fabrics as a side business. But during the global pandemic, he was able to take up a full-time fashion job.
turning point
He started making fashionable masks. One day, everything changed when media personality Simone Clarke asked Harrison to be her stylist. The rest, as they say, is history. “You'll never get food if you keep your mouth shut. I asked Simone if I could design something for the grand gala. She said sure. The inspiration came from a curtain, and I arranged green and black underneath it for a great effect. When I arrived and zipped up the dress, it popped out. She was calm, I went home and fixed it, and I was able to meet her at the National Stadium. Since then, she calls me every time she has an event. Simone helped me get my name out there and I'm so grateful to her,” he said. “Since then, I started making clothes for everyone and quit my 9-to-5 job to focus on fashion,” the celebrity designer added.
Designing for both men and women, Harrison's couture tips towards the vintage scale. His timeless pieces are versatile, unique and customized to his client's tastes and emotions. “I love to talk to my clients: where they go, how they feel, what they like and dislike. For women, what are the body parts they don't want to expose? This will determine the style direction. Then I choose the color, fabric and style. In the process, maybe I can encourage them to show a little shoulder. When they trust you, they step out of their comfort zone. These clients really care. I provide them with a safe space.”
Designers also make the world their runway. When you make clothes for yourself, people often ask where it comes from. When they hear you made it, they ask you to design something for them. “The only difference is that men order one suit, whereas women order 20 dresses,” the image consultant and stylist revealed.
This adventure has taken him to places he could only dream of: Germany, Belgium, Bali, Indonesia and Qatar. “When I was in Indonesia, I went to a hardware store and bought sheets, which was all I could afford at the time. The place I was staying had a sewing machine, so I cut the sheets up and made shirts to take to Indonesia Fashion Week. It's a blessing and I surprise myself every day.”
Always looking at the bigger picture, the self-taught designer has been showing others the benefits of this non-traditional career path. He has already visited several schools to teach students about this career option. “If people know that assembling fabric can provide everything an individual needs. As Jamaicans, we are very talented and can literally use our hands to make fashion. So to be able to get up, go to another room with a sewing machine and start assembling a garment and know that people really like it is a win in itself,” he said. As for the runway, he is looking forward to his upcoming show in September.
His fascinating and awakening journey has been an enlightening one with many ups and downs as he hopes one day the local fashion industry will be as united and collaborative as its international counterpart, but he remains driven by his passion and the incredible response his clients have received to his work.
“It's been a fascinating learning experience and we hope to leave this as a legacy to share with future generations.”
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