Growing up in the inner-city community of Seaview Gardens in St Andrew, with his mother and six siblings, Lucien Harrison knew from a tender age that he wanted to pursue a career in the fashion industry.

“From the age of three I knew that I wanted to be something in fashion. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but I knew I was into fashion. I was not like the typical child who used to go outside and play football or cricket. I was always trying to use tissue or paper [to] make something, any material that could bend, I would use it to make something,” Harrison told Our Today.

The 29-year-old self-taught fashion designer explained that fashion was always a part of his life growing up.

“Even in primary school, I would always sketch or draw something in my book and say I’m going to create this piece. I didn’t want to go to career day because I knew I would have to dress as a police officer or soldier. At the time I wanted to be a tailor or dressmaker because I didn’t know the correct term for this career. As I grew older, I learnt that the correct term was a designer, when you design for both males and females,” he said.

Ann-Marie MacArthur, Lucien’s mother, said: “He started showing interest in the fashion from very early. I was like his mannequin. He always made little dresses for me to wear around the house. He’s really good with his hands. At one point he also went into barbering and makeup.”

She further said: “I am overjoyed by his accomplishments. You feel complete when you know they are doing what they love. I know he is also happy with what he does because I have to remind him not to overwork himself.”

In 2014, Harrison quit his job as a creative director to venture into a career of fashion designing. However, he noted that it was not until the COVID-19 pandemic that he made this job his livelihood.

“I took up fashion designing in 2014. Most creative people do sway from their career path from time to time. I started working as a creative director, I also worked on a few television shows as a stylist but then I realised that I could do something from this for myself,” he said.

For Harrison, his greatest accomplishment is seeing the smile on the faces of others after every design.

“It excites me so much to know that I can create something from my hands to make someone happy. An outfit can put a smile on everybody’s face. I used to see designs in the magazine, and I didn’t know that there would come a time when I could create those same designs to put smiles on the faces of others,” he said.

Harrison has gained recognition in the fashion industry over the years, creating designs for local celebrities such as Jada Kingdom, Shenseea, Ikaya, Rush Cam, Yendi Phillipps, broadcaster Simone Clark-Cooper, among others.

“I always wanted to style Simone Clark-Cooper. I grew up as a kid watching her on television and to get the opportunity to work with her is really a blessing. Likewise, walking into her wardrobe and only seeing pieces from me made me so proud… . Just to know that she allowed me to work with her is really a great accomplishment,” he said.

He also stated that he has worked on the international level with Paul Mitchell, a cosmetology and beauty school in Dallas, Texas, on a fashion show.

“I am really grateful for the support that I have been receiving. People have contacted me from China, Germany and the US to design stuff for them. Those are just my wow moments,” he said.

Harrison’s venture into fashion designing was not one without challenges, among those being the lack of resources and the stigma surrounding the profession.

However, he explained that the support from family and friends is the driving force that fuels him to excel in this career.

“The support from my family, especially my mother, is really the driving force for me. I also have some friends that are really there for me, even speaking about it now gives me goose bumps. I sometimes have confidence issues, but my friends are always the ones saying to me that , ‘Lucien, that look really good’,” he said.

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