Larry is fashionably outrageous

"It’s not normal for designers to do that. It’s like yourself, selling yourself. But I wanted to do something different and fortunately, people loved it."

Three years ago Rampersad set out and established a fashion house, now titled Lady Matrix, and from all indications it was a hit. On the urging of his female clientele, he constructed a men’s line and as fate would have it, Matrix for Men was born. The latter was opened two years ago.

"I was dressing women who were so pleased with my work, they wanted me to dress their men also," he said.

According to Rampersad, 60 per cent of his male customers originate from north Trinidad, while the people of San Fernando and environs are his core clients.

Rampersad’s passion has kept him going. He successfully held three fashion extravaganzas in south this year alone, earning widespread praise for his presentations.

A model himself, coming from the House of Jacqui, Rampersad said it was agency director Jacqui Koon How who inspired him to "spread his wings" into the world of fashion. Three years on, Rampersad still can’t get over the responses from the public to his work.

"I am a down-to-earth person. Making my hobby into a business has made me jolly," Rampersad revealed.

Word of his work and testimony about it from entertainers have encouraged two top artistes to secure his services for Carnival 2006.

Rampersad felt it unwise to disclose their names, at least for the time being.

Rampersad described 2005 as his biggest year and said it has been bumper. For Carnival 2005 he worked with Kaiso House in the south.

It’s difficult to miss the abundance of joy that resonates in his voice when he speaks about being involved in fashion. And if you want to see him go wild, just introduce him to clients brimming with charisma.

"Being fashionably outrageous is my speciality. I love seeing men in coloured fabric and the ladies stunning," Rampersad declared.

He added, "It’s a fulfilling purpose. I feel content when people wear my designs and come back to the store and relate the many compliments they have received. I know they feel good about themselves and I share that feeling.

"When I step out, I make a statement and from what I’ve gathered, people want to look like me. That alone says I’m doing something right."

With such optimism, it would seem obvious that Rampersad would branch out into the mainstream market and work towards an event like Jamaica’s Caribbean Fashion Week and blast off from there. However, Rampersad’s response was "no!"

"I am contented with my niche local market. I am not about making big promises and consequently spread myself thin, trying to achieve and consequently fail. For now I want to continue, meeting and treating with my existing clientele whom I make happy and they make me happier."