"When I had 'HYPE' in mind, back in form 4 in 2013, I think. It was just a brand without any intended cause, it was all for passion and it wasn't called 'HYPE' yet,  it's prototype or original concept was called 'The Studio'. After graduating from secondary school in 2014, I went to the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and I began studying fashion and design as I always had a passion for anything involved in the arts. That is where I intended on designing shoes, primarily pumps, like the famous Louboutin or Zanotti. However approximately one week before starting UTT, I realized a mob of artists and designers started following me on IG and I began speaking to a few, I got to know the local design industry a bit. I wanted to have about 3 different jobs that were involved in the arts in some way or another, so that's where the idea came about,"why not combine them into one?"... I still did not have a name. I dropped out of UTT, I started designing on my own, but I had to show it off to the world. I always loved photography and I didn't intend on paying $800 per photoshoot, so I bought a DSLR and started taking my photos. This is when I started thinking, "why not help the other creatives one time? We're all struggling and we all have talents?" So I went to the Trincity Mall every weekday for about 2 months and sat in the food court brainstorming and then it hit me, "let's create a 'HYPE' for the local arts!" From then on, I made it priority to find and connect with other artists and showcase them to our locals and show them that "Made in Trinidad" doesn't always mean made with mediocrity because as Trinis, we sometimes take everything for granted. The artists and supporters pushed 'HYPE' to where it is now and for that I'm eternally grateful because "together we  aspire, together we achieve" and we're already seeing the benefits of it, 'HYPE' is now a platform for connecting and meeting artists."