Erica Boynton Fort Lauderdale fashion designer Jimmy Star wants to get you laid. I felt increasingly "ordinary" as I stepped into Jimmy Star's flagship store on Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. Walking into one of Star's two South Florida locations is a little like taking a big bite of wasabi--you're wide-eyed and clammy at first but then tingle with a satisfied glow. It's gonna be a bumpy ride… Make no mistake--Jimmy Star wants you to rock. Jimmy Star's retail stores-both in Fort Lauderdale--carry the latest styles in punk, Goth, fetish, glam, raver, fantasy, and club wear. It's a sensory overload of bright colors, nonconformist textures, earsplitting tunes from new artists, and a collection of Pop Art worthy of display on its own.

Star's take on fashion is bold, tongue-in-cheek, and refreshingly rough around the edges, with an emphasis on the elaborate handiwork on each piece. He specializes in creating one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces. "I'm not looking to be Tommy Hilfiger--most collections only have 10 to 15 pieces in them--I wanted 100 different pieces!" he says. "It's time-consuming and labor-intensive, but I would rather make one of each and make them really funky and unique." Quality, not quantity, is key. The largest run produced from a single design is twenty-four.

And these clothes are not for the faint-of-heart. His collection includes jeans hand-embellished with rhinestones, patches, and fringe, and emblazoned with the words "Pussy" and "Sex." Some of the most distinctive pieces include hand-fashioned shirts made out of old chenille bedspreads from the 1950s, "Cock Star" jeans with studs fashioned in a star around the wearer's crotch, and men's shirts created from pink and orange handkerchiefs. His obsession with pop culture appears in pieces like a Marilyn Monroe shirt-set in multi-colored velour, and a shirt with a print of Harry Potter on the front.

"Star's take on fashion is bold, tongue-in-cheek, and refreshingly rough around the edges, with an emphasis on the elaborate handiwork on each piece."

This fashion designer and retailer has already created a buzz, fashioning wild ready-to wear original items for the rock and pop elite, from the Backstreet Boys to Kid Rock. Designing for the stars has fulfilled a lifelong dream for Star, who grew up in West Palm Beach as an admittedly "preppy" teenager. After earning a degree in finance from the University of Florida, he worked for an outlet store company for 19 years, running the operation. Five years ago, dissatisfied with the dearth of cool clothing for men, he decided to launch Jimmy Star Enterprises to design his own line. "Everywhere I went, I found great clothing for women. Guys can wear oxford shirts and all this crap, ya know, but guys aren't given many alternatives to wear something hip and out there. No one really caters to men."

Taking inspiration from fashion visionaries like Vivian Westwood, Jean Paul Gaulthier, Alexander McQueen, and Dolce & Gabbana, Star set forth to defy conventional fashion idioms and push the limits of what's considered normal and acceptable. "Versace just did it for me… he was the first to combine music and fashion, he was the first to come out. I think most designers just followed suit…. I don't want to be known as a gay designer--I just want to push the envelope."

Star himself defies the stereotypes of the fashion/entertainment industry. He is adamant about having a drug-free workplace and will not be affiliated with a club, venue, promoter, or sponsor that is related to tobacco or alcohol. "I'm not going to sell out--I wasn't going to go into this if it wasn't completely truthful and if it defied my personal morals and belief system," he says. Sex is his recreation of choice, and Star welcomes a pro-sex atmosphere. An advocate of sex education for all ages, he even publishes a sex advice column authored by his partner, Dr. Gil Eriksen, a licensed sexologist, in his monthly newsletter. Shoppers can anonymously submit questions for review at either of the stores.

Fashion Police on Patrol And don't think you won't hear about it if you run into Star when you're not looking your best. "If someone walks into one of my stores wearing boxer shorts, sandals, and white socks, of course I'll diss them on my show," he playfully chides with a hearty chuckle. He co-hosts a radio show on WPBR twice a week called "The Business of Show Business," where he's been known to reprimand the unfashionable on air. Just think of him as captain of the Fashion Police. "Fashion is all about having fun, about expressing yourself. You need to have fun with fashion and you need to look good wherever you go! You're more likely to meet someone at the grocery store than you do on the one Saturday night you get dressed up and go out. But you need to look good all of the time! Your gym clothes are great at the gym, but leave them there--take some pride in the way you look!"

The influence of music on his designs and artistic vision is unmistakable. "I grew up listening to whatever was on the radio, but when I got into college, I was more into the alternative stuff--The Smiths, Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order--and I would go to shows. I've been listening to more rock music lately, like Puddle of Mudd, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit… and I actually listen to more demos than actual releases. A lot of bands come in here and leave their demos, and we play them. We get such a wide array of people in the industry who come in here--producers, record label executives--it's a good opportunity for local bands."

"Star set forth to defy conventional fashion idioms and push the limits of what's considered normal and acceptable. His collection includes jeans hand-embellished with rhinestones, patches, and fringe, and emblazoned with the words "Pussy"and "Sex."

Star has dressed musicians as diverse as Cave, Gods & Monsters, Pete Yorn, Pigface, Soul Decision, and Innosense. He says he secretly loves boy bands and dreams of dressing AJ from the Backstreet Boys. "We cater to a lot of musicians, stylists, models," he says, "pretty much anyone who would be inter-related in the entertainment industry. I'm working with Bon Jovi Entertainment at the moment--and I'm clothing all their new acts for their performances and showcases. They represent this great boy-band called Alias that is going to be huge. They're not playing up to the thirteen year old fans--they talk about having sex, stealing your girlfriend, all that nasty stuff."

Star also gains inspiration from pop culture; he collects anything from the '70s and on. "I have a huge collection of dolls--Brooke Shields, all three Vanilla Ice dolls, the Happy Days gang, Jerry Springer, Rupaul, Mr. McGoo, the Spice Girls, Eminem--along with a collection of cds and autographs," he proudly affirms with a boyish grin. And taking a walk around one of Star's stores is like getting a guided tour of his personal life--he gleefully points out the significant bits with delight, as excited as a kid in a candy store. His energy is dizzying.

When you visit a Jimmy Star store, don't expect sugarcoated salespeople just looking for a commission. "If something doesn't look good on you, we will tell you! We want to attract the kind of people who would walk into another store and get looked at like they're freaks. It's extremely important that everyone gets really personal attention. People need someone to let them know just what looks good and what doesn't. We offer that service, along with helping people develop their own personal style. I think a lot of it depends on just telling people to go for it. People are so afraid to take a risk and wear anything that makes them stand out from the crowd that it makes it difficult for them to develop a style--not everyone needs to wear khaki pants and golf shirts from the Gap!"

Everyone who visits one of Jimmy's stores is helped by a personal shopper. And the warmth the staff exudes isn't just a façade. "Our employees are really important," Star says. "They have a say in what goes on. It's not like I get an offer to, say, do a fashion show, and it's my decision. We get together monthly to discuss what we're going to do. These people have helped me get this far, and they will help us go even further."

Along with Jimmy's creative designs, a number of other clothing lines are available for shoppers. Alternative fashion (Lip Service, Nukwear, Catherine Coatney, and Vertigo) is sold alongside more readily available fashion (Diesel, Ben Sherman, Bebe, Max Studio, and Bisou Bisou). The idea is to appeal to a wide array of tastes and approaches. "I don't want to play into the trends," says Star. "I prefer to concentrate on styles." The price range is as varied as the selection, but you'll never be overcharged at a Jimmy Star store. Star aims to provide customers with unique items for a reasonable price, but his motto is, "If you see it here today, it may not be here next week so buy it now!" Constantly moving inventory helps keep the store fresh and innovative. From PVC platform boots in a number of sizes ("We also get a lot of female impersonators that come in,") and sequined t-shirts of Jesus, to bondage pants and sex toy boxes for both men and women, it seems that just about anyone will find something to tickle their soft parts here.

So where exactly IS Jimmy Star Enterprises headed? Anywhere but down! "I want to do everything--furniture design, accessories, perfume, shoes--I want to be a complete fashion house that has everything, but comes through an angle of taking leads from pop culture." Worldwide expansion is imminent--Jimmy's management company is located in the New York/ New Jersey area, and he's anxious to head up north. "I want to open a store in New York--the only problem I have with Florida is the fact that it's not very fashion-oriented. Anyone who is relatively fashion-conscious is considered an oddity here. People DRESS in New York; they don't walk around looking like slobs. I'd also love to go to London."

"You need to look good all of the time! Your gym clothes are great at the gym, but leave them there--take some pride in the way you look!"

In a city where the majority of the population either wants to look like Jennifer Lopez/ Ricky Martin or Britney Spears/ Carson Daley, Jimmy Star offers an alternative to the freaks, geeks, and rock stars of South Florida. In the future, we can look forward to a full frontal cultural assault from Jimmy Star. "I see Jimmy Star Enterprises doing fashion, music development, maybe a production company where I get to recruit new talent and promote them. I see myself as becoming the male Joan Rivers of the MTV generation." Oh no, Jimmy. You're nicer--much nicer--and Joan would KILL for the cult following you've justly acquired.

I can only hope you never catch me on the red carpet in anything other than a Jimmy Star original.

Visit either store in Fort Lauderdale--located at 2402 North Federal Highway and at 1940 E Sunrise Boulevard. Visit www.jimmystar.com for more details.