PHOENIX — It's vibrant and vintage clothing you can't find anywhere else in the Valley.
That's because Kelsey Garner custom makes each outfit by hand with some passion projects taking up to 14 hours to complete.
Garner has been a seamstress for more than a decade and is the owner of K.S. Garner in Downtown Phoenix. It specializes in vintage clothing that is "upcycled" and made to fit any figure.
“That is my passion, making clothes that fit people so that they don't feel like they are out of place,” Garner said.
It's gained her a huge following on social media with more than 100,000 followers.
Being a small business owner, Garner said the last year has been tough for her and countless entrepreneurs. Then on Saturday morning when she walked into her shop to start the day, she noticed some of her custom-designed clothes were missing.
Garner thought she may have just misplaced them. Until she realized her high-end camera and light kits were also gone. She then started to investigate further and noticed that it appeared someone had rummaged through the clothes picking out specific pieces. Including ten designer dresses Garner made specifically for an upcoming runway fashion show. A project she put her heart, soul and time into. She estimates about 200 hours dedicated to it.
Then she noticed her vintage sewing machine seen in her YouTube tutorial videos was also gone. One her husband gave to her when they first started dating.
Altogether, she estimates about $20,000 worth of custom clothes and gear were stolen in just a few hours.
"It feels violating," she said. "I feel like a piece of me is gone."
Garner said she filed a report with the Phoenix Police Department but since there were no security cameras, she wasn't able to provide a suspect description.
It was at this point that she came to the realization, that with so much gone she may have to close her doors for good. Ending her business that she's dedicated so much time and passion into.
"I thought, this is the nail in the coffin," Garner said. "I truly cannot financial, financially recover from this."
That's when some of her friends stepped in and started a GoFundMe to raise money to help keep Garner in business. Within three days, it's raised nearly $13,000. Giving Garner hope.
"I have cried so many tears just in awe because I've been scared, and I have people steal from me, which is like the worst that people can be, but then I see the best that people can be," Garner said.
While she hopes the people responsible for taking so much from her are found. She said this kind gesture from so many in the community, is helping her push forward.
"Because my community made me feel like I can do this again," she said.
Part of the funds from the GoFundMe Garner said will also be used to set up a security camera system at her workshop to prevent this situation from happening again.
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