What was supposed to be a magical night for high schooler Kiya Harvey turned out to be a huge disaster: Her family spent thousands on a designer prom dress she never got to wear.
Two years’ worth of savings is down the drain for the teen’s family, who paid local Houston designer Rocky Boston to make Kiya’s dream dress for her big night. Mother Kewana Jones Harvey is demanding an apology and explanation from the designer for ruining a night Kiya has been looking forward to since 7th grade.
“It was like so much we put into that particular day to make sure everything was perfect for her,” Jones Harvey said. That included $8,000 in additional expenses apart from the custom dress they paid around $2,500 for. Kiya and her mother have been to fittings with Boston since their order process began in August 2024. Instead of receiving the custom dress after minor tailoring adjustments, Kiya ended up missing her entire prom.
Prom night arrived—and, still, no dress. “We get to 5 o’clock, everybody goes in panic mode because [Rocky Boston] said she’s gonna be here by 5. Communication has completely stopped,” Kiya’s mom said. She then rushed to Rocky Boston’s studio to pick up the dress herself, only to find pieces of the garments lying around.
“I was, like, more than heartbroken,” Kiya said. They had saved for two years to make sure her prom night went as planned. To add more chaos to the situation, other parents were waiting at the studio when Jones Harvey arrived.
Last week, the mother-daughter duo received a refund for the order. Other families have also reportedly received or been notified to receive a refund, but one family is considering legal action.
The only peep out of Rocky Boston concerning the matter has been a now-deleted Instagram post that read, “I would never intentionally ruin anyone’s special moment. My heart hurts for the girls and families impacted. I operate with humility over pride and always try to go above and beyond because I truly love what I do.”
After a KHOU 11 reporter pulled up to a locked studio, Rocky Boston replied hours later with a text that read, “I do not have a statement at this time.”
Leah Napoliello with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas warns consumers not to pay full price for their custom prom dresses. Instead, she recommends paying no more than half of the price upfront and the rest after the dress is completed. She advised having everything in writing and a contract. According to Napoliello, Rocky Boston is not accredited with the organization.
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