LANCASTER, Texas — A high school senior in North Texas is scrambling to find a dress to prom after paying hundreds to a fashion designer for a custom outfit that has yet to arrive, just one week away from the big dance.
In February, Tonyce Govan and her mother Sondra Davis told WFAA that they paid $75 for a consultation with Dejza Stevenson.
Stevenson is from Dallas and is a self-proclaimed fashion designer according to her business page on Facebook, "Dejza DS Brand & Co.
Govan and Davis signed a contract with Stevenson and paid her an additional downpayment of $260 through PayPal on February 21st for a dress.
Davis told WFAA that she was expected to pay an additional $565 after a fitting and receiving the dress.
The dress was a fashion culmination of a few outfits, Govan said.
She had been dreaming of it since she was a sophomore. Govan is now a senior at Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy.
"She was very convincing," Govan said. "She had her notepad, she had different designs out."
Davis said the consultation gave her little worries.
"She took time with Tonyce's ideas. I had no reason to believe that things would end up the way they did," Davis said.
After paying Stevenson, Govan said that she never heard back from the designer.
"She told me 'thank you' for paying promptly, and that's the last time that I heard from her," Davis said. "She vanished. Mid-march you should be calling saying, 'ok I have the fabric--let's get scheduled for a first fitting.'"
Davis and Govan lost all hope when a news story about two Arkansas teens from El Dorado aired a few days ago.
Both told a local news station that they had to scramble to find last-minute prom outfits, after paying Stevenson almost $2,000.
Not only that, Stevenson's personal Facebook page (which is public) is filled with comments from people saying they paid for prom outfits and haven't received them.
Needless to say, Govan is giving up hope.
"I just wanted this whole big thing for prom and that's just down the drain now," Govan said. "My dreams are crushed."
Stevenson did post the following to that same Facebook page last week:
"Ladies And Gents Good Morning!
I’m playing catch up from my trip due to having to bring back a lot of gowns and suits. Please allow me to do my job and limit the texting and calling. If you are rocking my design which you are, please KNOW I will make sure each and everyone is taken care of. I’m not accepting anyone who purchased gowns or went to someone else for customs. I have my own clients who are awaiting for me to get to them. And my clients please continue to patiently wait on me so that I can make sure I apply the best service I can. You knew when you booked it was JUST ME and still JUST ME. But that doesn’t make up for lost time for some and I apologize but the job must get done and will get done.
PS I have out of state and in state clients so it’s not just DALLAS clients. And it’s also not just prom season for me."
Govan and Davis have a hard time reading what Stevenson posted.
"You know, you're seeing your child crying, trying to figure out what she's going to do for prom," Davis said. "It just tears your heart away."
Davis said that she's glad she didn't end up having to pay the full amount she agreed to, and only wants her money back.
Govan, who is planning to go to college in Los Angeles, said that money could have been used for her education instead.
"It's just very heartbreaking, and I feel very embarrassed," Govan said.
WFAA sent messages to Stevenson's personal and business Facebook page for comment, but haven't heard back.
Texts were also sent to several phone numbers that clients said they were given to contact Stevenson.