African American and Italian born, Kelsy was brought up in a household of craftsmen. Learning to sew at the age of nine she quickly graduated from making pillowcases to beautiful dresses. From her Italian side, Great Aunt Bessy curated some of the most exquisite gowns for her clientele of “little Italy” Belleville New Jersey. On a machine from 1914 that Kelsy still holds in her studio, Aunt Bessy made sketches come alive. The key to her craft as has been told through generations was her dedication to detail. Perfection in every stitch. Gifted from her African American side, her grandmother owned a business reupholstering chairs and couches. Though this was her main purpose of business, this did not keep her from creating clothing for all of her 11 children. Passed through generations, Through traveling the world Kelsy has seen the importance of calling attention to the differences that unite us all. In continuing to explore the world, she now backpacks with her century old Singer machine and visually documents where she has visited, as she will continue to do for many years to come. Follow her journey here.