DTLA fashion designer gifts custom-made outfits to under-resourced students for prom

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- B.J. Gray is a downtown Los Angeles fashion designer. Gray is getting ready for his new collection, but also for his yearly act of kindness by giving away custom-made garments to a pair of high seniors to wear to prom.

"Any time that I am telling my story everybody knows that Inglewood is where I come from," said Gray, Grayscale designer. "It was rough growing up in Inglewood, but we made the best out of it ... there wasn't a lot of things handed to us."

Gray said that's why he and his wife started a program two years ago for high school seniors in L.A. County by giving them a chance to win a custom-made piece.

"Giving back is important for me because I feel like if you are going to be a part of a neighborhood, a representative of a neighborhood, you have to actually feel like that neighborhood recognizes you like that neighborhood recognizes you that you are a part of there," said Gray.

According to Gray, they select from a pool of seniors that sign up and submit information like their grades and a personal statement. The first-ever recipient was Leondre Robinson, who graduated in 2020 from Downey High School.

"I showed it to my mother because I thought it would be a great opportunity to help her out. She is a single mother of five. So, I knew that with the expenses of my senior year that, that would be a good opportunity to help," said Robinson.

Robinson wasn't able to wear his tuxedo to prom because it was canceled due to the pandemic.

"As of yet I haven't worn it. I got to keep it for a special occasion," said Robinson. "I was actually very blessed to have got my own suit and design it how I want it."

Gray said they're working to bring in sponsors to the program and have six recipients this year.

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