Chelsea Rebelle Owner Vows Not to Let Fire Burn Her Out
A fire caused an estimated $100,000 of smoke damage to fashion boutique Chelsea Rebelle on May 28, which also happened to be the three-month anniversary of the store’s opening at 735 N. La Brea Ave. in Los Angeles. The fire happened only 11 days after owner Sarah Brannon had hosted a fashion show of her rock ’n’ roll–inspired clothes, also called Chelsea Rebelle.
Brannon hopes to reopen the store, which specialized in her label, within six weeks.
“It’s one of those hurdles that get thrown in your way,” she said. “I’m sure a lot of people would give up, but that would be pointless. It took too much time to build this business.”
The fire started around 4 p.m. in an adjacent office occupied by a medical supplies company, and thick smoke quickly flowed into the boutique, making breathing impossible. Brannon said she was the only one in the building at the time.
After calling 911, Brannon flagged down a fire engine that happened to be driving down La Brea. The firefighters successfully put out the fire and saved the store’s structure, but the smoke irreparably damaged Brannon’s stock and bolts of fabric.
Brannon said she hopes her liability insurance will cover the losses. She said her production house, Kicka Custom Design, will reproduce 10 of the 26 styles she sold at her boutique, including a chiffon baby-doll dress and motorcycle jacket-inspired cotton coat. —Andrew Asch
