Meet Trailblazer Kenzie Arne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenzie Arne.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kenzie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When you think of fashion, you might not think of sustainability. That concept was the initial seed that started to blossom in my mind when I was studying Apparel Merchandising at CSU. We learned of the MASS amounts of waste compiled each year from fast fashion, chemical waste, and unusable donations. This information had seemingly been blind to me growing up, but I was no longer ignorant of this fact. I graduated CSU with a Communications Degree and a double minor in Business and Apparel Merchandising- I didn’t quite yet have a sense of direction with a career other than the fact I wanted to be in fashion. I worked for a short time in retail for a high-end shoe company and quickly realized this type of production was not suited for me. Coming out of retail, I felt compelled to pursue my passion and start a small vintage business. My mission was to make people fall in love with pre-loved items.

When I first started Moonlight Ln., I would spend countless hours tinkering with formatting on SquareSpace and Etsy- it was all very new to me! I taught myself everything, through hours of learning, and of course, there are some hard lessons to learn. To this day, I still create everything from start to finish including curating the collection, styling, photography, setting up backdrops, and website editing. Creating Art takes time, passion, and drive- and some days all of those elements don’t always come together cohesively, but the trick is to keep pursuing, keep learning, and keep growing.

Today, Moonlight Ln. continues to be a major passion project and side hustle for me that I hope to one day grow into the “main hustle”.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Going against the grain is never a smooth road, and anyone looking to grow their own business from scratch should expect the many, many bumps in the road. It is a constant learning and growing process which is continually evolving and changing with you. In the beginning, the major struggle came from my own confidence, “Do people care enough about what I’m doing to engage?” “How can people trust buying vintage online?” “Is my vision being created in the way that I intended?”- there are SO many questions you will ask yourself that will test you, and bend you. That is also the beauty in the struggle, is the incredible journey you take with YOURSELF. You learn to be easier on yourself, you learn to create without limitations, you push yourself to be better, and in turn, you create a more authentic business and vision.

My advice for any woman looking to pursue something new, or create their own “hustle”- is just to begin. Begin, because that is the hardest part. Taking the initial first step I think is the most challenging because you know that it requires you to become accountable to your vision. Find a girl gang who supports your vision and motivates you to continue creating! Having a team behind you providing advice and support is HUGE!

Please tell us about Moonlight Ln. Vintage – what should we know?
I often think of my life as a pursuit to “dip my toes in everything”. I know that my journey on this Earth is meant to be an exploration of many healing and creative outlets that will ultimately help assist others in life. Whether that be through fashion guidance, medicine, women’s gathering, film photography, and beyond. Currently, I am an office manager for a Natural Medicine and Chiropractic office, and certainly, the most rewarding part of this is seeing others heal through their journey. Outside of assisting with healing, I’m most proud of my creative efforts to reduce the vicious waste cycle that is the fashion industry. I’m very passionate about the environment and everything the Earth provides for us and am grateful to give pieces a second, third, or fourth home instead of being dumped in landfills. Moonlight Ln. is a curated collection of vintage or pre-loved items ranging from the 70s-90s. The primary focus is the collection of clothing, the style I focus on primarily is 70s inspired with a western flare. Moonlight Ln. is also a place for home goods, accessories, and spiritual tool kits- some of my favorites include hat bands, palo Santo bundles, and vintage concho belts. I aim to continue to build off this platform and run a full blog as well focused on sustainability and vintage tips.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
I’m currently reading “Maybe it’s You” by Lauren Handel Zander, which is an inspiring and “in your face” text to build your dreams without fear! It helps break down some of the barriers we face daily with feeling stuck, or unmotivated and gives exercises to create new mentality. I love texts like that! I’m also loving the app called “The Pattern” where you can connect deeper with astrology and certain life patterns or phases you are going through. This app also allows you to connect with other individuals and illuminates compatibility.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.moonlightln.com
• Instagram: @kenziearne

Image Credit:
Kenzie Arne

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.