Subscribe to Fig Weekly

Fig Weekly is your digital guide to all things Lehigh Valley. Every Thursday, you’ll receive fresh content including local stories, special features, upcoming events, and city insights, delivered directly to your inbox.

Suggest an Event

The online Fig calendar is a curated list of community and advertiser events happening in the Lehigh Valley.

  • Contact Us

  • Search

    Barbara Kavchok: Bridal for the love of fashion.

    There’s a couture secret in the heart of Bethlehem, but, says fashion designer and owner Barbara Kavchok, “it doesn’t have to be a secret anymore.” Barbara Kavchok’s bridal gowns may be available at boutiques around the world, but she designs them right here in her hometown of Bethlehem. She loves working one-on-one with brides, listening to their style inspirations, designing a beautiful look, and creating the one-of-a-kind wedding dress of their dreams.

     

    Getting a piece of custom couture direct from the designer isn’t just a VIP experience, it’s a thoughtful and sustainable one. “When a bride comes directly to me,” says Barbara, “they don’t have to pay for alterations. Whatever the price of the dress is, that’s the price; I’m making it for them.” And Barbara’s fashion interests are broad. Her existing collections have a “variety of designs,” she says. “I don’t have one type of look.” Whether a bride wants a fully custom design or a piece made-to-order from an existing collection, Barbara’s Bethlehem atelier has something just for them. While custom is her niche, Barbara has a large collection of designs for brides to choose from.

     

    Custom bridal gowns start at $2,200 (total price inclusive of fittings), and special occasion/mother of the bride custom styles start at $1,100.

    The experience upon entering the Barbara Kavchok studio is unlike any other. After being greeted by a relaxing, bohemian styled bride room, you’ll be stunned by the hustle and bustle of the work room just around the corner. This is where hand-crafted pieces of well-loved, wearable art are made.

     

    “Bridal for the love of fashion” is Barbara’s mantra. She always adored the fashion empire, Eugenia Couture, her mother started—where Barbara became an apprentice, and later, Chief Designer before launching her own brand in 2016. She grew up watching her mother create gowns, filling suitcases with Barbie clothes and designing her own paper doll dresses. “I think Disney princesses probably had a big impression on me,” she laughs.

     

    The exciting and ever-evolving world of fashion is what excites Barbara to design new styles. While she loves to create sleek and classic dresses for her brides, she finds herself the most passionate when designing cutting-edge, editorial styles that incorporate different fabrics and even spray paint. Her degree in illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia makes Barbara stand out from the crowd, as brides can be sure their gown is designed from an artists’ point of view.

     

    When she’s working on a new collection, mindful use of materials and sustainability is part of the design process itself: Barbara designs a dress knowing how the leftover material will be incorporated in other styles.

     

    Barbara stays true to her belief that fashion should always be inclusive to every shape and size, religion and ethnicity. Because she creates completely customized gowns, Barbara ensures each and every one of her brides feels beautiful and comfortable in their one of a kind dress.

     

    Whether she is cutting fabric, sketching a new design, or “oohing and ahhing” over her beautiful brides, Barbara loves working at her women-owned business. When it comes down to why she has been in the bridal industry for so long, it’s simple: she is delighted to have brides wearing an expression of their love in wearable art.

     

    The Bride Room at Barbara Kavchok Atelier opened at the corner of 6th and Broad Streets in West Bethlehem in July 2020, and is currently taking private appointments with brides and two guests, following standard COVID protocols. Barbara is thrilled to be able to play “dress up” in person with her brides again!

     

    Visit www.barbarakavchok.com for more information . Call or email arrange your in-person appointment.