Reviewed by: Sharron Swain
Meet the Ukranian couple designing beautiful wedding gowns in Birmingham
Reading time: 4 minutes
At NiEl Bridal Atelier in Forest Park, a dressmaker named Mykola Vyshyvanyuk designs and sews unique wedding gowns with the help of his wife, Olena. For years, the couple operated a bridal boutique in Lviv, Ukraine until 2022 when they fled to Alabama in the midst of war.
Two years later, Mykola has debuted a collection of custom gowns inspired by his family’s new life in Birmingham, entitled “Magic in the City.”
From Lviv, Ukraine to Birmingham, Alabama
A graduate of Veloudaky Fashion College in Athens, Greece, Mykola always dreamed of opening his own bridal shop one day. In 2012, his dream became a reality. Mykola, Olena and their children moved back to Ukraine and he opened the first iteration of NiEL Bridal Atelier.
As the father of three daughters—Eva, Ionna and Viktoriia—Mykola enjoys designing fashion for women and girls. According to him, he loves making wedding gowns because it’s inspiring to create a garment for someone’s special day.
When the war in Ukraine began, Mykola and Olena joined the war effort using their sewing skills.
“We worked as volunteers and created different equipment for soldiers like vests, hoping that war would end soon. When war started no one needed wedding dresses anymore and we had no possibility to ship orders. It was so much different from wedding dresses but we could save someone’s life.”
Mykola Vyshyvanyuk, Owner of NiEl Bridal Atelier
After a few months of volunteering in Ukraine, Mykola and Olena made the difficult decision to close NiEl Bridal Atelier and leave their country for the safety of their family. Using the United 4 Ukraine program, the Vyshyvanyuks were able to find a family in Birmingham to sponsor them and assist them in acclimating to the city.
“From the moment we found our safe place and new home, I had one big dream—to get my store back. I wanted to recreate it here and to be able to provide a new life and education for my family. It took me a year to start, and many great people supported me in this project. Now I can say—it’s a blessing to be able to do what you love and create incredibly beautiful and elegant gowns for happy brides. It is my inspiration.”
Mykola Vyshyvanyuk, Owner of NiEl Bridal Atelier
The “Magic in the City Collection” inspired by Birmingham
Two years since emigrating from Ukraine, Mykola and his family have grown to love Birmingham. At his bridal shop in Forest Park, Mykola and Olena have created a collection of wedding gowns inspired by his new life in The Magic City—the “Magic in the City” collection.
“I can truly say—we love Birmingham. This city welcomed us so warmly. Every person we met was ready to help. Our kids are in great schools, and they have many great friends. We were able to calm down and start over here. And we have a great hope that this city will love our creations and will support NiEl Bridal Atelier.”
Mykola Vyshyvanyuk, Owner of NiEl Bridal Atelier
“Magic in the City” by NiEl Bridal Atelier photographed by Liesa Cole. Photo assistance by Joel Valencia. Modeled by Finn Jasele and Lucy Allen Long. Hair by Mark Hyde and Alicia Breyne. Makeup by Faith Cookney.
Want to see more of Mykola and Olena’s designs? Check out NiEl Bridal Atelier on social media or visit their store in Birmingham. See the behind-the-scenes of the photoshoot here.
- Location: 701 37th Street S, Birmingham, AL 35222
- Hours: Monday-Saturday 9AM-6PM
- Website | Instagram | Facebook
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