— With over 30 years of experience in couture fashion, I’ve designed hundreds of one-of-a-kind wedding and evening gowns.
— From Lviv, Ukraine to Birmingham, USA, I bring precision tailoring, timeless elegance, and the highest quality materials to every dress.
Mykola Vyshyvanyuk is a master dressmaker, designer, entrepreneur, and the creative force behind NiEl Bridal Atelier, and most importantly, husband and father of three children, Eva, Joanna, and Viktoriia.
I’m Mykola, and my journey in fashion began at the age of 18. At 19, I enrolled at the College of fashion Industry in Lviv, Ukraine, where I received a solid foundation in manual craftsmanship, textile knowledge, and pattern-making for both women’s and men’s garments.
Together with my wife Olena, we started creating custom wedding gowns and designing our own bridal collections. In 2012, we returned to Ukraine and opened our first atelier — NiEl, a name born from our Greek names, Nikolas and Eleni. For 11 years, we proudly served brides in Lviv, handcrafting hundreds of wedding dresses and building a loyal clientele.
A month after arriving, I purchased my first industrial sewing machine in Los Angeles and shipped all my tailoring tools and custom patterns from Ukraine. I began offering wedding gown alterations and fittings, collaborating with bridal stores in Alabama. Eight months later, I had saved enough to reestablish my atelier.
After graduating, I traveled across Europe to deepen my understanding of the fashion industry. I settled in Greece and studied at the Veloudakis Fashion College, further advancing my skills in garment technology and pattern construction. I began working as a designer’s assistant at the Greek company Muzuri A. E., and later joined the Italian company Maurizio A. E. as a designer and pattern developer for new collections.
After the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022, we were forced to close our atelier and shift to volunteer work, sewing military gear and equipment for Ukrainian soldiers for eight months. In November 2022, with the support of our sponsors and the Vestavia Hills community, we relocated to the United States.
With the help of REV Birmingham and TESSA, we secured all licenses and found the perfect storefront. On November 5, 2023, alongside my wife Olena and our three daughters — Eva, Joanna, and Viktoriia — we officially opened NiEl Bridal Atelier in Birmingham, Alabama.
Our mission is to bring the art of European bridal couture to American brides — a labor of love, gratitude, and craftsmanship.
The story continues…