Redid my ballroom gown Excellent workmanship at a reasonable cost. I will definitely be back. read more

Ellen is the absolute best. Not only does she know exactly how to make your vision come to life, but she also works extremely quickly. My wedding dress had to be made several sizes smaller and shorter, and let out in some areas. I didn't have to explain anything - she completely understood what I wanted and made it happen flawlessly. Her prices are extremely fair and quite affordable especially in New York! She's super responsive by phone, her work space is beautiful and clean, and I would recommend her to anyone. Can't wait to wear my dress this summer :) read more

I called to get information. I wanted to confirm that it was not just a bridal boutique and that I could get a gown for a gal. She was rude and uninviting. "Its what I specialize in". "It's bridal season and I can't do short notice". I am glad her business is going so well that she doesn't feel the need to be more personable on the telephone. read more

Ellen, a remarkably talented professional seamstress, worked magic on my gown for a wedding, providing a swift turnaround, and I highly recommend her expertise to anyone aspiring to make a lasting impression in their attire. Forever appreciative, Lucy read more

What can I say? Ellen is an amazing and talented designer and seamstress. Recently I entrusted an Alexander McQueen gown to her for some alterations. She made thoughtful and important suggestions (ie. placing boning in the bandeau portion of the dress), in addition to artfully addressing my original concerns (the dress needed to be taken in). Everything was completed on schedule and meticulously. She is a true artisan. Cannot recommend her highly enough! read more

It's my new favorite place for alterations you guys did a great job with my suits.. very thankful for your service and the professionalism..

Ellen is an absolute genius. She altered the front/bust area, added in cups, tailored the sides, back, and thigh areas of my gown. My wedding dress fit perfectly. She had to cut about 5 inches from the bottom, which had a train, and it looked immaculate. She made me feel as if I had a custom dress made. I can't thank you enough Ellen! I recommend Ellen to any bride - she is well worth it! read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

Ellen is magic. First, my wedding gown, Ellen's work was absolutely beautiful. I'm rather short and Ellen had my dress fitting me like a glove!! Not only that, she trained my MOH on how to do the bustle for the big day. Second, I bought a retrofete gown to change into later in the evening (no return, no refund, $500). This dress did not fit me at all. I brought it to Ellen for her to confirm yeah sadly you should try to sell it. Nope! Ellen, like out of Cinderella, started pinning straps, taking in the waist and length and made this gown fit me perfectly. I can't thank her enough, and highly recommend Ellen's couture for all brides to be! read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Ellen's Couture was recommended to me by BHLDN where I purchased my 2nd rehearsal dress for my wedding. Ellen first went over all the alterations I wanted to get done to the dress which was unfortunately over my budget as the dress had a lot of lace details. She then proposed new the alternatives to fit my budget. I had 4 fittings here - 2 with Ellen and 2 with Oxshana and all the seamstresses here are lovely to work with and definitely know what they're doing. I absolutely love my 2nd dress as the team made it so comfortable and beautiful to my body. I think I love it even more than my first dress! Thank you so much Ellen and the team! read more

I highly recommend to all brides, Ellen's Couture! Ellen was so attentive and helpful when I was altering my wedding dress + rehearsal jumpsuit. The estimate + final invoice was the best compared to other tailors in the area. Overall her recommendations and attentiveness to each detail is what made the appointments better compared to other tailors I have experienced. Ellen is very knowledgable and willing to explain all of my silly questions/ concerns. She completely transformed my jumpsuit + wedding dress just by altering little details such as cups, straps, etc. that make a huge difference in pictures. Both outfits fit like a glove and I received so many compliments thanks to how well both items fit!! read more

See all

Ellen did a beautiful job to make sure my dress fit perfectly for the big day. She made sure every detail was perfect. read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I was so happy with my experience at Ellen's Couture. Her alteration studio was recommended to me by BHLDN, along with a few others, but hers had the most consistently positive reviews on Yelp and so I didn't hesitate to book a consultation. From day one, she and her staff were welcoming, straight-forward and professional. The studio itself is spacious and easy to find. It is clean and it takes one look in the back room to see that Ellen has many brides who trust her work! I tried on my dress during the consultation and was given a line-by-line write-up of what the alteration services would be. I thought the price was absolutely fair for the work and in line with what other NYC brides I know have paid. I paid half up front after leaving the consultation, again, I think this is totally fair so they can start the work! My second appointment went well too. Ellen had taken in the bodice and chest area and also taken it apart to shorten the bodice as I'm a petite height. She pinned the hem in accordance to the shoes I'd be wearing for the next step and showed me how she'd bustle it. And, the third and final appointment - the dress was PERFECT. It fit wonderfully. (And she shows you how to bustle the dress in person on the final pickup if you are unable to bring a guest). Ellen thinks of other things, such as reinforcing any clasps as the original one on my dress seemed slightly flimsy. She also added in cups, not for enhancement purposes, but to smooth out the bust and ensure I looked good in every angle! They are organized and know how to run a business and I felt confident during the entire process. Ellen even has the final consultation just in enough time in case you lose some inches from wedding stress and need some last minute alterations - really she doesn't miss a detail! I saw some reviews about her dog, a little French bulldog. He was sweet and well-behaved. He didn't bother me when I had my dress on and stayed laying down. Do not let the dog deter you, there was absolutely NO SIGN of hair or slobber. In fact, he added character to her studio! read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Overall, I give a 3.5 star rating - her workmanship is decent, and I am satisfied with her services, but she's not a customer service-oriented entrepreneur. Let me explain: I think Ellen does skillful work, and she quoted a fair price that fit in my budget - for the work I had done on my dress (a lot of work since I bought it on sale) - I had to get it taken in A LOT, she put a bustle, added cups, shaped the dress so that there was a sweetheart neckline (it was straight neckline and not strapless), removed the straps, hemmed the dress....basically it was a customized dress. I originally got a quote from another place and it was a whopping $500 more than what Ellen's Couture quoted me. However, I could tell the operations at the other place was more refined, cleaner, etc. They didn't have a dog running around like they do at Ellen's Couture, which I did not love. In any case, the entire process scheduling with Ellen's front desk person was not as efficient as it could be, but I was able to make the appointments, though one did have to be moved around and that was initiated from their end. Again, I was fine with it, as the alternate date worked for my schedule. Appointments are also written down in pencil in a giant date book, so this is not a computerized operation. Ellen is straight forward and my appointments with her were fine. Her demeanor is a bit brusque, and when I had one of my bridesmaids come help me towards the end to learn how to do the bustle in case, she said to me, "I would not enjoy working with Ellen, I don't know how you stand it!" It's because I'm on a budget and not looking to spend $$$$. She is not super friendly, so if you're looking to be BFF with your tailor, do not come here. But, all in all, she did good work and I'm satisfied with the dress, and got compliments galore. Thanks, Ellen's Couture! read more

I would recommend Ellen's Couture to all brides. Ellen is so talented and was able to build a corset and sew it into my dress to transform the bodice of my dress into exactly what I wanted - beautiful lace and a fit so secure I didn't need to worry all day. After having to postpone our original wedding, we then decided to do something small here in NYC for close friends and family. Ellen was able to turn my dress around in 5 weeks, and was extremely accommodating and attentive throughout the process. Thank you, Ellen! read more

I should start by saying I am not a review writer, but after 4 fittings and Ellen essentially de-and-re-constructing my entire dress to perfectly fit my body, I feel like we're family now. She took a low to mid-quality dress and somehow made it look and feel like a couture gown. Ultimately the alterations ended up costing more than the dress itself, but honestly Ellen's work is worth every penny. I have never felt more beautiful in my life than I did on my wedding day, all thanks to Ellen's dedication to getting every detail of my dress right. From the moment we met I felt very confident in her intuition and abilities. Ellen is not going to babysit you through the process, as she can be quiet and works quickly. I come from an entirely Eastern European family so this felt like coming home. During our first fitting she did not ask me what I thought I wanted, she just started pinning and knew instinctively what needed to be done. She brought in the waist, pulled up the shoulders and thinned out the strap to hit right at the outside edge of my collarbone. She tightened the sleeves, brought up the hem, saved the train from looking cartoonish, created a gorgeous bustle, and COMPLETELY reworked the bodice / chest / neckline lace. At the last minute she switched out the cups for a size that fit my shape much better, which I hadn't even noticed needed to be done. Never did she balk at the amount of work the dress needed to be the best version of itself. My advice for working with Ellen is Trust The Process. On my second and third fittings I was nervous seeing parts of the dress in pieces, but that is because she puts so much attention into each detail that she has to work bit by bit. On my final fitting I put on the dress and squealed. It was BEYOND perfect. Overall, I could not be happier with my experience getting these oh-so-important alterations done at Ellen's and I highly highly recommend her work to any bride. read more

See all

I found Ellen's Couture via Yelp and called the same day. I explained how soon I was getting married, and they were able to fit me in the next day for my first of five fittings. My dress was at least three sizes too big because I had purchased it at a HUGE discount. Ellen took one look at me in the dress and immediately began pinning away. She provided recommendations of things I had not even thought of, she suggested cups, a bustle, shoulder straps along with additional alterations, which resulted in the dress fitting like a GLOVE. Can I say how much I LOVED the bustle? It allowed me to move around effortlessly during our first dance as well as during the reception without a train trailing behind. Now, I look at brides and say to myself...they should've had professional alterations completed. Ellen and her team went above and beyond in accommodating me seeing that my wedding was 8 weeks away. I appreciated her professionalism and loved not having someone waste time chit chatting. From her office personal, to the seamstresses assisting with alterations they were all friendly, and pleasant. The ladies helped me record a video demonstrating how to bustle my dress, seeing that I did not have anyone accompanying me during my fittings. My dress was steamed and ready for transport (my wedding was in another state) in a garment bag on pick-up day. Overall, I LOVED the experience and while the cost was not cheap, considering the outcome it was worth every penny. I would recommend Ellen and her team hands down. *I uploaded pictures of my dress as my profile picture. read more

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ellen! She has talent and taste! I went in a few months ago for my first wedding dress fitting. The process was simple and fast! She pinned the dress to fit me like a glove and suggested I come back about a month prior to my wedding for a final fitting just to insure that the fit stayed the same. I went back for a final fitting with my Maid of Honor who needed to have her sash fitted and attached to her dress. Again, the process was fast and lovely! My dress was altered but the seems were not final just in case there was a need to further alterations. The dress was perfect!!!! I couldn't have been happier. Of course I ranted and raved to my husband who ended up taking his suit to Ellen for cleaning. He was shocked by the price and quality of the service. She was cheaper then the dirty looking dry cleaning establishments in the area!! I picked up my dress and my MOH's dress a few days before the wedding. Everything was perfect. I paid a very reasonable amount for all services and left happy and confident. I knew our dresses and suit would be perfect! Thank you Ellen for this great experience! read more

Ellen's Couture - My perfect dress! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

I took my BHLDN dress to Ellen, and in my naive nature didn't think it needed that much work done. At first the price was a shock to me (~$700, more than the cost of my dress, but again, the dress was a steal). After seeing how much work it really took, I think the price was totally fair. My MOH stepped in and said I was being ridiculous and told me to stick with Ellen. It wasn't until she started work that I realized how much there really was to be done, and then again after getting my wedding photos I'm now just completely floored. The entire bodice needed to be reshaped because it was too big for me. The material on the neckline was irritating my skin as well. In all, I think I had about 5 fittings. Ellen is a no BS kind of person, which may rub certain brides the wrong way, but I honestly really appreciated it. When you're getting married, you don't have time for BS unless you get off on the pomp and circumstance of being waited on and worshipped for every second of each part of the process (annoying!). She's super nice, but doesn't have time to baby you, so make sure you go in knowing what you want, then leave knowing that your dress is in as capable of hands as they could be, and get the other million things done that have to be done. I'm glad I spent less on my dress so that I could justifiably invest in making it perfect for my body. I would go back to her a million times over, even if it was just to visit her trusty sidekick JoJo. Thank you Ellen and team for your artistry!! read more

Ellen was recommended to me by the folks at Lovely Bride. I had a good experience getting my wedding dress tailored, done with three fittings in a little over a month's turnaround time. The tailoring is beautiful and my dress fit absolutely perfectly. Very impressive craftsmanship. One word of advice to other brides - that has nothing to do with Ellen and more with the process in general - be prepared that what "wedding dress alterations" really means is that the dress is going to be hacked apart to pieces and put back together again. It would have been nice to be prepared for that in advance before my second fitting, when I showed up and the top was literally safety pinned to the bottom! read more

First of all I never write reviews, but I feel compelled to review Ellen and her staff. I started off with a fairly simple wedding dress alteration, but once I met her I decided that she could design and make the after party dress of my dreams; and that it would be better than anything else I could find. From start to finish I knew I was in the hands of a professional with a discerning eye, who's precision and pride in her craft was obvious. It was a last minute decision (we had 2-3 wks) but she always accommodated me without hesitation, and it was by far my easiest decision throughout my wedding planning. read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

Elen is amazing! She transform my size 4 dress in a size 2. Made a amazing work with my pageant gown dress! and i won! Thank you!! read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I'm so happy that I live practically next door to one of the best bridal alterations places in town! I had a second wedding where I was re-using my Vera Wang Farrah wedding dress. The dress was already altered and in great shape, but the belt was falling off and it was really bugging me. I took it in to Ellen and she also identified some uneven places in the hem. She fixed up the belt and fixed up the hem for me, and then told me not to lose any more weight ;) Also note - there are 2 tailors. One is Ellen and she specializes in the more complicated bridal work. And then there is a male tailor to whom you can take your more "normal" stuff. Ellen has to be booked through a bridal appointment. The other tailor can be walk-in. Seriously though, her work is top notch, detailed, and highly skilled. Make sure that you call ahead and make your appointment (and put it into your own calendar as well). The coordinator will call the day of to remind you of your appointment - though they messed up one of my appointments (they'd crossed it out and put it on a different date, then called me on the crossed out date). Regardless, my review is for the overall experience, which was very positive, and Ellen charged very reasonably for her work. read more

Ellen's Couture - Me in my Vera Wang Farrah gown - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

I never write bad reviews, but I felt the need to write one for this tailor due to my disappointing experience. I recently went to get a quote for my wedding dress at Ellen's Couture since it seemed like the most reasonably priced and best rated tailor in the area, but when I entered the shop, I noticed that the dressing rooms were extremely dirty (leaving dirt remnants on the bottom of my dress). While the team was adjusting my dress for the bustle, Ellen was playing catch with her dog which ran around across my dress and left paw prints left all over the dress; I found this to be extremely unprofessional. Lastly, Ellen gave me a $450 quote for simply adding a bustle and cups, since the dress didn't need alterations, which is extremely overpriced. I ended up going with another tailor referred by a friend which was more professional and affordable. read more

Ellen, Ellen, Ellen! I cannot speak highly enough of my experience with Ellen's Couture in altering (in reality, completely taking apart and rebuilding) my wedding dress. I was really nervous about bringing my dress in for alterations - it was an expensive dress and I didn't want it to get ruined. I instantly felt welcomed and listened to from my first appointment - we talked at length about what would need to be done to the dress in order to fit the way I wanted it to. *A lot* of work needed to be done, but Ellen reassured me that it could be done and that it would come out well. And she was right! I think I went back for four, maybe five, fittings after the initial appointment. Ellen and her team were patient and kind. Setting up (and changing, when necessary) appointments was a breeze. I always had friends with me and Ellen was kind to them, and explained to them (if they hadn't been with me before) what was being done to the dress and gave very helpful instructions for steaming the dress on the big day. The dress fit exactly how I wanted it to; I felt amazing all day/night and got compliments specifically on the fit of the dress (I was even asked if it was made specially for me). When i left with my dress after the final fitting, I was actually sad that I wasn't going to go back to see Ellen again in a few weeks. Also, I should mention that, for the quality of work and overall experience, Ellen's Couture is very affordable. read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Ellen's is AMAZING. She not only altered my wedding dress but also my reception skirt that was botched by another seamstress. She was calm, always gave great advice when I brought my accessories in. Her staff and dog are the sweetest! Pricing is reasonable for the quality of work she presented. My dress and reception outfit fit PERFECTLY. I had to go to 3 fittings and she listened to all of my concerns and worked on my dress without complaints. I wouldn't hesitate to go to her, I will definitely be a repeat customer. read more

Really on the fence as to whether I'd recommend Ellen to a friend. Ultimately I think the answer depends on the friends ability to self-advocate and see what needs to be done. I will explain in more detail below. I should preface this review by saying I chose to work with Ellen after reading reviews on Yelp which seemed to indicate that as high quality seamstresses go, she gave the most reasonable quote. I did not comparison shop, so cannot comment, and wanted to go with a place that came recommended by my bridal shop. Now for some pros and cons... Pros: - my dress ultimately turned out beautifully and fit like a glove. I couldn't have been happier. - Ellen made good suggestions such as adding boning at the sides for increased structure (without sacrificing comfort) - Ellen did surgery on the blusher of my veil to debulk it, which really saved the day! Cons: - every time we met, I inquired about taking the dress in. Ellen repeatedly told me we would do this at the final fitting, which made sense. Well at my 3rd fitting she tried to tell me the dress was finished, even though we'd never taken it in and there were gaping areas of material at my hip that ANYONE I showed could see. Ellen tried to convince me this did not need to be done, as she'd already steamed my dress and wanted me to take it home. I more or less refused and convinced her to do the alterations that had been REPEATEDLY discussed, and they came out beautifully. This would have made some sense to me if alterations were fixed in price, however taking the dress in was done at an additional cost, so the incentive should have been there. - similarly at the third fitting I had 2 other issues I wanted addressed. Ellen tried to talk me out of them and only acquiesced once she'd agreed to keep the dress to take it in. - all of this led to a certain level of distrust. I had to bring a friend to one appointment as I did not trust Ellen to tell me what needed to be done, and I wasn't sure I knew myself - scheduling: the area near her shop has changed during Covid due to a hotel nearby that was turned into a homeless shelter. Ellen says she did not want to stay past dark, and was leaving by 4 for this reason. I was able to understand this in the winter. However, now when it it getting dark at 8pm, one would think she could stay open until 6, to accommodate those of us who aren't currently working from home and don't have flexible schedules. I found her unwillingness to budge on this to be obnoxious. So all in all, if you are willing to be assertive and know what you want, Ellen does great work. If you need someone to guide you through the process, or are easily intimidated, I'd look elsewhere. read more

I highly recommend Ellen to all the brides. I think it's good work at fair price! I compared 4 tailors in the city before choosing Ellen. She gave me the best proposal. The result was great! In addition to the alterations discussed, she also helped me fix a small defect in the dress that just surfaced after the second fitting. The dress was flattering after Ellen's work! Appointment is needed since she's very busy. She keeps her promise in timely delivery. I had three appointments in total 1. Initial fitting to bring the dress and discuss the plan 2. Try on the dress without the bustle to see the body fit 3. Final fitting and adjustment if needed. Tips: keep notes on what was discussed in the first appointment for your own future reference. Also bring the heels and lingerie that you plan to wear in your wedding day for the best result. read more

I unfortunately had a very unpleasant experience with this business. Scheduling was difficult, Ellen was rude to me on multiple occasions, it cost a fortune, and I wasn't thrilled with the alterations. Worst of all, the bustle she created came apart halfway through my wedding reception, causing me to lose about 45 minutes of my reception as friends and family frantically tried to pin together my dress so that I could continue dancing and enjoying the party. I should have known things were off to a bad start when, at my first appointment, I put on my dress and her dog immediately jumped on the train of my wedding gown. "He loves fluffy dresses" her assistant explained as she pulled him off of it. I could not believe it. I am a total dog lover, but this was the wedding dress of my dreams...how is there a dog prancing around a shop full of expensive dresses unattended? read more

Ellen's Couture was literally a LIFESAVER when I needed a bridesmaids dress taken out at the zipper because the dress was not zipping! I only had a week and a half before the wedding and Ellen's got in done for me in just 4 DAYS!!! When 2 other tailors I called said it probably couldn't be done (bc it was a silk dress) or would cost be hundreds of dollars, Ellen's actually took the time to look at the problem, were incredibly kind and were able to fit my alteration in in the timeframe I needed it done! And for an incredibly fair price might I add! I could not recommend Ellen's Couture more. I will be taking every alteration I'm in need of to them in the future. Seriously look no further if you need anything altered in NYC! They are AMAZING!!! read more

I walked the red carpet for a documentary premiere at Lincoln Center on Feb 6--with a crooked dress. I chose this vintage dress from my closet shortly before my event. I had another dress on-deck in case it was too late to get the vintage dress tailored. I am giving 2 stars rather than 1, because when I brought the dress to Ellen's shop the first time, the man sewing in the back (though too busy doing his work to be at-all-friendly) took the time to examine me in the dress and was cautious before telling me whether my dress could be ready in 24 hours before accepting my business (he deferred to Ellen). When I returned to show the dress to Ellen, she told me that I just needed a few stitches along 4 seems and that she could have it done by 4 PM the day of my 6 PM event (the dress really needed much more to fit me well, but then Ellen could not have promised 24 hour-turn-around as she did). When I showed up a few minutes after 4 PM, the dress was "not done yet", as they were purportedly "still working on it". I saw my dress hanging in their long line of works in progress, and I am really not sure that they had even gotten started. When they brought the dress out about 10 minutes later, the work was uneven. I showed Ellen that a front seem was off by about a centimeter; she called it 1/8 of an inch and said she would repair it (I hadn't checked the rear seems). Eventually, I ran out of waiting time and needed to go back to the apartment to get ready for my event. Ellen had her delivery person deliver the dress to me (1 block away) at about 5:20, where I sat in the lobby waiting and putting on my makeup, stressed out that I had planned to depart at 5:30.... In the final result (which I measured the day after when I saw how lop-sided my dress was in each photo from the event), Ellen had overcompensated for the unevenness in the front seems, so now the one that was too short was too long; also, the seems in the back were uneven too. The legacy of the lop-sided dress will persist in my photos on the web. I feel badly writing a negative review, but Ellen needs to work with greater care, so that she can use her talent (and that of the thoughtful guy in the back) to the fullest. read more

Bought a dress at David's Bridal, online and on sale, and about a 1/2 size too big. But since my upper half doesn't match my lower half ANYWAY, I kinda knew I'd have to get it altered... I yelped tailors in Astoria (where I live) and the UWS (where I work) and I thought the reviews for Ellen's Couture made it seem worth a shot. I called for an appointment and the woman on the phone just told me to come in, after 4:30. Didn't take my name or anything. So when I strolled in with my dress at 5, I was a little taken aback when Ellen (I can only presume it was her... short woman with an accent) barked at me "APPOINTMENTS ONLY!!" I was like uh, yeah, did that. Anyway... young guy behind the counter directed me to the "fitting room" (closet with curtains) and Ellen begrudgingly sent out the tailor from the back room who was completely sweet and pinned me up in front of the mirror, asking about the fit. About 20 min later, I was out of there with a tag and told it would be ready in 12 days. When I picked it up - Ellen outside smoking a cigarette and her smelly hands helped me try on the dress again, which FIT LIKE A GLOVE! Price wasn't bad either - $55 for two side seams (no corset in the dress). But minus a star for crabby-ass attitude and smelly hands... read more

Ellen is BRILLIANT and I think she and Oksana saved our wedding. We had to postpone 4 times because of Covid and by the time we were actually able to proceed, I was going to be 7 months pregnant at the wedding. I loved my dress and wanted to still use it if possible. I was incredibly overwhelmed and researched dozens of wedding dress alteration specialists in both NY and NJ. Some places told me the dress could not be changed so drastically (it had a corset bodice), or quoted me exorbitant prices, but Ellen was the most knowledgeable, experienced, realistic, and reasonable. I trusted her immediately and even though we had just moved to NJ, I decided she was the wisest choice and was happy to come in several times for her services. She preserved the 'essence' of my dress while expertly altering it to accommodate my growing belly. I cannot recommend her highly enough - hands down, Ellen's Couture was the best decision we made for the entire wedding! read more

See all

I found Ellen's Couture here on Yelp. I was looking for an alterations specialist for my designer wedding gown. I had found the most beautiful gown, but it needed a lot of work because it had been a sample gown. It was distressed. I did not want to go through some horror story so I chose Ellen's based on her positive reviews here on Yelp. Ellen is AWESOME! Her store is like 20+ stops from where I live but I'm glad I took all the trips to her store. The location is nice. The store is spacious, clean and comforting (dingy isn't comforting when it involves wedding dresses); the store is beautiful. Ellen made my gown fit me perfectly, from bust to length she did a magnificent job. I needed some lace added to the chest because the dress was a little too revealing for me, the lace cap sleeves needed to be fitted and needed additional lace as well. When the gown was complete, everything fit perfectly and looked complete. She is a master at her craft. With one look at my gown she already knew what needed to be done and what fabrics to add. She actually found identical lace in her collection within minutes of first seeing the dress. I'm very thankful to God that I came to Ellen for my gown. The price was, it was fair. It was pricey for me, but perhaps not for others. Overall, the work she did made it worth it. Some posts here complain about cigarette fingers and her serious demeanor but she is actually a very nice and chill person. She had a good sense of humor with me. Her personal smoking preferences don't interfere with the quality of her work/craft. I highly recommend her. Thanks Ellen! I got lots of compliments on my dress! -Kassandra read more

Fabulous experience. I bought a Nicole Miller wedding gown and was unhappy with the cardboard-y shape the lining made in the bodice. Ellen had worked on a similar dress and had great suggestions on how to reformulate it. She added boning, trimmed the oddly asymetrical lining, took out the useless bra/garter, added cups, took in the sides and let out the hips, and added a bustle. I would have had no idea what to ask for but she knew exactly what the dress needed, and what its weaknesses were. I got comments at my wedding that people had never seen a dress fit anyone more perfectly. I had no idea the dress could be as beautiful as she made it and she is way better than the tailors that Nicole Miller had recommended. She gave it to me fully pressed and steamed, and her price was more than reasonable-- maybe half of what i expected to pay! I highly recommend her-- just be sure to make an appointment because she is a busy lady. Note: don't be turned off by her desk/phone girl, who is not very polite and difficult to communicate with. read more

Ellen is simply amazing. She hemmed and took in my Lela Rose wedding gown and did it absolutely perfectly - what an expert! In addition, I had her make a delicate lace piece to go over my dress since I am religious and she did a tremendous job - the lace piece really made the dress! She made sure to keep the design true to my style and the craftsmanship was excellent. I will recommend Ellen to everyone for any alterations needs. read more

Ellen is a bride expert! She not only altered my wedding dress for my 5'1 frame, she bustled and added in cups for a great price. Her selling point to a picky bride, is you can come in for as many alterations as you want to make sure you are 100% satisfied and it is picture perfect. Ellen's advice and no nonsense attitude was exactly what I needed. She showed my bridesmaid how to bustle my dress and get me in the dress in a timely manner. She made sure they knew what they were doing and answered all of our wedding questions before we left with the dress on the final fitting. She's truly an expert and knows what she is doing. I recommend her fully- no questions asked. If you want a tailor who is on her game please take your wedding dress to Ellen. You just can't go wrong!! read more

Ellen's Couture - Wedding day- lace gown with train. Thanks Ellen! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

Ellen did an amazing job on the alterations on my dress which was more of a complicated dress. She paid attention to all the details and made sure that the dress fit me like a glove. My dress needed to be shortened and in doing so I was worried that the embroidery and embellishment would be removed but she was able to shift everything up so that the dress would look the same. I definitely recommend her for all bridal needs. I also went to 3 other bridal alternation specialists and they were either way overpriced or were going to cut corners (like just cutting the embroidery off at the hem etc). I also wanted to find someone I was really comfortable with and I trusted her with my dress right away. Thank you so much Ellen!! read more

The following is a true story...Ellen has saved my day... I arrived in NYC (from Australia) in total desperation...due to a series of unforeseen circumstances before my leaving Australia, my dress arrived too late to perform any alterations before leaving Australia and so I was desperately looking for someone to do a much needed hook enhancement (or possible seam let out if time permitted) in literally 1 day...as you can appreciate it is a pretty short space of time... After finding few placed (as well as Ellen's) on Yelp and numerous (at least 4) failed telephone calls I dialed Ellen's Couture...and after talking to a Receptionist and getting a "no, so very sorry, but there is just not enough time" I have insisted in total desperation and Ellen got on the phone and asked if I could be there in an hour...Friday afternoon it was...I made it there in under an hour (very conveniently located in Upper West Side) and basically I met a very professional business woman who has examined my dress problem and asked to come back to pick up the dress the following day, Saturday, for my Monday wedding day... She didn't just enhance the hook but has let the seams out because, in her own words "it just wouldn't be right to not do the job properly and not do proper alterations to make the dress sit/feel perfect"... I picked up my absolutely perfectly fit dress on Saturday afternoon and enjoyed a great relaxing NYC weekend without any stress before my big day. The charges were so much less than I expected for such an amazing and fast workmanship. The dress was beautifully steamed and packed for transportation. I cannot be more thankful for a professionalism and above all amazing work that Ellen has performed with my dress. I would totally recommend her salon and work/craftsmanship to any bride or any alterations you may need. The results will be brilliant! Please do not hesitate to contact me in case of any questions, I will be happy to answer them. Happy and smiling ex-Bride (now Wifey) :) Natalia. read more

Ellen's Couture - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - New York, New York

See all

So glad I took my dress to Ellen! I'm the type of bride that finds this whole process more uncomfortable than fun, so I really appreciated how straightforward and efficient she is. I had a fairly simple BHLDN dress that she made it fit better than I could have imagined. She suggested replacing the bust cups which made a big difference in the look and fit. It was easy to schedule with her, and I was always in and out very quickly. Highly recommend! read more

Ellen was one of the recommended tailors for BHLDN when I purchased my wedding dress. After months of fittings, I can say that all of the glowing reviews here are 100% accurate. Ellen is straight to the point, will tell you immediately what she thinks needs to be done to your dress, and does a fabulous job at that. She won't sugarcoat anything or go out of her way to pamper you; she's all business - which I actually appreciated. At my final fitting I wasn't happy with how one of the seams looked since it added an extra crease in the bust that wasn't there before. She told me to take off the dress, disappeared for 20 mins and it was absolutely perfect. She tells everyone she will never leave a bride unhappy and she's true to her word. Her adorable French bulldog Jojo who is usually sleeping on the floor is just the cherry on top :) Thank you, Ellen! read more