Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, the bridal fashion pioneer behind the Kleinfeld superstore, died in Manhattan on March 29 at the age of 99 from intestinal blockage.
Kleinfeld’s son Robert Schachter confirmed her death, according to The New York Times. Kleinfeld was a Holocaust survivor who believed women deserved to wear unique, fashionable dresses on their special day. She founded I. Kleinfeld & Son which later expanded and became a New York City fashion institution, according to the Times. Kleinfeld is known for revolutionizing wedding gown style and offering brides an opportunity to bask in the glory of fine fabrics and cutting-edge designs.
Since 2007, Kleinfeld Bridal has been the setting for TLC’s reality show “Say Yes to the Dress.”
Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, who with her husband, Jack, built the empire of tulle and satin known as Kleinfeld’s, the bridal superstore that for decades drew women from all over the world to the unlikely locale of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, has died at 99. https://t.co/4rPuFCdbAe
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 15, 2023
Schachter began designing dresses in the late 1960s, a time when wedding gowns were confined to traditional, limited designs. Kleinfeld traveled the world and introduced new, daring concepts. She soon assembled her own collection of stylists, fitters, sewers and beading professionals to customize her dress designs, according to the Times.
She introduced brides to a world of fashion they had never encountered before, exposing clients to different textures, including satin, brocade, lace and chiffon, and embellishing her stunning gowns with beads and detailed embroidery. Her fashion-forward concepts included Ragamuffin sleeves, portrait collars, bolero jackets, and tiaras and veils that accented each of her gown designs, according to the Times. (RELATED: Britney Spears’ Custom Wedding Dress Is A Timeless Beauty)
Bridal pioneer of Kleinfeld’s dies, leaving lasting legacy https://t.co/fZyNUjT3WC
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) April 17, 2023
In addition to her son Robert, Kleinfeld is survived by her other son, Ronald, her three granddaughters and two great-grandchildren.