Creative Alterations
Joseph Jamkochian
1048 Brown Avenue ~ (925) 284-5638
Joseph Jamkochian seamlessly blends the meticulous skill of an old-world tailor with a sharp eye for modern fashion at Creative Alterations, a local mainstay for 34 years. The shop itself is inviting and bustling—part dry cleaners, part open sewing room, and part gallery for some of the most breathtaking gowns you’ve ever seen—all brought to life by Joseph’s warm, larger-than-life personality.
Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Joseph was raised in a family of tailors. On May 8, 1991, just days before the collapse of the Soviet Union, his family moved to California to reunite with his sisters. It was his sister who spotted a “for sale” sign at a small storefront (near where The Forge stands today) and encouraged Joseph to finally hang his own shingle. From those very first days, the business has always been a family labor of love; Joseph’s father worked faithfully by his side until he returned to Armenia in 1999.
Though Joseph is a gifted entrepreneur who has owned several businesses, he now focuses on his true gift: the art of the perfect fit. His hands have fashioned gowns for Miss America, movie stars, clients as far away as France and New York, and even my own “mother of the groom” gown. “My business runs on word of mouth,” he said as I asked for a website link. And while his expertise is world-class, his heart is strictly local; clients often travel from San Francisco, expecting Hollywood prices, only to be delighted by the incredible value and personal care they find here in Lafayette.
To Joseph, tailoring isn’t a science; it’s an art form. “You have to be able to see how the fabric will lay on the body,” he explains. No sooner had he said those words than a woman walked in, asking him to replicate a previous dress. “You have to try it on!” he bellowed with a grin, ushering her toward the dressing room.
That same spirit shines through in his deep devotion to Lafayette. During the pandemic, Joseph pivoted his talents to sew masks and uniforms for nurses, and he remains a proud sponsor of our local sports teams. It’s no wonder he is a perennial "Best in the East Bay" winner.
With his wife, Gohar, teaching at a local elementary school, and their children—Eliza, Luiza, and Sevak—growing their own families alongside their spouses in the area, the Jamkochian legacy is firmly planted in local soil. Now, with four grandchildren joining the fold, the family’s presence in the area is a beautiful multi-generational story of hard work and heart. Joseph is truly the fabric of our community—pun intended.