Meet the DiCarlos: Rachel and Franco.
She's a Lehigh Valley native, and he's from Italy.
They fell in love in New York City in the 1990s while cultivating their careers in the fashion industry. One dream wedding (at the Vatican!) and two kids later, a home they purchased in Saucon Valley as a weekend retreat would allow them to divide their time between the Valley and the Big Apple for roughly 20 years. Though that chapter of their lives is in the past, the future seems just as exciting for the DiCarlos, who are now spending even more time in the area. Rachel continues to navigate the upper levels of public relations for some of the most recognizable brands in the fashion business, and Franco is reigniting his passion for food with the opening of a restaurant in Hellertown, a project that became a true family affair.
Before she was Rachel DiCarlo she was Rachel Bold, born and raised in Fountain Hill.
She speaks fondly of her childhood, recalling memories of playing sports and taking frequent trips to the playground and the pool. But she was always drawn to fashion. She got her first taste of that life when she modeled for the junior’s department at Hess’s department store in Allentown. “It just fueled my interest,” she says. “I loved it.” And while she appreciated the tranquility of the Lehigh Valley, even as a child she craved the hustle and bustle of a bigger city. “We would always go to New York and it made such an impression on me,” Rachel says. “It was just where I wanted to be.”
And so, there was little doubt of her destination after she graduated first from Bethlehem Catholic High School in 1985 and then Penn State in 1989. Once the PSU cap and gown came off, she packed up her belongings and made tracks for New York City. Within two weeks, she had a job at Calvin Klein. “It was unbelievable that I came from small-town Pennsylvania and landed at Calvin Klein, which was one of the hottest companies at the time,” Rachel says. “It was the Kate Moss and Marky Mark days.” She had no connections in the industry, no automatic “in” to propel her to the front of the line. “It was pure determination,” Rachel says. “Passion, drive, grit, hustle. I really wanted it.”
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Continuing her passion for jeans, in 2005, Rachel was named vice president of public relations for American Eagle (a leader in denim) and Aerie, an intimates, apparel and swimwear brand. Rachel was instrumental in the launch of the #AerieREAL movement, which revolutionized the fashion industry in 2014 when the brand stopped retouching images. “Aerie Real is about inspiring women to love their real selves and let the real you shine through,” she says.
“I am so proud and grateful to be part of a company that promotes positivity, empowerment and makes women feel better about themselves.”
Currently, Rachel leads PR and talent/influencer strategy for Aerie, Offline and Unsubscribed. Offline is an extension of Aerie that makes activewear, and Unsubscribed is a private label collection that offers consciously made, slow fashion, delivering clothing and accessories that are better for consumers and for the world.
While she’s never been tempted to pursue modeling beyond her stint with Hess’s, Rachel’s personal style and fashion advice have kept her in demand and in the spotlight. She’s been featured in several magazines, including Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle. She’s also made appearances on The View, Oprah, E! and Extra to discuss the latest trends.
Franco DiCarlo’s resume is just as impressive as his wife’s.
He was born in Rome and immigrated from Italy to Canada and then the United States when he was three years old. “I literally came over on the boat with my mom and my brother,” he says. They settled in Michigan. Later, he would go on to work at the upper levels of several high-profile fashion brands, including Armani, Valentino and Calvin Klein.
Although they were both rising stars in the fashion industry, Rachel and Franco had never met until their worlds collided in 1991 when they were set up on a blind date. The matchmaker was a friend and colleague of Rachel’s at Calvin Klein who left to take a job at Armani, where Franco was working. She was insistent that the two would make a solid couple.
It took a few weeks of convincing, but Franco finally called Rachel, and they made dinner plans. The place was Da Umberto on West 17th Street in Manhattan. “That was a Tuesday,” Rachel says. “We went out again on a Sunday, and I just knew I was going to marry him.” They exchanged vows in October of 1996 at the venue to top all venues—St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. A monsignor her family knew from the Lehigh Valley was assigned to the Vatican at the time, helped work out all the details and performed the ceremony (these days, he’s back in the Valley, serving at a local parish). Rachel wore a Vera Wang gown. The ceremony was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings and Vogue Weddings. “It was a magical day,” says Rachel.
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The PA House
About three years ago, Franco began to get a little more serious about an idea that had been percolating for a long time: opening a restaurant of his own.
It’s something he says he used to joke about with his mom. But long before he began connecting the dots and scouting locations, his family was putting in the work in the kitchen. “Food has always been one of these things that’s been in our blood,” Franco says. And he sees some parallels between the fashion and food industries. “[They’re both] very detail-oriented to make sure the experience is consistent,” Franco says. “It’s the lighting, it’s the music, it’s the glassware, it’s the presentation of the food coming out, it’s the quality of the food. It’s all of those things combined.”
The DiCarlos had dabbled in the food industry before; they ran Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream & Treatery at the Promenade Shops from 2006 to 2014. But The PA House, their 65-seat restaurant serving casual yet premium cuisine in Hellertown, is a much bigger endeavor. The setting is a repurposed and renovated auto garage on Front Street. Franco sees the eatery—and the feeling of community he hopes to inspire within it—as a natural fit for the space. “Garages have always been part of how we grew up,” he says, referencing his childhood in Michigan. Early on, it was a place to hang out and tinker on a bicycle with friends. Later, the tinkering was done on motorcycles and cars. And of course, he points out, lots of business success stories (think Apple, Hewlett Packard) started in the humblest of ways inside someone’s garage.
The food, as one might expect based on Franco’s roots, is Italian inspired, with wood-fired, artisanal pizzas playing a starring role on the menu. Salads, burgers, sandwiches and shareables—cheese plates, charcuterie boards, hummus, etc.—also figure prominently in the cuisine. “The menu will evolve,” Franco says. A small bar serves up craft beers and cocktails as well as wine. The restaurant’s floor plan is open concept, from the seating area to the kitchen. The place is designed to have an al fresco feel in the warmer months, thanks to the large garage doors that can be raised to let in the fresh air and sunlight.
There’s a come-as-you-are vibe to it, drawing hikers, bikers and stroller-pushing parents finishing up a jaunt on the nearby Saucon Rail Trail or preparing to make a pit stop at the playground at Water Street Park, which is catty-corner to The PA House. The name the DiCarlos chose for the restaurant comes from the nickname they use for their home in the Lehigh Valley. “We just wanted to develop a place that’s different but familiar,” Franco says. “An extension of who we are and where we want to go to.” The vision for the eatery and its execution have been shaped not just by Rachel and Franco, but by their two children, too. “We all weigh in. Every decision is by committee,” Rachel says. “I have to run [decisions] past the board all the time,” Franco jokes.
One of Rachel’s major contributions is Hello Joe, a refurbished 1972 Airstream parked on the property that serves up coffee, smoothies, specialty drinks and pastries. She’s long been a connoisseur of all things java related. “I’m coffee obsessed, basically. I’ve loved it since my college days,” she says. And “Joe” was always her nickname for coffee. “It’s about ‘Hello Joe’ spreading love and happiness one cup at a time,” she says. “Joe is very positive. He’s my pal. He comes everywhere with me.” Her go-to is a cappuccino, but she also loves a good latte, macchiato and an espresso. For the record, Franco likes “Joe,” too, but he keeps it simpler: coffee, black. And only in the mornings.
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Another shared pleasure: catching up with their kids via FaceTime. Juliet, a graphic designer in the making, is graduating this year from Penn State University. Adrian is studying womenswear design at the London College of Fashion
at the University of the Arts London. Getting used to them being out of the house has been an adjustment. “I miss them daily, but I know it’s time for them to leave the nest and have the life they’re supposed to have,” Rachel says. When their schedules allow it, Rachel and Franco also enjoy traveling, taking motorcycle rides and spending time outdoors. And they’ll continue to take pride in what they’ve built professionally, as they embark on a somewhat new adventure in that realm. “To me, this is fun,” Franco says.
