A Modern Atelier

February 17, 2026

When you hear the word “atelier,” does a compact space in a New York City office building come to mind? It’s more likely that your mind takes you to Paris. There, a high-fashion workshop teems with elaborate feathers, delicate beads and silky ribbons. In Paris designers are strictly regulated by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Handmade work is venerated and protected—not just culturally, but literally: haute couture is a legal designation. ¹

At the Eittem atelier, a wide expanse of windows illuminates the workspace in natural light. The streets of Chelsea’s gallery district bustle below, as artisans sculpt, sand, and shine pieces of salvaged walnut. A variety of equipment, both vintage and modern, sits among salvaged walnut, paint cans, and scraps of the finest Alpine leather.

Eittem holds itself to the highest standards of fine craftsmanship. “Craft” is a word often used in the luxury landscape. Here, craft is no mere trend, but a founding principle. The small team of artisans is each trained in a particular area of craft, yet all arrived with their own artistic background and interests. Each handbag takes three weeks to create, passing through four sets of specialized hands.

Image Credit: The MET; "View of a studio the final week before the exhibition, from 'Parisian sketches,' published in Le Charivari, April 1, 1864"

Borrowing from the European tradition, the Eittem workshop is referred to as the “atelier,” to distinguish the artists who work together day in and day out to create these fine objects. The word for atelier also reveals a serendipitous hidden meaning, originating from the old French word astelier, meaning a carpenter’s workshop or woodpile.²

Eittem adopts the same language of contemporary haute couture, while also drawing inspiration from the earliest iterations of the atelier, dating to the Middle Ages. The atelier has been central to the history of Western art, originating from the medieval guild systems, when students studied under a master to perfect their craft.³ Large-scale painting was the foremost art form associated with ateliers. Fine art photographers in the 19th century also thrived under the framework of master and apprentice.

So, is great art ever created in a vacuum? The artistic output of ateliers over the course of history would argue, well, no. Many of the most recognizable painted works from the Renaissance were a result of working ateliers. The artist Raphael (1483-1520), whose unique compositions and use of color reflect the creativity of a singular genius, trained in an artist's atelier, learning from the master painter Pietro Perugino.⁴ The master Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) also ran a workshop in Antwerp, producing many works in collaboration with assistants.⁵ Then, a singular creative vision was expressed through the careful hands of a collective.

It was only in the 20th century that the concept of the artist as an individual took hold, and ateliers fell out of favor. At Eittem, this form of artistic collaboration is still prized. Each artisan arrived at the atelier with prior knowledge, pure talent, and a readiness to master the intricate and bespoke Eittem process.

Admired from a distance—gliding across a room at a cocktail party or resting on a bookshelf—the small, precious details of Eittem handbags go unseen. Admired up close, the true effort behind each piece and fine work of the atelier are revealed: the glossy finish of the painted bags, buffed by hand to achieve a flawless shine, and the alpine leather pocket, saddle-stitched and neatly tucked into the interior.

1 Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode
2 etymonline
3 Sotheby’s
4 Museo Del Prado
5 Flemish Masters