ATP Atelier combines Swedish minimalism with Italian craftsmanship

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Isabelle Crossley

Published
Sep 14, 2018

With a fashion show, a concept store, and a showcase in Paris, ATP Atelier is back in full force this autumn 2018 season and is determined to pursue continued expansion.

Co-founded by Maj-La Pizzelli and Jonas Clason in 2011, the Swedish leather goods label, which specialises in footwear and bags, has garnered around 200 multi-brand buyers including Harvey Nichols, Net-A-Porter, The Line in New York, and, since this spring, the Italian department store La Rinascente.

“We make 60 percent of our revenue from export sales. We want to expand in France especially, where we are currently distributed by the website departementfeminin.com,” explained Maj-La Pizzelli, who will be in Paris during fashion week which runs from September 28 to October 2.

Pizzelli will be with the brand at Swedish Fashion Now, which is hosted by the Swedish Institute and will take place in the Marais at 10 rue Elzévir.

Pizzelli has worked in the fashion industry for over 20 years and spent 13 of those years working for Filippa K, one of the most well-known women’s ready-to-wear labels in Sweden where she was responsible for product.

After working for several years as a consultant, she launched ATP Atelier, which is named after a song by The Velvet Underground entitled "All Tomorrow’s Parties”.

Pizzelli launched the brand with Jonas Clason, a stylist from Acne Studios who Pizzelli met at Gul & Blå, a Swedish brand where they worked together for a time.

The design duo were fascinated by the sandals made by a local craftsman who dressed the locals of Otrante in Puglia where they went on family holidays. This led the duo to contemplate the idea of city sandals, in particular with the idea of, according to Pizzelli: “a Scandinavian brand with quality accessories, something that was lacking in the Swedish market at the time.”

The project quickly took off, based on two main foundations: Scandinavian design and a product made entirely in Italy, manufactured between Pisa and Florence.

“Almost 70 percent of our production uses cowhide leather tanned with vegetable dyes. Our aim is to offer a sustainable product at an affordable price,” explained the stylist.

ATP Atelier shoes retail for between €300 and €500 ($350- $585) and small leather goods for around €100.

With its minimalist sandals, sixties style moccasins in striking colours, fashion-forward boots, and elegant and sleek bags, the brand soon took off. Currently, the brand has a staff of around 20 employees and a turnover of around €4 million.

Last spring, ATP Atelier opened its first boutique in Södermalm, a trendy neighbourhood in Stockholm just steps away from its design studio.

Designed as a concept store, the cool, minimalist space is kitted out with vintage style wooden furniture.

Alongside the collections is contemporary art, jewellery by the Swedish brand All Blues, perfumes by the Italian brand Extrait d’Atelier, and clothing by the New York brand Colovos. Shoppers can also have a coffee and buy everything from flowers from the local florist Christoffers Blommor to the furniture in the boutique.

The design duo organised their very first fashion show in the new store as part of Stockholm Fashion Week, which ended on August 30. As part of the event, the brand chose a group of Swedish and American influencers to be the models alongside the young women that Pizzelli and Clason work with every day.

The models represented all heights and weights and wore white kimonos with black trousers to showcase the brand’s accessories. The show was a success, simultaneously convivial and elegant, and made attendees keen to discover the universe of ATP Atelier.