L'Atelier d'Ariane: excellence through versatility
Located in Troyes, l'Atelier d'Ariane has been a major player in French garment making for over 40 years. Véronique Granata, its managing director, shares with us the savoir-faire of her workshops, the importance of training and her future projects.
Diversity of savoir-faire
With a team of over 160 employees, Atelier d'Ariane boasts a wide range of savoir-faire, covering both warp and weft, knits and leather goods. This versatility enables the company to meet a wide variety of needs. "We work on products for women, men, children, babies and homeware, with a specialization for the textile fashion accessory market"precises Véronique Granata.
L'Atelier d'Ariane also covers specialized sectors such as medical and technical products. This has led the atelier to invest in innovation: "we have created a machine for the automated production of large batches of microfiber towels, enabling us to increase productivity and reduce production costs".
The company has three production sites: "the first oversees fabric reception and handles cutting and embroidery. The second has a product development unit for the development of parts, from patternmaking to prototyping, and is dedicated to product assembly. The third site, in addition to assembly, is home to a training school which will officially open its doors this autumn".
L'Atelier d'Ariane has recently strengthened its activities with two major acquisitions. In December 2022, the company acquired Peaux luxe et Compagnie near Reims, which specializes in leather and textile leather goods. Then in January 2023, it continued its expansion by taking over Manufacture Troyenne de Maroquinerie, renamed "Atelier Troyen de Maroquinerie". The latter's field of activity is leatherworking, including exotic leathers,"with the emphasis on a very high-end approach to the manufacture of leather bags and small leather goods". A recruitment plan is underway, which will continue over the coming year, with a forecast of 20 to 30 new hires per site.
In-house training and social integration
Training is central to the Atelier d'Ariane philosophy. To maintain a high level of skills, the company invests in in-depth training, lasting 400 hours for textiles and 600 hours for leather goods.
"Our field demands great versatility, as we touch on a variety of professions, materials and assemblies. In addition to initial external training, we have developed a long and rigorous in-house training program", stresses Véronique Granata.
To overcome recruitment problems due to a lack of applicants, the company also employs migrants with existing skills to bolster its teams. However, it has encountered significant challenges, not least the language barrier." We set up French classes for these people every Friday afternoon, but we realized this wasn't enough. It became clear that they also needed social support, which is not our area of expertise, and this led us to rethink our approach."
Véronique Granata then considered, in addition to in-house training, creating an association dedicated to social integration. "We are developing a unique program focused on our textile and leather goods sector. The emphasis will be on rigorous selection of candidates, high-quality training and social support. The aim is to quickly reintegrate these people into the job market."
Future projects
For Véronique Granata, there's no shortage of projects. In addition to her own Rue Begand brand of Made in France men's ready-to-wear, she soon plans to expand her business into public markets, garment making for advertising as well as accessories and textile packaging.
In addition to her core business and a full order book with both luxury and retail customers, l'atelier d'Ariane has a strong commitment to young designers. In the past, introductory days were organized to help them understand the complex aspects of brand design, including price management and collection manufacturing. "We are attached to this initiative and plan to repeat it, probably in collaboration with our training school and in connection with our professional integration project"concludes Véronique Granata.
L'atelier d'Ariane adapts to constant market developments, while maintaining a high level of excellence. Its versatility in the mastery of savoir-faire, its commitment to training and integration, and its technological innovations make the company a major partner in full development.
For more information: https://www.atelierdariane.fr/
