Atelier Halbwachs is a workshop dedicated to crafting truly bespoke leather goods in Zürich, Switzerland. Founded and run by me, Florian Halbwachs.

Self-taught at the beginning, it soon became clear that my ambitions in this craft would lead to more than just a hobby. Although I had no deeper understanding of it, my passion for precision and quality showed itself in my previous ventures. After completing my apprenticeship as a carpenter, I changed direction and turned my first hobby into a profession: restoring old racing bicycles. This project also marked my first encounter with leather craft. As part of the restoration process, I often replaced the leather covers of old bicycle saddles and wrapped the handlebars with matching leather. Not long after opening the workshop, I received my first request to reproduce an old saddlebag. Unable to do so, I contracted a local leather crafter. After receiving the finished product, I felt the urge to learn how to do this myself. Besides the beauty of the material itself, it was the independence of the crafting process that hooked me immediately. Just leather, thread, glue, and a few tools, paired with a healthy dose of overestimation, led to my first products and a ten-year journey of mastering the craft.

A key element of my craftsmanship philosophy and drive is the constant pursuit of precision and quality. Now I understand that this is not just about being a perfectionist or creating a design I have in mind; it’s about generating as much added value as possible to an otherwise replicable object. In combination with providing the customer with the best service and consulting, it is a truly fulfilling task for me.