For experienced makers and those looking to learn.
The Atelier opened in 2024 with two goals: to create beautiful custom work, and to preserve the hand skills behind it. Drapery, upholstery, and fine sewing take years to master, and the people who have mastered them are retiring faster than new makers are learning. We’d like to change that.
Our apprentices and interns come from textile, fashion, interiors, and art programs, and some come with nothing more than a strong pull toward making. Students, recent graduates, career changers, and anyone who has never thought of upholstery or drapery as a profession are all welcome to apply.
Our program teaches learning through real projects, working alongside experienced members of our team.
THE ATELIER TEAM
Alicia Acosta
Workroom Manager
Alicia specializes in creating custom textiles, including pillows, bedding, cushions, upholstery, and window treatments offering highly customized, handcrafted designs for clients, all from within the company’s exclusive workroom.
A native of Indianapolis, Alicia holds a double major in sound engineering and apparel design. She began her career in 2017 as a seamstress and workroom manager for a commercial soft furnishings workroom. Over time, her skills and business endeavors expanded into her own custom children's clothing line and interior design studio, eventually leading her to focus on residential and commercial interior fabrication. Alicia then established herself as a sought-after subcontractor for designer workroom services.
A passionate and self-taught upholsterer, Alicia constantly seeks new knowledge to refine her craft. She has learned through books, videos, and professional organizations such as the Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA) and the National Upholstery Association (NUA). Alicia was honored with the "20 Under 40 Award" for up-and-coming interior professionals to watch and was featured in Window Fashion VISION magazine. The following year, she returned to the magazine as a judge for the VISION Design & Workroom Competition.
Dedicated to continuous growth, Alicia was awarded the WCAA Jill Robson Memorial Education Scholarship, which she used to study woodworking. In 2024, she expanded her knowledge of traditional upholstery by studying under master upholsterers from England and France in New York City.
Willie Parker
Upholstery Professional
Need Willie’s Bio!
Ivy Sedam
Workroom Professional
Ivy started sewing in high school, making costumes and clothing, and she’s been building on that ever since. An Ohio native, she graduated from DePauw University in 2022 with degrees in film and theater. She has since worked in bridal, theater, and medical upholstery. That range gives her a strong footing in both the creative and technical sides of the craft, and she brings both to every piece that comes through the workroom.
Starry Richards
Workroom Professional
Starry has loved sewing since childhood, and she brings a background that spans fashion and interiors to the Atelier. She studied international studies and anthropology, which still shapes how she thinks about the people and stories behind each piece. In 2016 she began training under a master tailor to produce bespoke menswear. She then moved into high-end bridal alterations, where precision is everything.
She later ran her own design and alterations business and presented a collection at Indianapolis Fashion Week’s Emerging Designers showcase in 2021. Outside the studio, you’ll find her on the soccer field or in the kitchen trying something new.
Clayton Warner
Workroom Professional
Clayton specializes in sewing custom pillows, cushions, and assisting with upholstery projects including bed frames and furniture.
Upon graduating college with a degree in environmental science, Clayton launched a sustainable clothing brand, gaining five years of sewing experience and early exposure to upholstery work. A multi-talented creative, he has also spent years behind the camera and remains deeply inspired by all forms of art. Clayton continues to expand his craft within the TSI workroom and hopes to one day share his skills and creativity with youth through mentorship and education.