Brands like Ateliers Auguste are the contemporary leather houses that sell structured, quiet bags direct and under the heritage prices: DeMellier, Strathberry and ATP Atelier are the closest on Coveti, with Polène in Paris the nearest neighbour off it, and The Row and Totême the references a step up. Ateliers Auguste itself is the Paris-designed, Italian-made, box-calf option with the engraved plaque, 73 bags at Coveti from $730. This page ranks the alternatives by how close they come, with prices and where each is made.
Key facts
- Ateliers Auguste: Paris, made in Italy, box, smooth, pebble and suede calf, $730 to $1,350 at Coveti.
- Closest on structure: Strathberry (bar closure) and DeMellier (plaque-free, wider colour range).
- Closest on make: ATP Atelier and The Row, both Italian-made; Polene is Spanish-made.
- Closest on price: DeMellier, Strathberry and ATP Atelier; The Row and Toteme sit several steps up; JW PEI several steps down.
- All seven alternatives below are stocked at Coveti with authenticity verified before dispatch.
- The house’s own view, from Laurent Valembert: “We prefer consistency over expansion.”
Seven brands like Ateliers Auguste, ranked
1. DeMellier
London on the label, made in Spain and Italy. Structured everyday bags in a wide colour range, a donation with every bag; 141 bags at Coveti from $552. Against Ateliers Auguste it is softer and broader in range.
2. Strathberry
Edinburgh on the label, made in Spain. Structured bags closed by a signature metal bar, in a similar price band; 227 pieces at Coveti. Against Ateliers Auguste it is a close match in structure, with a bar instead of a plaque.
3. ATP Atelier
Stockholm on the label, made in Italy. Italian-made leather bags and sandals with a softer, more relaxed line; 71 bags at Coveti from $454. Against Ateliers Auguste it is softer and broader in range.
4. By Far
Sofia on the label, made in Europe. Nineties-cut mini and shoulder bags, glossier and more fashion-led; 109 pieces at Coveti. Against Ateliers Auguste it is more fashion-led.
5. JW PEI
Los Angeles on the label, made in China. The value alternative: structured shapes at a fraction of the price, in vegan and recycled materials. Against Ateliers Auguste it is cheaper and not leather.
6. The Row
New York on the label, made in Italy. The quiet-luxury reference at several times the price, for the same idea of one unbranded shape. Against Ateliers Auguste it is dearer and more austere.
7. Totême
Stockholm on the label, made in Italy. Scandinavian minimalism with the T-Lock bags, a step up in price. Against Ateliers Auguste it is dearer and more austere.
And Polène
The other Paris sibling house, founded in 2016, folds soft calf into sculptural curves and makes in Ubrique, Spain. It is the bag most often weighed against an Ateliers Auguste Monceau; the comparison page sets the two out shape by shape. Coveti does not currently list Polène.
How to choose between them
Decide on structure first: if the bag must stand up empty, Ateliers Auguste, Strathberry and the stiffer DeMellier shapes. Then on branding: the Ateliers Auguste plaque and the Strathberry bar are visible signatures; DeMellier, ATP Atelier and The Row are close to unbranded. Then on price: $730 to $1,350 buys the whole Ateliers Auguste range, which overlaps DeMellier and Strathberry, undercuts The Row by a wide margin and is well above JW PEI. The DeMellier comparison and the worth-it page take the two closest calls further.
“Trust is more valuable than marketing,” Laurent Valembert told Style Essentials in March 2026. “We prefer consistency over expansion.”
Frequently asked questions
What brands are similar to Ateliers Auguste?
DeMellier, Strathberry and ATP Atelier are the closest in structure, make and price; Polene is the closest Paris neighbour; The Row and Toteme are the quiet-luxury references a step up in price.
Is Polene similar to Ateliers Auguste?
Both are Paris houses founded by siblings and sold direct, but Polene is soft, folded leather made in Spain and Ateliers Auguste is structured box calf made in Italy.
What is a cheaper alternative to Ateliers Auguste?
JW PEI for the shapes at a fraction of the price in non-leather materials; DeMellier and ATP Atelier for real leather at a similar price with a slightly lower entry.
What is a more expensive alternative to Ateliers Auguste?
The Row and Toteme, both Italian-made and unbranded, at two to four times the price.
Which of these brands are made in Italy?
Ateliers Auguste (all handbags), ATP Atelier, The Row and Toteme; DeMellier makes in Spain and Italy; Strathberry and Polene make in Spain.
Read next
Ateliers Auguste vs Polene. Ateliers Auguste vs DeMellier. Who is Ateliers Auguste?
More Ateliers Auguste guides
Every Ateliers Auguste page by Coveti’s fashion editor Gemma Deeks: Who is Ateliers Auguste?, Bag guide, Bag sizes, Is it worth it?, Leathers and care, Gold vs Silver Edition, Colours, Where to buy, vs Polène, vs DeMellier, New arrivals 2026, Best bag for work, Review, Sévigné review, Mini Sévigné vs Sévigné, Mini Marly review, Marly review, Monceau guide, Roquette review, Capucine review, Marceau review, Alma review, Amelot review, Passy East West review.
Sources and method
Checked on 19 September 2026 by Gemma Deeks, fashion editor at Coveti. Product facts, the dimensions, handle drops, weights, leathers, linings and country of manufacture, are the brand’s own product-page text; prices and price ranges are Coveti’s live catalogue on that date and move with stock; the founders’ story comes from the brand’s own pages and the two interviews listed below, each read on the date above. The founding year is given two ways in the sources and the page says so. Where a claim could not be checked against one of these it was left out, and where the fitting room is giving its own advice the page says so.
- ateliersauguste.com, Our story: the house’s own account of its founding by two brothers, the women’s line since 2018, the architects it cites, the Italian tanneries, REACH and LWG
- ateliersauguste.com, Ateliers: the workshops in the Venetian countryside, the four hours of work per bag, the small leather goods made in Porto
- ateliersauguste.com, Care: the brand’s own use and care recommendations
- ateliersauguste.com, FAQ: guarantee, returns, delivery times and the countries where duties are included
- ateliersauguste.com, Paris: the boutique at 8 rue de Turenne, its hours and the tax refund
- ateliersauguste.com, Warranty: the one-year guarantee and the repair service
- ateliersauguste.com, Spring/Summer 26 Collection: the smooth-leather Passy, Sevigne and Mini Sevigne launch
- Ateliers Auguste product pages: dimensions, handle drop, weight, leather, lining and country of manufacture of every bag (121 pages read on 19 September 2026)
- Kismet, 14 December 2025: Ateliers Auguste, Architecture, Integrity, and the Quiet Power of Timeless Design (interview with Xavier Valembert)
- Style Essentials, 9 March 2026: Why Laurent and Xavier Valembert Chose Precision Over Fashion (interview)
- Coveti live catalogue, 19 September 2026: prices and stock
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