Atelier Jolie Welcomes Patricia Voto For Two Year Residency

For her new movie “Couture,” Chanel granted Angelina Jolie access to its hallowed Rue Cambon atelier. Now the Oscar winner and humanitarian is paying it forward by granting another designer access to hers.

Atelier Jolie has found its next designer-in-residence in Patricia Voto. For two years, the One/Of founder will bring her Upper East Side upcycling workshop downtown to 57 Great Jones Street, famously the site of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s studio. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Patricia to debut a unique creative residency that will allow visitors to participate in sustainable resource-sharing,” Jolie told WWD via email while visiting with refugees in Rwanda.

Since it opened in 2023, Atelier Jolie has evolved from a traditional boutique concept to what Jolie described as “a nonprofit hub for artists and thinkers, open to all.” The likes of Ozwald Boateng and Simon Ungless previously put their stamp on the space, and Voto’s time there happens to overlap with that of Soull and Dynasty Ogun of L’Enchanteur, who currently preside over the basement.

She’ll be located in the second floor loft where visitors can select from a curation of vintage and contemporary pre-loved fashion or bring in pieces from their own wardrobes to undergo mending and customization.

“What Angelina really set out to do in the beginning was create more circularity within the fashion world, so we thought it was a nice way of bringing our worlds together,” Voto said. “The idea is meant to bring people back to their clothes and encourage them to refresh instead of discarding them.”

Linking the designer with Jolie was her former boss Gabriela Hearst, a close friend of the actress who collaborated on Atelier Jolie’s first ready-to-wear capsule while she was still helming Chloé. Voto said she and Jolie initially bonded over their like-minded goals of championing sustainability and fostering community. “Angelina’s been incredibly supportive of the brand over the years. She wore a cashmere coat of ours and a few other pieces, but we’ve been wanting to work together for some time.”

Another thing linking the two together — and what spawned the idea for a residency — is their obsession with vintage. Voto works almost exclusively with antique textiles and last March put that expertise to use, partnering with her neighbor Zabrina Estrada from Etèreo Vintage to breathe life back into several damaged Jazz Age frocks. 

One of them, a beaded flapper silhouette refashioned into a skirt paired with an ostrich feather top, will be on display at Atelier Jolie. But Voto isn’t taking any offers. “People keep asking me if they can buy it, but I think I’m keeping this one,” she said.

Rather, its purpose is to inspire, helping customers imagine all the possibilities available to them with One/Of’s personalization services. “I really want people to feel like they can come in and create anything they want.”

Jolie fans will be excited to learn that throughout the residency stock will be replenished using her personal wardrobe. Starting things off, there’s a rust-colored mousseline gown by J. Mendel she wore to the Croatian premiere of “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” and a gray Alexander McQueen suit from the late ‘90s originally intended for one of her children. Several Chloé for Atelier Jolie pieces are also in the mix alongside two dressing kimonos that scream Hollywood goddess.

Other items were co-sourced specifically for the residency by Jolie and Voto, who’s eager to give a fringed Emporio Armani top a little TLC. Pointing out its comical proportions with a tiny waist and remarkably large bust, she said, “Someone would probably look at it and go, ‘Oh, it won’t fit me,’ so they move on.” Her advice? Make it a jacket. “I think the threadwork is so exceptional it needs to be an outer garment.”

Rifling through Voto’s treasure chest of passementerie is like an invitation to play. Belle Epoque-era brocades, Indian Kutch cottons, “they’re little bits and bobs that can totally transform your outfit,” she said. And more importantly, “they have a story.”

Thanks to a three-tier pricing strategy for alterations, shortening a hemline or adding an apliquè can cost as little as $50, with more elaborate projects (listed as “full reinventions”) costing upward of $2,500. “Obviously there’s a more couture side, but we wanted it to be really democratic,” Voto explained.

Keeping with that inclusive spirit, Voto plans to connect with local vintage dealers for referrals and introduce training classes to Atelier Jolie’s roster. “I want to have friends of mine come in and teach people about their skills,” she said, highlighting one who specializes in Shuburi dyeing. “They’re kind of niche things, but instead of one weekend, maybe it’s a four weekend intensive, so they end up with a finished product.”

During her residency, Voto will split her time between Atelier Jolie and  One/Of’s Madison Avenue showroom, which is reserved for bespoke and made-to-measure and orders. Asked how she’ll manage projects on opposite ends of Manhattan, Voto responded, “I have tons of amazing hands I can tap should we need more help, but I feel like we can manage it. 

“Two years is a long time.…The pressure’s on.”