Juliette Tellier
About the Resident
French Resident
Mid April – Mid June 2026
Transdisciplinary designer
Based between Paris and Puisaye (Burgundy), Juliette is a transdisciplinary designer. With degrees in cabinetmaking from École Boulle and industrial design from ENSCI – Les Ateliers, her practice lies at the intersection of her favourite fields: industrial design, anthropology and craftsmanship. She has worked in a variety of areas, from exhibition design and object design to experimental archaeology.
As part of Villa Albertine residency program, with the support of Bettencourt Schueller Foundation
Residency Project
Juliette Tellier is an industrial designer and scenographer who studied at the École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle.
During her residency in New York, she will explore the relationship between design and craftsmanship through research inspired by Shaker heritage. Through field research and interviews with designers and artisans, she will investigate models of small-scale production. Experimenting with techniques such as cabinetmaking, she will sketch and design a series of objects, testing the viability of creating her own catalogue to address the question: can today’s designers create small collections, crafted in their own workshops, in a world dominated by mass production? To give form to her reflections, she envisions both a written account of her research and a crafted object.
Juliette’s Experience
What drew you to apply for this residency in New York, and what did you hope to gain from the experience?
JT: Initially, I was drawn to the residency’s unique format: having the opportunity to focus exclusively on a single research topic for two full months is incredibly rare and precious. It allows for a deep dive and a hands-on field approach. Because the East Coast and New York State
are central to the Shaker movement, applying was the perfect way to explore the cradle of this heritage. My main hope was to immerse myself in the places related to my research, but above all to meet people with whom I could discuss these topics—and that’s exactly what happened!
Can you tell us about a day in your life during the residency? What did your research or creative process look like in the city?
JT: Defining a typical day is nearly impossible. Since the core of my research was the material production of the Shaker community, I traveled Upstate four times for archives, studies, and workshop visits. Looking back, I view my residency in terms of the natural phases created
by these four periods. Whether in the city or Upstate, every day was completely different and free of routine—unless you count leaving the apartment at 8:30 AM and returning at 9:00 PM as a routine! From this whirlwind of activity, what I’ll remember most are the almost daily encounters that enriched the residency.
Did you have any memorable encounters that stayed with you or shifted your perspective?
JT: I had a deeply memorable encounter with the founders of the Quebec-based studio Le Tenon et la Mortaise at ICFF. Meeting them felt like finding a mirror for my own aspirations. They set a beautiful example of
designer-makers who successfully balance high-quality craftsmanship with a viable business model. It completely validated the vision I want to build for my own practice.
Do you feel this experience helped you move forward in your research or gave you tools for future work?
JT: Yes, absolutely. It gave me the mental tools to realize that I don’t just want to design a one-off collection of objects; I want to build a sustainable business. To bring a collection into the real world and make it viable, I need a clear strategy that embraces the entrepreneurial side of the job. This is a vision that hadn’t fully matured for me while in France, and the energy of New York really catalyzed this entrepreneurial shift.