Behind the bench are two people who decided the old way of making was worth teaching.
Béatrice Amblard is a Hermès-trained leather instructor in San Francisco and the founder of Heirloom Leathercraft at 15 Clement Street. She trained in Paris at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris and spent fourteen years at Hermès before founding her own atelier and the school. She and Amélie Amblard teach the core program together, and students name Amélie often in their reviews.
Who is Béatrice Amblard?
Béatrice Amblard trained in Paris at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, the traditional path into French fine leatherwork, and then spent fourteen years at Hermès, where the standard for a hand-stitched bag leaves no room for a loose seam. She later founded her own atelier, April in Paris, and now the school.
Forty years in the craft stand behind how she teaches. What she carries to the bench is not only technique but a standard, the expectation that a thing made well should hold up for a lifetime.
It shows in how she runs the bench. The expectation is not perfection on the first try. It is honesty about the work in front of you, and the patience to bring it up to standard rather than settle for close enough.
What does a Hermès-trained instructor actually bring?
The value is in the eye and the correction. Béatrice can see a fault in your stitch line or your edge before it becomes a habit, because she spent years being held to that same scrutiny. That is what students are really buying when they learn from someone with this background.
Britta, currently in Level 3, put it plainly: "Studying here has been an extraordinary experience. Beatrice Amblard teaches leatherworking with the same discipline, precision, and excellence she honed during her years at Hermès. The progressive curriculum is demanding and incredibly rewarding—I'm currently in Level 3 and feel privileged to be learning how the finest bags in the world are truly made."
That eye is the hardest thing to teach yourself. You can learn the motions from a book. Learning to see the difference between good and nearly good, and to close that gap, is what a trained instructor gives you that no book can.
Who is Amélie Amblard?
Amélie Amblard co-teaches the core program alongside Béatrice, and students name her often when they describe what makes the atelier work. She is Béatrice's daughter and the studio's Master Artisan and Studio Director.
She earned a BA in Fine Arts from St. Lawrence University in 2014, then completed the full AMBLARD Method the following year, and she has taught at the atelier every year since. Her instruction emphasizes methodical skill building and precise execution across all four levels, with particular strength in pattern development and finishing work.
Where Béatrice brings the Hermès standard, Amélie brings the patience to build a student up to it, one project at a time.
What is it like to learn from both of them?
Students describe the pairing as central to the experience. Adrien, a 2025 graduate, wrote: "I've been taking leather-making classes with Bea and Amelie, and it's truly become a highlight of my week. Their expertise in traditional French leatherworking is remarkable, and their passion for the craft is contagious. But what makes this experience special goes beyond the skills I'm learning—it's the wonderful community that's formed here. After demanding weeks at work, this atelier has become my sanctuary. There's something deeply grounding about working with leather, learning alongside supportive people who share this interest, and creating something beautiful with my own hands. It's more than just a class; it's where I reconnect with myself and find balance."
Two instructors at the bench means more eyes on your work and corrections that arrive sooner, which is the part that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
Where do they teach?
At Heirloom Leathercraft, 15 Clement Street, in the Inner Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco. The school is both a place to learn and a working atelier.
Enrollment is open and rolling, so you can begin the core program when you are ready rather than waiting for a term to start. Level 1: Foundations is $5,000.
The atelier is intentionally small. That scale is not a limitation, it is the format. Fine leatherwork has always been taught hand to hand, in a room, and the school keeps that shape on purpose.
Why does learning in person still matter?
Because leatherwork is knowledge that lives in the hands, and hands learn by being watched and corrected. An instructor can see your awl tilt, your tension slip, or your posture pull a cut off line, and fix it before it becomes a habit. A screen cannot do that.
The community is the second reason. Students describe the atelier as a place they return to, not only for the skill but for the people at the neighboring benches. That does not travel through a video either.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find a Hermès-trained leather instructor in San Francisco?
Béatrice Amblard teaches at Heirloom Leathercraft, 15 Clement Street in the Inner Richmond. She trained at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris in Paris and spent fourteen years at Hermès.
Who teaches the core program?
Béatrice Amblard and Amélie Amblard teach the four-level core program together.
What did Béatrice do before founding the school?
She trained in Paris at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, spent fourteen years at Hermès, and founded her own atelier, April in Paris.
How do I start learning with them?
You can begin with Level 1: Foundations, which is $5,000, and enrollment is open and rolling with no cohort deadlines.
