Welcome to
Life Atelier
Life Atelier is designed for people who need a moment to listen to themselves amidst the external noise and busyness of working towards a more fulfilling life.
We are here for those suffering from disconnection and discomfort in the bodies they inhabit, or who may be overwhelmed by the environment of their quotidian life.
A Place to Build Oneself
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A Place to Build Oneself •
Rooted in
Psychoanalysis & Fashion
Language as the Red Thread That Joins the Body Together
At Life Atelier, all our services are psychoanalytically informed. We explore how language, dressing and the relationship between psychoanalysis and fashion can be used to enable you to re-imagine yourself, represent yourself to others and live comfortably with your body.
Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis, observed that conscious thoughts and feelings – as well as bodily symptoms – are determined by, and often in conflict with, unconscious memories and desires of which we are unaware. Our decisions are affected by these unconscious desires; our bodies are often the mirrors of those somatic symptoms. Psychoanalysis invites you to speak freely while the analyst listens attentively to what you have to say.
Mind
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Body
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Environment
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Mind • Body • Environment •
Listening (The Mind)
Lacanian Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy in Central London
Psychoanalysis is a form of talking therapy in which the patient speaks freely, and the analyst listens attentively to what they have to say. We provide a space to explore the unconscious desires that shape your decisions. We help you untangle the conflicts between your conscious thoughts and the somatic symptoms you may be experiencing.
Dressing (The Body)
Wardrobe Analysis & Reconfiguration at home
We explore dressing as a way to re-present ourselves to others and live comfortably with our bodies. If the body is a mirror of somatic symptoms, the wardrobe is the frame. We move beyond trends to conduct a deep wardrobe analysis, helping you resolve the disconnection between your internal image and your external presentation, creating a style that offers coherence and comfort.
Organising (The Environment)
Space Reconfiguration & Management at home
For those overwhelmed by the environment of their quotidian life, we offer a way to re-think the space you inhabit. When our external environment creates discomfort, it often reflects internal noise. We help you reconfigure your home and manage the flow of objects, transforming spaces of overwhelm into places that support your desire to build yourself.
About Us
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About Us •
The Origins
Where the Thread Begins
Life Atelier was born from a shared history in the London fashion industry and a long-standing friendship between its founders, Laura and Giovanni.
We met in London, fresh from completing our Master's degrees, while working across different departments for some of the city's most influential fashion houses. Over years of shared experiences, we recognised a recurring theme in our conversations: the powerful intersection between creativity and the unconscious.
We realised that our views on the crux between design and psychoanalysis were not just theoretical – they were impacting our daily practices. We saw that the way we dress is deeply linked to how we position ourselves in the world. We recognise that the boundary between who we are and how we live is porous. In the spirit of Laplanche’s extra-muros, Life Atelier treats the act of dressing and organising not as aesthetic chores, but as vital unconscious practices.
Deciding to embark on this project together, we created Life Atelier as a space to explore that connection, merging the somatic experience of dressing with the analytical experience of learning to listen to oneself.
“Life Atelier is essentially Psychoanalysis Extra-Muros.”
Laura Scott-Rosales
Co-Founder | Psychoanalyst & Fashion Academic
I am a British fashion academic and Psychoanalyst, born in Costa Rica. My practice sits at the intersection of social responsibility, textile research and clinical listening.
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My education spans San Jose, New York, Glasgow and London. After graduating from the Glasgow School of Art with an MA (Distinction) in Fashion and Textiles – under the tutelage of Beca Lipscombe – I began my career in London. I took on a role in the Textile Design and Development Department at Celine under Phoebe Philo’s tenure, before working for some of the most influential houses of the last two decades, including Alexander McQueen, J.W. Anderson, and Wales Bonner. My academic research has often focused on the ‘social prosthetic’ nature of textiles, exploring how what we wear dignifies and protects us.
Parallel to my design work, I completed postgraduate clinical training at The Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis, having previously trained at the Philadelphia Association. I have extensive experience in low-cost social clinics across London, including the Psychosis Therapy Project (Mind Islington, Lambeth and Southwark) and the Indoamerican Refugee and Migrant Organisation (IRMO).
I continue to engage deeply with social clinics, facilitating group work within bilingual migrant communities, with a special focus on mothers and neurodivergent children, especially those suspected of being at risk of autism.
Currently, I hold the position of co-director at Bubble & Speak CIC, a unique, welcoming space for children under four and their carers, inspired by the ‘Maison Verte’ model. The only one of its kind in London.
I am a member of The Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis, The College of Psychoanalysts and The United Kingdom College of Psychotherapists’.
Giovanni Paolini
Co-Founder | Womenswear Designer & Artist
I am Master Womenswear Designer graduate from the London College of Fashion, under the tutelage of Professor Nigel Luck, a mentor known for shaping the careers of celebrated designers like Christopher Bailey and Stella McCartney.
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I have over ten years of experience in fashion, having worked with a range of small and bigger labels within luxury, some of them part of the rich and diverse landscape of London fashion, including the house of Alexander McQueen.
In addition to my work in womenswear, I’m a passionate artist and illustrator. These creative practices have long served as a means for me to explore the connections between visual storytelling and fashion. My artistic sensibility also informs my role as a freelance digital embroidery designer, where I blend traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques to create intricate and meaningful embellishments.
My creative practice is rooted in a deep exploration of identity and how it is expressed outwardly through clothing and ultimately dressing the body. My collections are characterised by thoughtful research, meticulous attention to detail and a preference for fabrics that carry stories within their fibers. Each piece reflects a dialogue between the personal and the universal, with garments that are both evocative and wearable.
I continue to be inspired to find new approaches to the way clothes can be worn and how it can blend with artistic expression and always pushing the boundaries of the body and identity.
Shall we pick up the thread?
Whether you seek to untangle the knots of your thoughts, room or wardrobe, every process at Life Atelier starts with a conversation. We invite you to reach out and schedule an initial consultation to discuss the possibilities of working together.