Sofia Haccoun-Zakabloukowa – Saddler and upholsterer

Ile-de-France – 1990

Sofia Haccoun-Zakabloukowa is a saddler and upholsterer. Her passion for harnesses and equestrian equipment led her to join the Compagnons du Devoir on a Saddlery apprenticeship. As an upholsterer, she works with hand-makes leather products for the automotive and aeronautical industries. As a saddler, she makes leather parts for equestrian equipment.

Sofia founded in 2016 Atelier Shazak, named after its acronym, now located at Jardin des Métiers d’Art (JAD) in Sèvres. There she creates made-to-measure pieces for interior decorators, designers, and private individuals.

2022 – First prize for “Hand and Creation”, Rotary Club.

2019-2024 – Label Artisan du Tourisme, CMA du 92.

2019-2022 – Saint Cloud Label, City of Saint Cloud.

2018 – Third prize “Main et Création”, Rotary Club.

Research and innovation

Her will is to create sustainable objects. Sofia works ethically with her materials, using vegetable tanned leather from Europe and sourced from animals in the food chain. Using her needles, awls, wooden tongs, beeswax, and riving hammer, she also creates art objects such as wall panels.

Transmission

Sofia Haccoun-Zakabloukowa (or “Sofia Shazak”) regularly trains third-level students and people undertaking professional reconversion. She was a trainer and head of the Saddlery department at the Conservatoire National des Véhicules Anciens. Today, the craftswoman is committed to the mentoring programme at the Campus Versailles, the Manufacto programme of the Hermès Foundation, as well as the JAD training programme.

Sofia approached the Fondation Rémy Cointreau in 2023 to purchase a sewing machine with a modular barrel to produce specific pieces and to take on an apprentice to pass on her know-how.