Pixi & Compagnie

Pixi is a manufacturer of lead figurines, so aptly described by the photographer and graphic designer Jean-Paul Goude: “Pixi reminds me of those great French houses with their codes, their loyal followers, their collectors, their obsessive and slightly mad enthusiasts who defend tradition, fine craftsmanship, and the handmade. It is a whole spirit, a universe in which I completely recognize myself. There is something both tender and naïve, something joyful and reassuring that can only take us back to childhood.”

This miniature world populated by metal figurines—this large Pixi family—was created by two men, Alexis Poliakoff and Philippe-Antoine Guénard. Alexis, the founder and sculptor, and Philippe-Antoine, the conductor of this great community, managed to turn this small company into a nationally known brand. Reviving the tradition of lead soldiers, they developed a new concept by creating new characters and new collections which, as founder Philippe-Antoine liked to say, “would honour our heroes—those of everyday life, of the daily world, of the arts, heroes from our childhood books, from our passions.” Only after this would they leave nostalgia behind to move toward another universe just as rich: the world of comic books, such as those of Franquin, Hergé, Uderzo, and Goscinny.