The world of Pixi

The History of Pixi

The World of Pixi: The Magic of Figurines
The Pixi adventure is far more than a simple company producing metal figurines. It is a true odyssey into a universe of imagination and artisanal finesse. The founders, Alexis Poliakoff and Philippe-Antoine Guénard, combined their passion for the world of childhood with their artistic expertise to create unique pieces infused with magic and nostalgia.

Each Pixi figurine is the result of a meticulous process where artisanal precision meets creativity. Comic-book heroes come to life in metal, capturing the essence of each character with astonishing fidelity. But Pixi is not limited to emblematic comic-book figures; the company also pays tribute to ordinary people from everyday life—such as bakers, grocers, or booksellers—infusing poetry into even the most mundane scenes.

The Pixi universe reflects the diversity and richness of popular and folkloric culture. Each figurine, carefully designed and hand-painted, is a celebration of French art and craftsmanship. Collectors and art enthusiasts can find not only beloved characters but also scenes capturing the essence of various eras and styles. Moreover, Pixi has evolved with its time, embracing new themes and adapting to contemporary trends while remaining faithful to its traditional roots. The brand has thus set a high standard in the world of collectible figurines, becoming a symbol of quality and authenticity.

Pixi creations transcend the simple status of collectible objects to become genuine carriers of emotion and storytelling. Each figurine, meticulously crafted, encapsulates memories and narratives, awakening deep and varied feelings among collectors and admirers. More than faithful representations of characters or scenes, they are imbued with meaning and personal stories. They form a tangible link between past and present, connecting generations through time. They remind adults of childhood memories while captivating younger enthusiasts, creating a diverse and passionate community.

Pixi’s success rests on its ability to create a privileged bond with its collectors. The brand does not simply sell figurines—it invites each person into a world in which every piece has a story to tell, and where everyone can find an echo of their own experiences and dreams. This constant dialogue between Pixi and its admirers contributes greatly to the creation of a rich and immersive experience.

Pixi is far more than a maker of figurines. It is a creator of worlds, a bridge between reality and imagination, where art meets memory and inventiveness. Pixi figurines are invitations both to explore comforting and familiar worlds and to discover new horizons of creativity and artistic expression. Each piece is a treasure of art and history, a small fragment of magic capable of touching the heart and spirit of those who cherish them.

Philippe-Antoine Guénard, passionate collector and curator of treasures
Philippe-Antoine Guénard grew up between two worlds: the intellectual charm of the Parisian Left Bank, where his mother Marie-Hélène and her husband Alexis Poliakoff lived, and the traditional elegance of the Right Bank, in the home of his grandparents, Pierre and Marie-Josèphe Guénard. This double life offered him a unique perspective on the world, blending classic bourgeois values with an open-minded, art-oriented spirit. Thursday afternoons and certain weekends spent on rue de Seine were true immersions in a vibrant artistic environment. Philippe-Antoine considered this coexistence of worlds essential to his education: “The ticket counters of the Louvre were a doorway between two universes,” he liked to say.

The family apartment on the Left Bank, with its walls adorned with exceptional paintings and its period furniture, resembled a cabinet of curiosities. During lively meals, young Philippe-Antoine absorbed the scholarly conversations among artists, collectors, and museum curators, nurturing his interest in collecting art and historical objects.

At fifteen, Philippe-Antoine began his first collection: antique Épinal prints, treasures discovered in a Parisian antiquarian bookstore. He later resold part of his finds to the booksellers along quai Saint-Michel to finance his growing passion for prints, especially those by the sculptor Auguste Rodin. Over time, his collection expanded to include increasingly rare pieces: antique watches, refined silverware, paper-mâché boxes made according to the Rokiskino school technique.

One of his most precious memories is a visiting card found at the bottom of a box, on which a Russian princess expressed her gratitude to an unknown admirer—in French. This simple piece of paper, filled with history and emotion, perfectly illustrated for Philippe-Antoine the essence of his approach: seeking objects with a soul, with a story to tell. Every object, every collection, is born from a meeting, a tale, a moment of inspiration, weaving a tapestry of anecdotes and memories across his treasures.

Alexis Poliakoff and the enchanted world of miniatures
Born to a Russian father and an Irish mother, Alexis Poliakoff embodied the union of two rich cultures, preparing him from childhood for an extraordinary path. Curious and imaginative, he kept under his bed—in an old suitcase—his literary treasures: Treasure Island, the epic tales of Buffalo Bill and the Camp of Sitting Bull, and the captivating adventures of Tintin. In a family where simplicity and creativity prevailed over manufactured toys, Alexis used his ingenuity to create his own toys. He owed much of this dexterity to his father, Serge Poliakoff, a renowned painter whose artistic passion was passed down to his son.

In the family workshop, Alexis learned the art of creation, shaping small characters by hand out of modeling clay. Seeking a more durable material, he turned, with guidance from ceramists and sculptors close to the family, to terracotta. At only nine years old, he won a prestigious modeling contest organized by Le Figaro, with a detailed reproduction of Place de la Concorde—an achievement noticed by Alain Saint-Ogan, creator of Zig et Puce.

Sculpture, however, was only one facet of his creativity. Fascinated by cinema, Alexis learned the trade alongside Godard, Chabrol, Rivette, and Tavernier. He studied animation filmmaking, composing enchanting stories using his figurines. But after his father's death in 1969, he moved away from the seventh art to devote himself to preserving the family legacy. The works of Serge Poliakoff, a true cultural treasure, became his main commitment, and in parallel, he nurtured his own artistic identity, shaping a universe where each miniature opened the door to a new reality rich in stories and diverse characters.

The beginnings of Pixi
The Pixi adventure began with a modest ambition: inspired by traditional lead soldiers, Alexis Poliakoff and Philippe-Antoine Guénard dreamed of recreating the enchanted world of childhood. They embarked on creating new characters, imagined as true icons. Very quickly, growing interest from collectors encouraged them to explore a broader domain: that of comic art. This transition toward the colorful universe of comics marked a major turning point in the history of Pixi. Iconic characters created by legends such as Franquin, Hergé, Uderzo, and Goscinny then took form in metal, transcending their two-dimensional existence on paper. This development transformed Pixi—from a small family business—into a nationally recognized brand whose renown would quickly surpass its modest beginnings.

The emergence of a family dream
At twenty, while studying international business, Philippe-Antoine Guénard felt a profound boredom. One evening, while searching through Alexis Poliakoff’s desk, he discovered two astonishing miniatures, carefully stored in simple boxes. One was a meticulous reproduction of an artist’s studio, paying homage to Serge Poliakoff; the other, named “Vanille Malilé,” depicted a Belle Époque delicatessen and referenced his stepfather Pierre Guénard’s expertise in the food industry (specialized in vanilla). Philippe-Antoine had a revelation: to reveal Alexis’s wonders to the world and build a business around these miniature universes. Three decades later, this intuition would prove to be a stroke of genius.

Pierre Guénard provided the essential financial support. Philippe-Antoine, driven by his energy and determination, championed and promoted the project. Alexis secluded himself in his studio to give life and character to new creations destined for boutiques and private interiors. Together, in 1982, they laid the foundations of Pixi—unaware of the immense success that awaited them. From this shared adventure would eventually emerge a beloved and renowned institution.

“I could have chosen many other paths,” Philippe-Antoine confided, recalling potential careers as a publisher, grocer, gallery owner, antiques dealer, or even owner of supermarkets or vanilla, ylang-ylang, or cacao plantations in Madagascar. Yet another destiny called to him: to imagine, with Alexis, a unique universe blending enchantment with profound meaning, where each figurine tells a story and stirs emotion. Thus was born a new artistic language, in which every piece resonates like the echo of an era, a dream, or a moment suspended in time.

Reinvention and expansion: the rise of Pixi’s identity
The choice of name is a crucial step when creating a company. At first, Alexis Poliakoff considered “Roger-Roger,” in homage to the dog of his dreams—an imaginary companion meant to embody the spirit and energy of his creations. Although this name was not chosen, this dreamed-of dog became the emblem of the brand: a bold white bull terrier, with a black patch around its eye and a mischievous expression. It appears in the logo, alongside lead soldiers and a cube, symbols of Alexis’s original inspiration and childhood magic.

Ultimately, it was the combination of the Greek letters PI and XI—standing for Pierre Guénard and Alexis Poliakoff—that prevailed. “Pixi” is short, cheerful, and easy to remember. In sound, it evokes pixilation, an animation technique dear to Alexis during his early cinematic explorations, linking his artistic roots to the promising future of the young company.

The takeoff of an artistic vision
Inspired by the traditional dimensions of lead soldiers (5 to 6 cm), Alexis Poliakoff created in 1983 his first series of pixis, inviting collectors on a journey into the Belle Époque, where grace and elegance shaped everyday life. Each piece was conceived as a nod to a reinvented past, offering its own character and story.

The public’s initial, reserved reception did not discourage the team. Marie-Victoire Poliakoff, Alexis’s daughter, played a decisive role: armed with a fine brush, she brought color and soul to countless figurines, including the famous “girl with the red balloon.” “I always find it difficult to choose my favorites,” she confided. “Perhaps those from the early years, because my father infused them with so much emotion and finesse.”

To increase Pixi’s visibility, Philippe-Antoine Guénard traveled to various toy, gift, and design fairs to present their creations, gradually building a distribution network. In 1984, the first Pixi boutique opened in the artistic quarter of rue de Seine in Paris, becoming an essential destination for art and miniature enthusiasts. The following year, Pixi innovated again by launching series inspired by the 1950s, sports, theater, and opera, solidifying its status as a pioneer in the field of artistic figurines.

Loyalty to artisanal roots
Despite Pixi’s growth and increasing recognition, its essence remains resolutely artisanal. In workshops in Normandy, craftsmen in red smocks produce Alexis Poliakoff’s pieces, step by step, with rigorous know-how. Once completed, the figurines are placed in an elegant red box, reminiscent of the old boxes of lead soldiers. At once witnesses of a bygone past and messengers of a constantly evolving world, Pixi creations go beyond mere reproduction to become living embodiments of art and history.

The Pixi collection: a consuming passion
The Pixi universe, rich in finely crafted figurines, lends itself naturally to collecting. The question is not whether one should own a Pixi, but how many. How could one imagine Lucky Luke without his adversaries, the Dalton brothers? This passionate logic creates a deep bond between collectors and their figurines.

Some collectors, meticulous, keep their Pixis carefully in their original boxes to preserve their mint condition. Others, more organized, proudly display them in glass cases, creating small living tableaux. Finally, there are the dreamers, who incorporate the figurines into their daily lives by designing original miniature scenes in their interiors. Each way of collecting reflects a unique relationship with the miniature art object.

The pleasure of completing a series, of finding the missing piece, thrills collectors. Philippe-Antoine Guénard, who knows this psychology perfectly, contributes greatly to this. Himself a great admirer of rare and varied objects, he owns drawings, sculptures, Russian boxes, silverwork, watches, plants, and even animals. This diversity in his personal tastes is reflected in the Pixi universe, rich and eclectic, attracting a loyal and increasingly varied audience.

The success of Pixi
The triumph of Pixi is based as much on the talent and dexterity of Alexis Poliakoff as a sculptor as on the deep understanding that Philippe-Antoine Guénard has of the soul of collectors. The combination of their passions and skills produced a miniature universe of rare coherence, capable of enchanting a broad audience.

Ultimately, Pixi does not merely manufacture figurines—it creates stories, awakens memories, and invites dreaming. It celebrates art, history, and human emotions in each carefully painted piece of metal. Far more than simple objects, Pixi figurines are bridges to childhood, to intimate passions, and to the magic each person carries within.

The Pixi Books

“All Pixi, the Universe of Alexis Poliakoff” by Philippe-Antoine Guénard, published by Éditions du Chêne.

The Belle Époque, the Kachinas, Jules Verne, the 1950s, cinema, tribal arts, fashion, design, comic books… For the first time in a book, the entire world of PIXI figurines, created 30 years ago by Alexis Poliakoff and Philippe-Antoine Guénard. After a journey into the Pixi workshops—where Philippe-Antoine Guénard reveals some of the secrets behind the making of these mythical figurines—he details all the major themes explored through the figurines, the great creators they have paid tribute to, and a catalogue raisonné of the countless pieces.

“Pixi, a Sweet Addiction” by Antoine de Caunes, published by Éditions de La Martinière.

“By constantly accumulating Pixis around me—without really meaning to—I eventually became convinced that it isn’t I who hosts them, but they who tolerate my presence, like elves in the last enchanted forests. In any case, this theory delights my therapist, and those who have fallen under their spell over the past forty years will understand it completely. 

Pixi is also a story of the wonders that surround us, in the form of lead figurines imagined by two men who have preserved the freshness, enthusiasm, and poetry of childhood: Alexis Poliakoff and Philippe-Antoine Guénard.

Welcome to this tour—more subjective than exhaustive—and although we are dealing with lead, I promise the lightest possible stroll…” 

Antoine de Caunes