Last week, the historic Refectory at 429 West 20th Street in New York City shook with the raw energy of ALIX OF BOHEMIA with a runway debut before a packed audience of industry press and insiders.
The collection, FÊTE SAUVAGE, is a portrait of creative abandon. This is the world of the traveling circus after dark a place where beauty is found in motion, in mischief, and in the raw, fleeting moment after the performance.
Designer Alix Pietrafesa imagines what happens after the audience has gone home. The music softens, the tent empties, yet the spirit remains, wild, joyful, and slightly unruly. “It is like an impromptu party after hours at the circus,” she says, “when the performers have shed their roles but not their costumes.”
The collection draws from the imagination of Alexander Calder’s Cirque Calder, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Those wire figures, animated by invisible strings, inspired a series of sequin body-chain garments that glimmer like kinetic sculpture. The circus itself becomes a metaphor for the spectacle of city life, the dance between chaos and control, and the showmanship that defines personal style.
FÊTE SAUVAGE nods to Poiret and the Ballet Russe, while channeling the individuality and freedom of 1970s rock and roll. The result is a collection that celebrates movement and transformation through craft. Silk kimonos, sequins, flowing silk scarves, and fringes appear in all kinds of iterations. Lace and patchwork mingle with beaded stripes and novelty prints, each motif created especially for the collection and printed by hand.
The color palette moves through primary red, lapis blue, oxblood, ivory, and black, bold, romantic, and deeply rooted in the language of performance. Materials include silver sequins on organza, handmade silk fringe, appliqué, printed chiffon, and swinging tassels, each piece carrying the memory of touch and time.
The runway mirrors that spirit of play. The High Line Hotel’s refectory transforms into a traveling stage, animated by live performances and moments of surprise that blur the distance between audience and act. We imagine the night as an intimate and theatrical experience, filled with joy and a sense that artistry and pleasure belong together.
“It is a world of sequins and smudged kohl, whispered secrets and dizzy laughter, where elegance meets abandon,” says Pietrafesa. “Every piece is a reminder that beauty does not need to behave.”
The Spring/Summer 2026 collection will be available at select luxury retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter, and through alixofbohemia.com.
SHOW CREDITS
