Alexandre Herchcovitch: Cutting Behind the Image

Cutting Behind the Image

ÉPOPLI · 2026-10-12

Portrait of Alexandre Herchcovitch.André Schiliró · CC BY-SA 4.0. Web-sized copy; source framing retained. · Source · Rights

Turning a flower into construction

Alexandre Herchcovitch history can begin with a red chiffon blouse from fall 2013. It appeared to have two pairs of sleeves, one tied at the waist while the extra fabric fell below. Floral layering became garment construction rather than merely a print.

The question is how provocation meets precise making. Reassigning the job of a sleeve or bodice changes the distribution of volume. Reading the garment backward—from silhouette to its component parts—reveals the logic behind the unusual image.

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Sewing at home, dressing the city

Alexandre Herchcovitch history follows a designer born in São Paulo on July 21, 1971. His mother Regina taught him to sew, and he made clothes for her. A skull drawn from anatomy-book imagery in his late teens became an early logo and print.

He studied fashion at Santa Marcelina, presented his graduation show in 1993 and opened a first São Paulo shop in 1994 after founding the label the previous year. Club culture and the presence of drag artist Márcia Pantera connected his technical training with bodies in performance.

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The same stripe in different materials

Alexandre Herchcovitch history took another form in spring 2014, when zebra pattern and black lace met in biker-jacket-inspired dresses. Beads recreated the animal pattern on leather elsewhere in the collection.

An identical motif behaves differently when it is woven, pierced or built from beads. Leather and lace exchange their expected associations, while the remembered structure of a jacket moves into a dress. Material relationships create tension without requiring an exaggerated outline.

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Working beyond the namesake business

Alexandre Herchcovitch history includes periods when the designer and the ownership of his name were separate. In a 2021 interview he described design and new-business work at À La Garçonne and ÀLG: one emphasized limited production and reuse, the other youthful streetwear and comfortable daily clothing.

Reuse begins with existing dimensions, seams and materials. Repeatable everyday products pose different conditions. Both require construction knowledge, making this period a change in working systems rather than simply an absence from the runway.

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Chains, knitwear and a return in 2024

Alexandre Herchcovitch history returned to the official São Paulo Fashion Week calendar at N58 in October 2024 through a licensing arrangement. Raffia knit layered with a metal-chain tank contrasted material associations; sequinned checked suits and red velvet refreshed familiar menswear shapes.

Credits identify Marisa Ribeiro for knitwear, Sem Nome Ateliê for crochet hats and Max Blum with Mauricio Ianês for music. Construction and presentation depended on these distinct contributions, translating contrasting materials into a coherent show.

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Small cuts in the 2026 wardrobe

Alexandre Herchcovitch history continues in the summer/fall 2026 work presented at SPFW N60 in October 2025. Long duchesse-satin dresses used darts, twisting and side zippers to alter shape. A dart takes in fabric to produce a three-dimensional contour.

Geometric cutting also appeared in floral rainwear, leather jackets and seersucker shirts. Occasion wear and everyday garments shared an interest in construction. Official channels and seasonal products checked in October 2026 confirm continuing work at the namesake label.

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The technique behind the skull

Alexandre Herchcovitch history was examined in a 2024 exhibition at São Paulo’s Jewish Museum, connecting fashion with family, friends and Jewish background. The skull is an accessible emblem, but it cannot explain the full practice.

Returning from image to seam reveals the recurring work: sleeves become volume, jacket references enter dresses and darts redirect sheen. These are practical construction problems as well as cultural statements. Technical control allows forceful imagery and wearable products to coexist.

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Timeline

1971 — Born in São Paulo.
1993 — Graduation show and label launch.
1994 — First shop opens.
2013 — Fall collection explores floral structure.
2024 — Retrospective and return to official SPFW calendar.
2025 — Presents summer/fall2026 collection.