How Alexis Mabille Helped a Paris Institution Regain Its Luster

PARIS — Le Boeuf sur le Toit, the famed cabaret that was the center of Paris nightlife in the Twenties, is vying to regain its status as a hot spot, thanks to an ambitious overhaul masterminded by fashion designer Alexis Mabille. Mabille has redesigned the space — from the carpets to the cutlery — in the spirit of an Art Deco “temple” with Egyptian-inspired accents, divided into three spaces: a brasserie, a bar and a music hall that will honor the venue’s performance tradition. “The Boeuf sur le Toit was the rallying spot of all the leading artists of its time,” he said, reeling off the names of Jean Cocteau, Marcel Duchamp and Francis Picabia. Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Pablo Picasso were also among its famous patrons. “They danced on the tables, they drank too much, they got high and they sang.” In fact, the French expression “faire un Boeuf,” meaning “to have a jam session,” is a direct reference to those famous impromptu sessions that included the likes of composer Darius Milhaud — who gave the venue its name —– or pianist Arthur Rubinstein. It marks Mabille’s second collaboration with Moma Group, following Froufrou in 2018. The restaurant group, headed by entrepreneur

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