In a dimly lit room, the jewelry and handbags sit in unlit display cases—hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered. But beyond them lies something far more surreal: a staged world covered in champagne-pink carpeting, evoking an elegant yet eerie 1980s home. At its center, three humanoid figures, encased entirely in flesh-colored latex, move with an unsettling grace. Their faces obscured, their bodies adorned in Alexis Bittar’s latest collection, they are AI robots—silent attendants to a woman at her vanity. Unlike them, she is real, the mirrorless frame serves as an entryway into her world.
For his first-ever New York Fashion Week presentation, Alexis Bittar merged nostalgia with futurism in a haunting meditation on beauty, age, and technology. The performance, scripted and directed by Bittar himself, was staged at Performance Space New York, inviting viewers into his distinctive Bittarverse—a realm where past and future collide in shimmering, sculptural form.
A Portal Between Eras
The collection’s aesthetic draws from two seemingly opposing eras: the bold, expressive energy of the 80s and 90s and an imagined future of 2050. It’s a contrast that underscores deeper themes of ageism, sexism, and the unsettling intersection of technology and identity.
Watching the set—a rotary phone, an ironing board, the overheard advertisements for a fading world—I couldn’t help but think of David Lynch. His recent passing may have sharpened that sense, but there was something undeniably Lynchian in the atmosphere. The AI figures performed their domestic rituals with an eerie detachment, while the lone woman at the vanity, adorned in Bittar’s designs, exuded quiet self-assurance. The scene felt like a dream—or perhaps a warning.
Jewelry as Artifact and Armor
Against this cinematic backdrop, Bittar’s jewelry and handbags emerged as relics of old-world luxury and futuristic design. His signature bold shapes, intricate metalwork, and unexpected materials took center stage.
- Sculptural cuffs and layered necklaces embraced fluid, organic forms, wrapping around the body like gilded armor.
- Statement earrings pushed exaggerated proportions, balancing delicacy with drama.
- Textured gold and silver finishes, accented with resin and crystal embellishments, reflected light in hypnotic flashes.
- Handbags extended the vision, featuring structured silhouettes and metallic elements that fused artistry with function. A favorite was a scissors shaped handle.
Bittar’s signature craftsmanship—known for blending high art with wearable design—remained ever-present, elevating the collection beyond mere accessories into symbols of transformation.
A Dystopian Reflection
The lone woman at the vanity, adorned in Bittar’s pieces, posed the ultimate question: Is she alone by choice or by consequence? As AI attendants glide around her, the moment becomes both a critique and a fantasy—a reflection on beauty, aging, and the isolation that technology affords.
Bittar’s AW25 presentation was a performance, a meditation, and an eerie glimpse into a world where nostalgia and futurism blur into something altogether new.
–Katya Moorman
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