‘The main challenge in designing FW23 was the balance of art, scale and wearability,’ says Alexis Bittar on the new jewellery collection from his eponymous brand. ‘It’s always a difficult balance to achieve all three, and so important to the DNA of the brand. For this season, I wanted to really increase scale – it's like someone taking the shackles off of me. I was never one to design too dainty, so it was actually cathartic to avoid that and bring fantasy and dimension. I want someone to see you wear it from down an NYC block.’
It is an exuberant aesthetic translated into oversized proportions and sensual silhouettes, for jewellery that plays with ethereal themes and fantastical forms. ‘I always pull inspiration from multiple places and periods of time, flickers of memories of my past, while balancing everything towards the future,’ Bittar adds. ‘FW23 was a combination of summer nights in NYC in 1984, subtle references of “Ballet Russe” from 1976 and one of my favourite movies of all time, Diva, by the director Jean-Jacques Beineix.’
Sinuous shapes lend a sensuality to pieces that embrace the curves of the body, such as a snake necklace, its eyes dotted with crystals. ‘The necklace was quite a complicated piece to construct. I wanted to create the tension of a snake coiling around one’s neck, slightly suffocating and slightly sensual. At the same time, we needed to make it wearable. We built a neck form and shaped it around a clavicle so we could perfect the actual fit. It also has a hinged segment at the back that you can open to slip it on. The eyes of the snake are crystal-studded, and catch the light.’
The textured pieces result in a tactility that makes them both attractive to touch and wear. ‘The texture of the jewellery was a key component to the collection,’ says Bittar. ‘I wanted the feeling of being unearthed, almost ancient but not too precious. I love little nuances and how they can evoke emotions.’
