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Alexis Bittar (born August 25, 1968) is an American jewelry designer and recipient of the 2010 CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Accessory Designer of the Year award.

Personal life

Bittar was born in Brooklyn, NY to Bob and Helen Bittar, both university professors and antique collectors.

At age ten, Bittar began selling flowers from a hand-painted cart near his home in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn. He continued his entrepreneurial career throughout his teen years, selling antique jewelry and vintage clothing on the streets. While in high school at The Bronx School of Science, he discovered the New York club scene, where he developed an interest in fashion and design.

Bittar attended college in upstate New York for one semester before he dropped out and moved back to New York City.

Career

Inspired by his upbringing surrounded by antique jewelry, Bittar began to design his own line of jewelry in 1988. Using Lucite and semi-precious stones and metals, Bittar created two different collections and began selling his handmade pieces on the streets of Soho. In 1992, Dawn Mello, the fashion director of Bergdorf-Goodman discovered Bittar’s work. A year later, began a relationship with Saks Fifth Avenue. In the following years, Bittar began to sell his collection in stores across the United States, as well as Harrod’s in London and Isetan in Japan.

In 1996, Bittar designs a collection of Lucite and steel furniture for The Cooper Hewitt Museum. The same year, Bittar designed a limited edition set of home wares for Barneys New York and Takashimaya.

In 1999 Bittar designed Burberry’s first Ready-to-Wear jewelry collection using their trademark plaid on Lucite.

Bittar opened his first brick-and-mortar boutique in New York City in 2004. The same year, his designs were featured in a worldwide Estee Lauder campaign.

In 2007 and 2009, Bittar collaborated with fashion designer Michael Kors on exclusive runway collections and is asked by The Victoria and Albert Museum in London to create a design for an exhibition celebrating the re-opening of their jewelry wing.

Bittar opened his second store in New York in 2008. His designs continued to garner editorial attention and were featured on the covers of Italian Vogue, French Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar UK, and Time Magazine.

In 2010, Bittar opened his third boutique on Madison Avenue. Actress Joan Collins was named the face of his 2010 national ad campaign. Bittar collaborated with designer Jason Wu for Wu's 2010 Fashion Week runway show.

Awards & Honors

In 2004, Bittar was named Rising Star of the Year by the Accessories Council of Excellence. In 2005, Bittar was invited by the Council of Fashion Designers of America to join their committee. In 2010, Bittar was nominated and won the CFDA’s Accessories Designer of the Year Award along with Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler. Actress Dakota Fanning presented the award to Bittar during the June 2010 ceremony.

Two new boutiques in Los Angeles are slated to open in fall 2010 with San Francisco and Chicago to follow.

Bittar’s jewelry is handmade by artisans in Brooklyn, NY.

External links

• Alexis Bittar Official Website