If you want to make a statement, turning to the recent CFDA-winning jeweler Alexis Bittar is a no-brainer. The designer's head-turning signature pieces are not for wallflowers, with bold shapes, exotic materials, and crazy patterns that wouldn't look out-of-place front-row at a Lady Gaga concert. For fall '10, Bittar isn't any more subdued, (thank god!), but skips a decade ahead, with a collection that jumps from his usual '80s sensibility to a '90s grunge aesthetic. There's enough variety for both a goth teen-queen and a confidently cool French girl (his primary inspiration for the season) in the form of powder-coated metal cuffs dripping with liquid gold edges, oversized rings, and for the first time, colored stones (and don't worry, his use of lucite is still very much in play). Lucky for us, Bittar took some time off to share his top-picks from the rad new offerings, from a cr-cr-crazy necklace to some beaded bracelets.
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Here's Alexis Bittar's top 5 pieces from his fall 2010 collection:
Above, clockwise from bottom left:
1. Hand-carved, hand-painted large neo-deco gunmetal hinge bracelet ($595):"This season, I really wanted to design a neo-deco collection and this cuff is its epitome. The hand-carved and hand-painted Lucite holds an oversized smoky quartz stone in a gunmetal and Swarovski crystal setting. It has a slight gothic feel to it which I like."
2. Gunmetal beaded black-and-brown collar ($450):"This is a hand-woven seed bead necklace. I love the shape of it and the way it lays on your collar. There's a sense of warrior-like armor to it, which I find quite empowering."
3. Large gunmetal Georgian framed ring ($355):"This ring has what I like to call, a modern Georgian element to it. Its marquis-cut stone determines the cast of the ring's setting, which allows me to explore the nature of negative space within jewelry. Plus, I love the combination of sea-green and gunmetal."
4. Tapestry large and small peacock and geometric bracelets ($195-$280): "I was drawn to the ballet Russe movement, and I was espicially intrigued by its avant garde qualities. They have a very minimalist grunge aesthetic to them."
5. Wooden Druisy horn necklace (price upon request):"This wood and antler necklace is made up of elements that I have found and collected on my travels abroad over the years."
R29 GIVEAWAY:
We love you ladies, which is why not one, not two, but three of y'all can win the large scaled cuff in rose gold ($285) from Alexis Bittar's spring '10 collection. It's the perf contrast between pretty and tough, and the metalwork gives it an instant '80s pop. We guarantee you'll be the center of attention! To score the jewelry, become a fan of ours on Facebook. If you already are, great—you're all set! We'll choose three winners at random.*
R29 GIVEAWAY:We love you ladies, which is why not one, not two, but three of y'all can win the large scaled cuff in rose gold ($285) from Alexis Bittar's spring '10 collection. It's the perf contrast between pretty and tough, and the metalwork gives it an instant '80s pop. We guarantee you'll be the center of attention! To score the jewelry, become a fan of ours on Facebook. If you already are, great—you're all set! We'll choose three winners at random.*
Alexis Bittar, 465 Broome Streets (between Mercer and Greene streets); 212-625-8340
*As this is an NYC contest, all winners must be able to redeem their prize at the Alexis Bittar store.