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Alexis Bittar is an American jewelry designer, and the founder andCEO of his eponymous accessories brand.
In 2010, he was honored with theCFDA Accessory Designer of the Year award,[1] and in 2014 was named Brand of the Year by the Accessories Council.[2]
After stepping away from the fashion industry in 2015, he reacquired his brand fromBrooks Brothers in 2021 and expanding the retailer into handbags and home décor.
In 2025, Bittar directed and co-produced alongside Bruce Cohen the documentaryReclaim The Flag,[3] a short film which features more than 50 LGBTQIA community leaders.[4]
In November 2025, Bittar is appointed to Mayor-ElectZohran Mamdani's Arts & Culture Transition Committee.
Bittar was born in 1968 inBrooklyn, New York City to Bob and Helen Bittar, both university professors and antique collectors.[5][6]
At age ten, Bittar began selling flowers from a hand-painted cart near his home in theBay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn. As a teenager, he sold antique jewelry and vintage clothing on St. Mark's Street in New York City.[7] Once, as a birthday present, Bittar's parents purchased him $300.00 worth of vintage jewelry that he then used as the seedlings of his nascent commercial operation.[8] Bittar discovered the New York club scene while attending theBronx High School of Science, which fueled his interest in fashion and design.[9]
Bittar briefly attendedState University of New York at Albany, but dropped out during his second semester. Bittar returned to New York selling antique jewelry and vintage clothing on the streets of lower Manhattan.[10] He continued to pursue his interest in jewelry and design, focusing on his own line of costume jewelry influenced by the antique collectibles he grew up around.[10][9]
Bittar has three children. He married Jack Miner in June 2023.[11]
In 1988, Bittar began to design his own line of jewelry. He bought his first block of Lucite in 1990 and holed up in his apartment figuring out how to hand carve it into the jewelry vision he had.[6] Using Lucite and semi-precious stones and metals, Bittar began selling handmade pieces on the streets of Soho.Dawn Mello, the fashion director ofBergdorf Goodman, discovered his work in 1992 and agreed to carry his designs, followed bySaks Fifth Avenue, theMuseum of Modern Art,Harrods, and Isetan in Japan.[10][9][6]
In 1996, he designed a limited edition set of home wares forBarneys New York andTakashimaya, and a collection of Lucite and steel furniture for TheCooper Hewitt Museum.[6]
In 1998, Bittar launched his first designer collaborations, and working withBurberry,[6] he designed the British luxury fashion house's first Ready-to-wear jewelry collection, interpreting their trademark plaid onto Lucite.[10][12]
Subsequent collaborations include stylist and costume designerPatricia Field forSex and the City, theCooper-Hewitt Museum, London'sVictoria & Albert Museum,Estee Lauder,[13]Michael Kors,Jason Wu,[14]Jeremy Scott,Mugler,Phillip Lim[10] andPrabal Gurung.
In 2004, Bittar opened his first boutique on Broome St.[where?] and went on to open a total of 15 stores in the US.[10]
In 2010, Bittar entered into partnership with Private Equity companyTSG Consumer Partners[15] and in 2015, they sold toCarolee LLC, the jewelry arm ofBrooks Brothers.[16]
After a five-year absence, Bittar reacquired his eponymous brand fromBrooks Brothers after they filed for bankruptcy in fall of 2020.[17] Bittar is again full owner of his brand which relaunched in fall 2021 with expanded product categories including accessories and handbags.[18] New brick and mortar boutiques were opened inNew York City designed by scenic designerScott Pask.[19]
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In 2023 Bittar received his fourthAccessories Council of ExcellenceACE Award,ACE Award and firstMuseum of Art & Design Award ,MAD Awards.