Designer and director Alexis Bittar poses an uneasy question. What is it about true crime that grips us so completely? While the question could easily cause one to spiral, Bittar takes a different approach; rather than seeking answers, she reframes the obsession into art and fashion for her Fall/Winter 2026 Accessories collection. In her third season back at New York Fashion Week, Bittar transforms the runway into a space for cultural reflection, unveiling her pieces through a performance inspired by a notorious serial killer.

The serial killer depicted isn’t any of the infamous names mentioned above, but instead of Amanda Gates, played by Jazelle, Bittar’s fictional serial killer from her mockumentary series, co-directed with Klimovski, The Sexecutions of Amanda Gates. Set in a gritty 1990s New York, Amanda Gates is a serial killer targeting violent male sexual offenders who have escaped prosecution. By bringing the story of Amanda Gates to the runway, Bittar merges fashion with social commentary through a captivating performance. 

At first, viewers are taken through an evidence viewing room where Bittar highlights her timeless and carefully crafted pieces in her collection, all marked with evidence cards. Throughout the collection, Bittar celebrates strength through noir and glamour. 14k gold-plated snake details wrap around leather clutches. Art Deco-inspired crystals, spiral shapes, and handcrafted liquid Lucite pair with gold and sleek finishes to add depth and shine. Viewers are then led into a theater staged as a grimy hotel room, where a live reenactment of The Sexecutions of Amanda Gates unfolds. The audience encounters the killer in the middle of a seduction before everything turns deadly. 

Alexis Bittar, working closely with choreographer Celia Rowlson Hall, transforms the runway into an immersive world where true crime meets high fashion. By blending narrative, performance, and accessories, she turns the runway into a stage for social commentary on society’s obsession with crime and the immunity of high-profile individuals. The collection proves that fashion can be more than embellishment, and it can tell stories and challenge the world around us.