Margeaux Goldrich: ‘My Turban Is The End of This Sentence’

Frieze Week Ms. Goldrich, you look magnificent today. Tell us what you’re wearing.

Margeaux Goldrich Vintage couture from my archive, my Alexis Bittar Lucite bangles and new earrings.

FW What are your fundamental rules for personal style?

MG Be true to yourself. Don’t fall prey to ‘The Trends’. My turban is the end of this sentence, my style’s full stop.

FW We see that your assistant Hazel is with you today. What’s the secret to keeping good relationships with staff?

MG Well, it’s all in the arm’s length  –  don’t get too close, and then you’ve created all the boundaries you need.

FW How did she come into your orbit?

MG She chose me. She came to me with her tail between her legs — needed a job outside the strip club. For her, I was a chance to clean up her act.

FW And how did you come to be Alexis Bittar’s muse?

MG Honey, it was all about the money  – my money, to be exact. I’ve been sup­port­­ing Alexis since the early days of the brand, through the successes, the pause while he built a little family – those gays with their kids, the two-dad house­hold, right? And then we met again on the streets of New York, and I joined his stable of kooky ladies: though I seem to be wearing it better than any of those other dames.

FW Let’s talk about art. What’s your perception of the New York art scene?

MG It’s the Wild West these days. I love the bold moves of some of the up-and-comers, but I love my old masters, love the traditional places. Seems every­body’s gotta have a piece of culture these days. Who are these nobodies buying their way into the art scene with a piece of couch art? What happened to authority? To passion?

FW What about your passions? Who are the artists you admire?

MG I only have passion for the artists I love. Why admire anyone from afar when I can be right up close in the mix with them? So, I love Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley. I’m trying to stay current and ahead of the game but, at the same time, I reach through history and talk to Cy Twombly and Germans from the Weimar period  –  Dix, Kirchner, Grosz, Beckmann. They keep me company.

FW F*ck, marry, kill: Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, David Salle?

MG Well, I already f*cked Jackson. Andy and I were not on speaking terms at the end. As for dear David, I think we missed our moment, honey. 

FW You seem to live such a taxing life of self-sacrifice. What does a typical day look like for you?

MG Finally, someone understands  –  it is such a very taxing time for me. You know, I took on this kid, so I have to get up, get him to school, make sure he’s doing well. I need his situation to reflect well on me, that’s the most important thing. I have to oversee everything. I mean, I’m making lunches! He won’t eat the school lunch –  it’s practically gotta be catered. He can’t eat nuts; he’s glucose intolerant. What happened to peanut butter and jelly? Not to mention my other kid: Mike, my husband, who refuses to grow up.

FW What’s one thing you think there can never be too much of?

MG Ugh. People probably want me to say there can never be too much money. But I’m not gonna go there. Of course, there can never be too many accessory options. But I’m going with love. It sounds better, right? Let’s say love.

FW Could you share one treasured memory of your life in New York?

MG I have too many treasured memories of my beloved ballet and opera, the moments of beauty and grace that are such a part of New York City life. But I suppose the day that Mike brought me Winston – that terrible day, which is a little cloudy as I was recovering at the St Regis Hotel, under the care of so many doctors and their prescriptions  –  was a miracle.

FW What’s one thing in the city that should never change?

MG The hot-dog stands. I ate one once, in front of The Plaza, and I’ll never forget it. I’ll never do it again, either. But don’t go changing those.

FW If you could exile one person per­ma­nently from New York, who would it be?

MG Well, the co-op boards are tricky in this city; you have to tread lightly and, if you want to get rid of a pesky neighbour, keep your cards close. I do find some residents are treating the whole city like they own it  – the police barriers, the motorcades and the eyesore of a certain gold-panelled building down the block from my beloved Bergdorf’s are more vexing than ever these days…

Margeaux Goldrich is the fictional lead character of ‘The Bittarverse’, the Webby Award­-winning digital series and content platform created by accessories designer Alexis Bittar. www.alexisbittar.com

This article first appeared in Frieze Week New York magazine with the title ‘‘My Turban is The End of This Sentence’.

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^{Main image: The Holidays, Hazel & Margeaux, 2025. Courtesy: Alexis Bittar}