Vivian Wilson Shines in NYFW Debut

13 September 2025

Vivian Wilson, the transgender daughter of Elon Musk, made her first appearance at New York Fashion Week on a high-profile runway Friday evening. She walked for Alexis Bittar in a show titled “MISS USA 1991,” representing South Carolina while wearing a radiant red gown from the brand’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection. She completed the look with gold earrings and a matching clutch.

Designer Alexis Bittar explained that the show was curated to include models representing U.S. states where trans rights are under siege. The collection highlighted contrasts between structure and fluidity boldness and delicacy. Bittar’s stage featured sculpted Lucite shapes in muted sherbet tones like mauve and teal set alongside graphic gold textures that disrupted softness with an edge.

Though this was her first appearance at NYFW, Vivian has modeled before. In May she appeared at the Season 10 premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in New York City where she performed a dynamic voguing routine for the crowd. Her transition has been public for several years she came out as trans in 2020 during a turbulent time in her personal life. Her relationship with her father has been strained. Musk initially allowed her access to gender-affirming care when she was a minor but later claimed he was deceived into allowing it.

At 21 Vivian has become increasingly visible not only for her appearance in fashion shows but also for her social media presence advocacy and creative identity. She legally changed her name and severed the use of her paternal surname in 2022 after publicly expressing that she no longer wished to be related to Elon Musk “in any way, shape or form.”

Her debut walk in the Alexis Bittar show marks another elevation of her visibility. Walking the NYFW runway is a milestone in the fashion world and for Vivian it is a powerful statement. Her presence underlines ongoing conversations about trans representation in fashion inclusion and visibility. She was one of the models chosen to represent places in America where trans rights are under threat. That context makes her appearance more than a debut; it is a political moment as well as an artistic one.

Witnesses noted that her gown glimmered under the lights its cut and fabric reflecting both glamour and confidence. The audience saw a transformation not of identity but of assertion and artistry. In that show the designer spoke of playing with “boldness against fragility texture against control” that Webb mimicked in Wilson’s look in both structure and softness. The gold accessories added an extra layer of polish that elevated the gown and made her walk a centerpiece.

Vivian has frequently used her voice outside of fashion - in interviews in Teen Vogue she has spoken about the challenges of coming out and the personal stakes involved in living authentically. She also has criticized misrepresentations by her father especially around her transition. The public has watched closely as she builds her identity through modeling activism and persona. Her debut at New York Fashion Week adds another chapter to that story.

Fashion insiders say that including Vivian in this show points to broader shifts in the industry. It is no longer rare for trans models to appear at major fashion weeks nor for designers to build collections around messaging about identity rights. Yet for all those shifts each moment of visibility still carries weight for those who have often been excluded or marginalized. Wilson’s appearance at NYFW in a statement piece gown serves as both affirmation for those who follow her and a reminder of the ongoing fights for equality and recognition.

Her walk was not detached from her past nor the controversies surrounding her family. Her estrangement from Elon Musk has been well-documented. Musk has publicly criticized her transition and at times used her deadname. She has responded openly with criticism of his behavior. Their conflict has served as backdrop to her public emergence. Still she appears determined to be seen not just for her family narrative but for her own creative and personal power.

Vivian’s debut in the red gown at NYFW may be one event among many in a fast-evolving career. Yet it stands as a visible marker of her evolution from private struggle to public presence in both fashion and culture. Her choice to participate in a show that embraces her own identity and that of others under threat speaks to a commitment that transcends style alone. She showed not simply a dress or a pose but a voice that will not be ignored.