CHAPTER 5: Designing for Angela Nikolau’s First Solo Exhibition
We had the honor of designing a custom look for Angela Nikolau’s highly anticipated solo exhibition on June 26, 2025. What began as a chance encounter at Floral Fromage, the local gourmet cheese shop in our Brooklyn studio building, became one of our most inspiring collaborations to date.
About Angela Nikolau
Angela Nikolau is a multidisciplinary artist known for blending extreme performance, painting, digital identity, and embodied experiences.
Born in Russia in 1993 and now based in New York City, Angela first captured international attention by scaling some of the world’s tallest buildings, including the Merdeka 118 in Malaysia — the second-tallest building in the world. That singular feat alone garnered 8.6 million views on social media and coverage from global outlets.
Angela’s creative foundation stems from her nine years as a rhythmic gymnast, her family’s circus legacy, and her studies at the Russian State Specialized Academy of Arts. In her final year at the academy, she made the bold choice to leave and dedicate herself fully to rooftopping and visual storytelling — a decision that ultimately defined her career.
Her artistic inspiration draws from her lived experiences, video game aesthetics, and digital narratives.
“Each piece reflects life as a game — the philosophy of choice and the human potential to overcome limitations and create new realities.”
The Collaboration
We first met Angela and her partner, Ivan Beerkus, after recognizing them from the documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story. To our surprise, they were our neighbors, working just down the hall from our atelier. Soon after, Angela came into the studio with an idea: she wanted a mask designed for her first solo exhibition — something that would channel her persona and reflect her signature style.
The Design Process
We had only a few days to bring Angela’s vision to life, so we moved quickly and intentionally:
Material Selection — We chose a sporty nylon power mesh to soften the sharp edges of the design and create natural movement.
The Mask — We engineered a custom removable face shield that allowed Angela to conceal her identity and flow through the exhibition with ambiguity.
Avatar References — Drawing from her digital avatar, video game influences, and traditional performance leotards, we designed a hybrid look bridging physical and digital worlds.
The Micro Skirt — To complete the ensemble, we draped a matching micro skirt for balance and continuity.
Exhibition Night
On June 26th, Angela stepped into her first New York gallery space wearing the custom-designed look. The mask, shield, and skirt came together as a visual extension of her artistry — a merging of performance, identity, and self-expression.
For us, this collaboration was about more than creating a garment. It was about designing for narrative — shaping a piece that carries meaning beyond aesthetics.
Working with Angela reminded us why we do what we do at The Collection Inc. — to create garments that tell stories, celebrate individuality, and become part of moments that live far beyond the atelier.
