Another workaround

index.js

// Fetch some User
var someUser = Alloy.createModel('User', {
  id: '1234'
});
someUser.fetch();

// Alloy expects this property
someUser.__transform = {};
var someProfile = Alloy.createController('Profile', { $model: someUser });

someUser.set('name', 'New Name');

Profile.js

// Alloy doesn't listen to changes, so we do:
$model.on('change', function (model) {
  $.name.text = model.get('name');
});

Profile.xml

<Alloy>	
	<Window>
		<Label id="name" text="{name}" />
	</Window>
</Alloy>