This season Lamine Badian Kouyaté sent Rossy de Palma and a merry band of models into space for Xuly.Bët’s collection film, which also stars the singer Thee Dian.
Kouyaté translated the otherworldly glamour of the “aliens of Xuly.Bët” who populate the film into “accessible fantasy” for the rest of us mortals by using metallic stretch or printed “wet look” lurex that looks like it’s sequined. Color was employed as a mood lifter on second-skin pieces and outerwear. Puffer jackets, in solid hues or wax-prints, featured reflective stripes. This style was renamed Virgil in memory of the late designer. “I was really devastated when I heard about his death,” said Kouyaté, “so I was really into dedicating this collection to Virgil Abloh because he had a major impact in fashion.”
Xuly.Bët will soon mark 30 years as a label. It hasn’t always been a walk in the park, but Kouyaté perseveres, never losing sight of his mission, or what’s important. “Life is short,” said the designer of second skin pieces bearing red veins (topstitching). “I’m trying to figure out how we can, with few things, be mobile, have fun, and also stay awake and give a thought to what is precious: That is life.”
