In the fashion film, Rossy de Palma, sporting a form-hugging lime green nylon dress with inside-out red stitching, welcomes viewers to the “galaxy Xuly Bët,” while behind her is an image taken from space of the rotating Planet Earth. De Palma strokes a reptile, while talking about the designer’s Funkin’ Fashion Factory.
Actor Nassim Guizani, wearing something similar, stars, too, as does singer Thee Dian, who performs. The spot is otherworldly and full of symbolism, including a modern-day “Last Supper” sort of scene, with frozen attendees giving a preview of Xuly Bët’s fall 2022 collection.
Its designer Lamine Badian Kouyaté likened his fashion to funk — “simple but powerful.” And that’s the case. This season, he created a wardrobe mixing elevated workwear and streetwear with long clinging dresses.
Standout pieces included the Ghanaian wax print fabric puffer coats, like the purple patterned model with gray reflective bands that’s paired with an ankle-length purple-and-red dress.
Colors like eggshell blue and lemon were chosen to help celebrate confinement’s end.
There’s a big recycling quotient, with men’s traditional work shirts morphing into dresses and workers’ jackets repurposed.
“Recycling is something fixed in the DNA of Xuly Bët,” explained Kouyaté.
The designer said the fabrics he works with, such as denim and cotton, have their own unique qualities “that you don’t find in a silk or organza. There’s an intimacy that you can have with the clothing that is completely different.”
