If a car covered in purple velvet and sequins doesn’t scream avant-garde high-fashion, what does really? The covers have been taken off a bespoke BMW XM inspired by supermodel Naomi Campbell at this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, marking the third year the brand has been the automotive partner for the prestigious festival.
This special BMW XM Mystique Allure was created to commemorate BMW’s ‘Dare to be You’ campaign with Naomi Campbell in 2023. Depending on which way you lean on automobiles finished in fabric, the fact that this BMW XM Mystique Allure is a one-off will either be good news or leave you wondering why it hasn’t been done before.
As such, the plug-in hybrid XM marks the first time BMW has ‘tailored a car with high-fashion materials’, though the 2008 BMW GINA Light Visionary Model Concept also used fabric draped over a BMW Z8 for shock effect. Purely a show car, the XM Mystique Allure has been part-painted in a matte ultramarine, and part-draped in velvet of the same color, to reflect the supermodel’s favorite shade.
Adding to the bejeweled effect of the velvet are hundreds of shimmering sequins going from the inside of the XM to its exteriors, to blur the traditional line between exterior and interior. To that end, every square inch of the cabin has been draped in the same ultramarine velvet. It even boasts a special driving soundtrack created by Hans Zimmer, who also curated the vehicle sounds of the regular BMW XM.
The BMW XM is a plug-in hybrid performance SUV with the title of being BMW’s most powerful series-produced, road-legal car in its lineup, with 748 horsepower on tap in the Label Red iteration. The XM Label Red uses a hybrid twin-turbo V8 to dispense of the 0-60mph metric in 3.8 seconds, and is a special edition limited to just 500 units. One of which has been sacrificed at the altar of high-fashion to create the BMW XM Mystique Allure.
