for naomi campbell, BMW releases the XM covered in sequins and velvet

bmw xm mystique allure inspired by supermodel naomi campbell

In the evening of May 15th, 2024, supermodel Naomi Campbell showed up at the House of BMW in Cannes, a few hours after she appeared on the red carpet for the premiere of the movie Mad Max Furiosa. Minutes later, BMW unveiled the XM MYSTIQUE ALLURE, the high-fashion and show car dedicated to her. The shade of ultramarine, the supermodel’s favorite color, had a poise and elegance similar to Naomi Campbell’s stance and aura during the event that designboom attended. The show car was lush and saturated, standing out from the crowd and at night, sharing the limelight with the supermodel it was designed for.

As viewers drew closer to the high-fashion car, the meticulous work of BMW’s team came into view. The vehicle’s body glimmered in hundreds of sequins, pieced together individually, complemented by the silky and knitted velvet fabrics for the upper parts of the XM MYSTIQUE ALLURE. A frozen metallic look was what BMW and Naomi Campbell were going for. From the sequinned fabric to the matt and velvet surfaces, sourced from Swiss manufacturer Jakob Schlaepfer, it was clear that the duo pulled it off.

all images courtesy BMW

ultramarine high-fashion car blending velvet and sequins

BMW took weeks and hours to make the XM MYSTIQUE ALLURE for Naomi Campbell a real-life high-fashion show car. Craftsmen turned first to 3D imaging to picture how the vehicle would look, then slowly figured out how to overcome the fabric challenges. Precise adjustments were adhered to, and there were no established processes for applying textiles to the body of a vehicle. Due to the dimensions of the BMW XM and the maximum width of fabric available, cutting and fitting the fabrics were done piece by piece.

Sequins and velvet fabrics became amicable siblings to their BMW XM parent. These materials were sourced from Swiss manufacturer Jakob Schlaepfer who’s known for supplying textiles to prestigious fashion houses such as Dior and Chanel. The upper parts outside the car and all of the surfaces inside the car, including the M Lounge in the rear, are covered in purple velvet. When the light hits, it shines through, bouncing off a silver-like glint that brings out the fuzzy texture of the fabric. The richness of the velvet complements the geometry and diamond-shaped pattern lines wrapped around the vehicle, giving the hours of craftsmen’s work a worthy payoff.

BMW XM Mystique Allure coated in a velvety ultramarine and covered in sequins

Hans Zimmer soundscapes for BMW XM MYSTIQUE ALLURE

Inside the BMW XM MYSTIQUE ALLURE, Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer lives, in the form of sound design. When Naomi Campbell, or anyone, approaches the high-fashion show car, the sound that Hans Zimmer composed for BMW echoes, informing them that the vehicle knows they’ve come close to it. Opening the doors, the users sit inside, basked in purple cosmos that dominate even the interior. They look up for a moment and see the sculptural ceiling resembling mountains, punctuated by the ambient underlighting. They realize the colors of ultramarine too: the plush velvet seats, the dashboard, the door design elements. They only wear the custom skin that BMW developed, tailored to Naomi Campbell.

They look at the dashboard and find a distinctive feature of the interior: the sculpted headliner. It details elaborate 3D contours, further underscored by the indirect lighting. Then, the aural sounds begin, bathing the driver and passengers with an orchestral soundtrack that Hans Zimmer is a master of composing. This is his adaptation of the BMW IconicSounds Electric developed as part of the master composer’s collaboration with BMW Group Sound Design. The driving track, which was also created for Naomi Campbell and her one-off high-fashion show car, tops the car’s overall design, sealing the reason it is called MYSTIQUE ALLURE in the first place.

the high-fashion and show car BMW XM MYSTIQUE ALLURE is dedicated to Naomi Campbell

The BMW XM is the first model since the legendary BMW M1 to be conceived solely as a standalone high-performance car from BMW M GmbH. It blends dynamic potency with innovative luxury and an enticingly extravagant design composed of muscular proportions and powerful contours. Two-piece split headlight units, Iconic Glow contour lighting for the BMW kidney grille, accent bands along the sides of the car, light-alloy wheels up to 23 inches in size, and the vertically stacked and hexagonally formed pairs of exhaust tailpipes integrated into the rear apron ensure the exterior of the XM has an inimitable visual presence. In the M HYBRID drive system’s all-electric operating mode, every movement of the accelerator is accompanied by an emotionally engaging sound that authentically represents the car’s performance and visual allure.

the exterior of the high-fashion car BMW XM MYSTIQUE ALLURE for Naomi Campbell with a metallic look