This BMW XM was wrapped in ultramarine velvet

The Mystique Allure one-piece was created in collaboration with Naomi Campbell. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival

By: Manuel Lehbrink

May 17, 2024 at 5:25am ET

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Just when we thought the XM couldn't get any more eye-catching, BMW shows us this unique model, created in collaboration with Naomi Campbell. Why the ultramarine colour? It's the supermodel's favourite colour.

The XM, named Mystique Allure, is shown to the public at the Cannes Film Festival. It is partly covered in real velvet. So let's hope for BMW's sake that it doesn't rain on the Côte d'Azur. The soft fabric has also been used generously in the interior. As if the electrified SUV wasn't polarising enough, it is also covered in sequins that appear to be all over the bodywork and interior.

This is not the first time that BMW has used fabric on the body of a vehicle. The Gina Light Visionary Model from 2008 consisted of a robust fabric covering a metal structure. This concept was arguably more interesting than that of the XM, as it had a shape-changing body with a stretchable fabric that concealed the unsightly gaps between the panels.

Gallery: BMW XM Mystique Allure (2024) inspired by Naomi Campbell

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The two-seater sports car from the Bangle era was based on the Z8 and had a flexible fabric surface. It had butterfly doors and a rear spoiler that could change its size. Hydraulic and electric actuators attached to the aluminium wire structure under the skin allowed the Gina to change its shape.

In 2019, BMW introduced a super-dark X6 with the Vantablack VBx2 coating, which can absorb more than 99 per cent of light. Later, in 2022, the iX Flow received e-ink technology with millions of microcapsules as thick as a human hair that can display shades of grey. A year later, the i Vision Dee concept used a further development of E Ink with 32 selectable colours on 240 segments of the vehicle body. Crazy.