XULY.Bët Funkin' Fashion Factory, or '
XULY.Bët
'', is a clothing line designed by Lamine Badian Kouyaté, born 28 Dec 1962, a

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...

an /

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

ese fashion designer. Lamine Badian Kouyaté was awarded "Creator of the Year" by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' in 1994 and received the

ANDAM ANDAM is a French fashion award established in 1989 by Nathalie Dufour as a joint venture between the French Ministry of Culture and the Defi Mode fashion organisation. It has been recognised as a benchmark for designers, fashion professionals, and ...

Fashion Award in 1996. Some of his clothes were also a part of the "Africa 2005" exhibition at the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

. In 2018, he was part of the exhibition "African Metropolis" at th
MAXXI Museo
in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. With an impactful African heritage, '
XULY.Bët
'' is best known for its use of recycled fabrics and clothing creating high fashion. It uses dead-stock fabrics but also reshapes found garments by cutting, printing and stitching ; making modifications that range from the subtle shaping to the complete transformation of the clothing function. Having started

upcycling Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as artistic value or environmental value ...

clothing in the early 1990s, Lamine Kouyaté often tells the story of his mother and grandmother who would always use existing clothes to reshape them for him and his brothers. In that scenario,

is something living deep in his cultural and familial roots, a very African concept of creating and avoiding waste. His energetic style is often recognized by the red threads left hanging at the end of stitching. Their red color emphasizing the process of transformation from discarded garment to designer statement, also representing the color of blood, which unites all humanity, no matter the race, gender, sexual orientation... Th
XULY.Bët
style is the reflection of Kouyaté's roots and life. A diverse universe mixing textures, cultures, colors and ideas, enclosing contemporary urban Africa as well as the fashion worlds of

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. His clothes are a bold mix of electric prints and minimal sensual lines. The designer's personal background, as well as his work, drew substantial attention from both the fashion and popular press. They've been featured in prominent publications such as ''

Vogue Italia ''Vogue Italia'' is the Italian edition of ''Vogue'' magazine. Owned by Condé Nast International, it has been called the top fashion magazine in the world. It's been in publication since 1964. Name ''Vogue Italia'' was first published as ''N ...

, I.D,

Glamour Glamour may refer to: Arts Film * ''Glamour'' (1931 film), a British film * ''Glamour'' (1934 film), an American film * ''Glamour'' (2000 film), a Hungarian film Writing * ''Glamour'' (magazine), a magazine for women * ''The Glamour ...

Le Figaro ''Le Figaro'' () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It is headquartered on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The oldest national newspaper in France, ''Le Figaro'' is one of three French newspapers of reco ...

Essence Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...

''. Lamine Kouyaté's clothing and personality also played an important role in

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...

's film

Ready-to-Wear Ready-to-wear (or ''prêt-à-porter''; abbreviated RTW; "off-the-rack" or "off-the-peg" in casual use) is the term for ready-made garments, sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing ...

(1994) in which he was portrayed by

Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Forest Whitaker, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award ...

. In 1995, he collaborated with

Puma Puma or PUMA may refer to: Animals * ''Puma'' (genus), a genus in the family Felidae ** Puma (species) or cougar, a large cat Businesses and organisations * Puma (brand), a multinational shoe and sportswear company * Puma Energy, a mid- and d ...

and became the first label to create a crossover collection in collaboration with a sports brand. He then led the way by working later on collections with APC,

Absolut Vodka Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, in southern Sweden. Absolut is a part of the French group Pernod Ricard. Pernod Ricard bought Absolut for €5.63 billion in 2008 from the Swedish state. Absolut is one of the largest brand ...

, Naf Naf, les 3 Suisses, Leclerc... Soon after Lamine Kouyaté's beginnings, actresses and artists began wearin
XULY.Bët
From

Neneh Cherry Neneh Mariann Karlsson (born 10 March 1964), better known as Neneh Cherry, is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, occasional DJ and broadcaster. Her musical career started in London in the early 1980s, where she performed in a number of punk roc ...

Rossy de Palma Rosa Elena García Echave (born 16 September 1964), known professionally as Rossy de Palma, is a Spanish actress and model. She is well known for her roles in films by Pedro Almodóvar such as ''Law of Desire'', ''Women on the Verge of a Nervou ...

Lisa Bonet Lilakoi Moon (born Lisa Michelle Bonet; November 16, 1967), known professionally as Lisa Bonet (), is an American actress. She is known for playing Denise Huxtable on the sitcom ''The Cosby Show'' (1984–1992), for which she earned widespread a ...

Grace Jones Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...

Cardi B Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...

Halle Berry Halle Maria Berry (; born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and coming in sixth in the Mis ...

, his designs have outlived the decades by being worn by them. In the early 2010s, Lamine Kouyaté preferred the energy of New York and migrated his collections there to be an active partner of the New York Fashion Week from 2009 to 2018. In 2019, he decided to join forces with young CEO Rodrigo Martinez and moved the brand back to its native city: Paris. He was soon asked by Lucien Pagès to join his PR showroom and started showing his collections in the French capital again. His Fall-Winter 2020/2021 received tremendously good press Ever since the creation of '
XULY.Bët
'' and in alignment with his ecological beliefs, Kouyaté prefers marketing his collections on a more sustainable scale. The future lies in his use of recycled fabrics and carefully chosen collaborations sharing the same eco-conscious ethics as he does.

Lamine Badian Kouyaté

Born in Bamako on 28 December 1962, his father,

Seydou Badian Kouyaté Seydou Badian Kouyaté (April 10, 1928 – December 28, 2018) was a Malian writer and politician. He wrote the lyrics to the Malian national anthem, "Le Mali". Early life and education Born in Bamako, Kouyaté studied medicine at the University ...

, was very important writer and politician who changed the face of Mali and was a notable defender of African rights. His mother, Dr Henriette Kouyaté Carvalho d’Alvarengo became the first Malian woman to obtain a doctor's licence in 1975. She spent her life fighting against genital mutilation and made sure the Malian government would realize what a terrible issue it was for women from all over the world. Lamine Kouyaté moved from his native

Bamako, Mali Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

around 1986. He then started studying architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Strasbourg. Soon after, he realized his passion laid somewhere else. Passionate about fashion (he often cites having been amazed and inspired his whole youth by Yves Saint Laurent, the first designer to have put black models on his runways such as

Iman Iman, Imann, Imaan, Eman, Emaan, or Imman may refer to: Places * Iman, Iran, a village in Kalashi District, Kermanshah Province * The Iman River, the former name of the Bolshaya Ussurka River, a tributary of the Ussuri River in Russia's Primors ...

Katoucha Katoucha Niane (23 October 1960 – 2 February 2008) was a Guinean model, activist and author. Nicknamed "The Peul Princess" (in reference to her ethnic Fula background), she worked, and later wrote, under the single name "Katoucha". She was k ...

and

Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...

), he rapidly turned to fabrics and textiles as a mean to express architecture. As he was working on the lightness of fabrics out of curiosity, XULY.Bët was born in the Hôpital Éphémère, a famous squat for artists and creatives in the north of Paris. Kouyaté's eye for upcycling garments and incorporating African styles and eclectic sensibility is what mad
XULY.Bët
an influential underground fashion label. By creatin
XULY.Bët
Lamine Kouyaté dedicated his life and work to delivering women an ultra-feminine style, using popular references and any inspiration he could find in his books, music but most of his inspirations came from urban life. He often looks at the work of designers

Azzedine Alaïa Azzedine Alaïa (; ar, عز الدين عليّة, ʿIzz ad-Dīn ʿAlayya, ; 26 February 1935 – 18 November 2017) was a Tunisian couturier and shoe designer, particularly successful beginning in the 1980s. Early life Alaïa was born in Tunis, ...

, Yves Saint Laurent as an important advancement in fashion. His inspirations also come from punk rock,

grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...

and

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

music for his funky designs. Lamine Kouyaté spent most of his life in

, where his children live and the bran
XULY.Bët
grew at its best. In 2014, he moved to

, preferring its energy at the time. Five year laters, he decided to move back to its hometown wher
XULY.Bët
is now operating and where his atelier is located, in

Ivry-sur-Seine Ivry-sur-Seine () is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Paris's main Asian district, the Quartier Asiatique in the 13th arrondissement, borders the co ...

a nearby suburb.

References

External links

XULY.Bët official websiteXULY.Bët InstagramXULY.Bët Facebook
Amy M. Spindler, ''

''. May 2, 1993.
"Revealing New Layers of African Fashion"
Guy Trebay, ''

''. February 14, 2009.
"Lamine Kouyaté - crear una marca sostenible es el único camino
, Ana María Ferrer, ''La Moda en las Calles'', June 13, 2019.
"Le retour en force de XULY.Bët"
Alexandre Lanz, ''360°'', December 11, 2019.

Caroline Rousseau,

', March 14, 2020.
"Fashion Week, jour 8: Deux salles, deux ambiances"
Margaux Krehl, '' Vanity Fair'', March 3, 2020.
"XULY.Bët FW20 Collection"
Steff Yotka, ''

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

'', March 3, 2020.
"XULY.Bët : la marque pionnière du "recycling" est de retour!"
Sophie Fontanel, ''

Le Nouvel Obs (), previously known as (1964–2014), is a weekly French news magazine. Based in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, it is the most prominent French general information magazine in terms of audience and circulation. Its current editor is Cécil ...

'', March 23, 2020. {{DEFAULTSORT:Xuly Bet Malian fashion designers People from Bamako Malian emigrants to France