Medium: Multicolor acrylic with nylon

Date: Fall 1994

Country: France

Credit: Gift of Xuly-Bet

Designer Lamine Kouyaté, working under his label Xuly-Bët, is well-known for transforming recycled clothing into one-of-a-kind masterpieces. In this example, several sweaters have been cut and combined to form the length of the dress. The brightly colored, irregularly stitched yarn at the seams intentionally draws the eye to this pieced construction. The bodice consists of two nylon tops layered over the sweater. These layers are made from altered pantyhose, reused objects common to Kouyaté's work. All raw edges are stitched with red thread, again drawing attention to the deconstructed nature of the garment. A native of Mali, Kouyaté's work blends practical aspects of his African culture with a sense for the trends of high fashion. Seemingly paradoxical in nature, his work ultimately proves to be successful, sustainable, and highly original.

Object Number: 95.7.2