BMW X7 NISHIKI LOUNGE
Expressing the passage of time from daylight to night
The BMW X7 Nishijin Lounge is a special model exclusive to Japan, produced three years after the BMW X7 Nishijin Edition, which expressed the changing light during the day. The interior and exterior are equipped with various special features that evoke the image of “night veil.”
The BMW X7 Nishiki Lounge is a concept model based on the BMW X7, which offers the ride comfort befitting a luxury model and the practicality of being able to seat up to seven people, and is generously enhanced with traditional Japanese craftsmanship to enhance its appeal.
This is the first limited edition model based on the X7 in about three years since the BMW X7 Nishijin Edition, which was announced in September 2021. The BMW X7 Nishijin Edition is based on the concept of “a bright, clean, new-age luxury space where light changes,” and was created as a model that expresses the changes in light during the day through the artistic woven surface of Nishijin textile. Only three units are on sale in Japan.
The newly announced “BMW X7 Nishiki Lounge” expresses a world where time has passed since the “BMW X7 Nishijin Edition” and night has fallen. Based on the concept of “a space of relaxation filled with beauty and sparkling stars,” the interior was created using traditional Kyoto craftsmanship. This concept model is based on the theme of the expanse of the starry sky.
“Nishiki” was chosen as the model name because it not only refers to silk fabrics woven with colorful threads, but also to the colors of nature and words that express the beauty of the heart, such as “kokoro no brocade” and “kinshin.” The origin of the word “nishiki” is “two colors,” and the image of “stars shining after the curtains of night have fallen” and “a world sparkling with two beautiful colors” matches the image of the lounge space of the concept model.
The exterior of the “BMW X7 Nishiki Lounge” expresses the concept in a two-tone color scheme. The main color is BMW Individual’s “Velvet Blue,” the softest shade of blue offered by BMW, and the secondary color is “Space Silver,” which expresses the sparkle of nebulae in space.
The car also comes equipped with “Crystal Light Headlights” that shine like jewels, and “Iconic Glow” that emits a gentle light. The interior is also equipped with a “Panoramic Sky Roof” that uses 15,000 LEDs to illuminate the car with a pale blue starlight at night, a “B&W Diamond Surround Sound System” that expresses the light shining on the ground with sound, and “Crafted Crystal” that reflects light for a high-quality shine.
A traditional Kyoto company creates interior design
The highlight of this collaboration is the space-themed floor mats, which were created by Kawashima Selkon Textiles of Kyoto. Other interior items were also created by Kyoto companies, who generously poured their skills into creating one-of-a-kind pieces.
All floor mats in the BMW X7 Nishiki Lounge are produced by Kawashima Selkon Textiles in Kyoto. The mats are created using the kasuri dyeing technique, which uses separate dyes on individual strands of thread to create a gentle, enveloping, and shining night sky look, creating a space that envelops passengers in a comfortable atmosphere.
The design theme is “space,” and in order to express the sparkle of the stars, the designer deliberately used “kasuri,” a type of yarn that is difficult to handle, rather than silver-colored threads. In addition, to express the universe, seven types of “twisted threads” were used, each made by twisting together five strands selected from four colors: kasuri thread, purple, navy blue, and black.
Kawashima Selkon Textiles is a textile manufacturer founded in Kyoto in 1843, and has supplied textiles to the Meiji Palace in the past and the Kyoto State Guest House in recent years. Its unparalleled quality has earned it high praise from around the world. In addition to traditional hand-weaving techniques by skilled artisans, the company is also actively incorporating machine-weaving techniques that make full use of modern technology, and is committed to the pursuit of technological innovation that will connect to the future and the preservation of culture.
The trim, shift switch, and area around the iDrive controller were finished by Rakugei Kobo, which uses a technique that uses lacquer as an adhesive, and by delicately controlling the amount of lacquer used, they were able to change the shine and color of the foil that is applied, creating a delicate shine.
Rakugei Kobo was founded in 1989 as the directly managed workshop and design department of Murata Shoten, a company with a long history as a leaf manufacturer in Nishijin, Kyoto. They manufacture the pull-leaf technique that is characteristic of Nishijin textiles. Rakugei Kobo is a company that continues to support and preserve the technique of weaving foil using pull-leaf, which is said to have been developed over 300 years ago.
The center console was designed by kuska fabric and Rakugei Kobo. The boundless expanse of outer space is expressed with Tango weaving and gold leaf decoration, fusing the image of Japanese harmony with German craftsmanship. This time, they focused on hand-woven jacquard weaving without the use of machines, and by varying the thickness of the leather from 4mm, 3mm, and 2mm, they achieved a delicate, three-dimensional finish rather than a flat one.
“kuska fabric” began manufacturing and selling crepe in 1936. Characterized by the rich volume, shadows, and gentle texture that result from the handiwork of artisans, the company aims to become a one-of-a-kind global brand “with 300 years of beautiful craftsmanship and pride in Tango textiles.”
