I met Xelkom through Instagram two years ago. I have been the Stylist for The Roots and Questlove for 18 years. I had reached out to him to be Questlove’s guest at the Grammys. I generally like to meet independent designers to get a sense of them beyond their Instagram presence. I work in a very hectic world and determining if the collaboration is a good match is essential.
Born and raised in Senegal, West Africa, Xelkom (pronounced Hell Kham), the son of a tailor is from a tribe renowned for their skilled craftsmanship. His work is wholly original; he composes ponchos’ or as Questlove said in the New York Times, “robe like things “from vintage, found denim as well as customizing a range of clothing from sweats to hats and sneakers.
He’s a humble man who likes to be called Baba. He was not only game to come to Los Angeles for the Grammys, but also be content to be part of the crew. He was willing to brave the Grammy backstage scene to meet my client Questlove with a few of his pieces, and as I call it “Vibe.”
Over lunch at the Silver Lake Inn and Spa, Xelkom wearing a hat and a dajjal spoke about the evolution of his work. Baba nee Xelhom is a member of a Sufi spiritual practice called Baye Fall, a subgroup of the Mourides. In the Senegalese language Wolof, “Ndiaxass” is the patchwork clothing fashioned out of found or donated pieces of cloth is the Baye Fall uniform.
His denim’s passion grew from the thrift markets in Senegal, and he learned to sew from his mother. As a child, his interest was soccer, not the work in his mother’s dress shop. She would have to coax him with a few coins to get him to help thread needles. Now living in Berkeley, CA, he collaborates with his sister handcrafting garments in his home studio.
Xelkom’s work is reminiscent of many movements steeped in DIY. They share limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources, such as “Boro,” a practice done by Japanese farmers, and “crust pants,” the clothing of the Crusty Punk a sub-Punk-Rock movement.
The intricate stitch work is similar to Sachiko from Japan, embroidery, and random stitching and layering of fabric to create or embellish a garment explicitly with the wearer in mind and the nature of the material. The intimate hand craftsmanship of Xelkom’s practice is meditative; physical labor is a form of worship. The hand craftsmanship imbues each piece with good intentions. Like Sachiko stitch patterns, Xelkom’s technique is thought to empower and protect the wearer.
Gary Clark Jr. and The Roots were closing the Grammy’s with Clark’s song, “This Land,” a passionate song about a personal account of the racism. The experience of being the other , made Xelkom’s contribution, a very poignant reminder of how this nation is not free from the massive artistic contribution of immigrants. I realized how appropriate this collaboration was, but I wasn’t sure how it was going to manifest.
At the Grammys Xelkom gifted Questlove, a very special amulet that he made from a tree that was special to his spiritual founder, Ibrahima Fall. After purchasing several pieces, this gift was an inspired part of his wardrobe for this performance.
This moment wasn’t planned, but like his garments, it was personal and unique. No piece by Xelkom is the same, and connoisseurs know the results are not uniform nor perfect. Perfection is in the imperfect. African Wabi Sabi.
In a New York Times article, Questlove called himself “the world’s most famous celebrity hoarder.” I took umbrage to that description; instead, I say that he’s a passionate collector of everything in his oeuvre. Questlove listed Xelkom’s “robe type things,” on the top of his list of essentials.
These pieces are handcrafted individually and are in boutiques in Los Angeles. Lenny Kravitz and Halle Berry are some of the collectors of his work. They can be found in The Church and Trading Post Boutiques in Los Angeles. Custom commissions can be discussed directly with the artist @Xelkom
See more about Xelkom on my instagram Rebecca Pietri
Images by Xelkom@Xelkom
Church Boutique
Trading Post Los Angeles
To find out more about the Baye Fall
Baye Fall: Roots in Spirituality, Fashion, and Resistance is a stunning photographic series by award-winning New York-based documentary photographer Laylah Amatullah Barrayn.
http://laylahbarrayn.com
More info about Boro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boro_(textile)
Sachiko
http://www.designbyaika.com/what-is-sashiko/origin-of-sashiko/
More Info about Crust pants
https://www.terminal-boredom.com/crustpants.html