DJ/fashionista Mimi Xu and her daughter Maily Beyrens (collectively known as XuBox) star in a series of self-consciously quirky videos promoting fashion brand Björn Borg's SS16 Limited Edition Sport Couture collection.
The pair don "retro-space-inspired" gear and crank up Xu's minimalist club beats for this satisfying, somewhat surreal 90-second centerpiece spot:
Their goal was "to combine sports and fashion in an eccentric everyday training video," producer Nils Ljunggren tells AdFreak. A bunch of 15-second edits ratchet up that eccentricity with snippets of animation and soundtracks that range from eerily abstract to pleasantly poppy—with a military march thrown in for good measure.
"Mind Games" bristles with creepy audio dissonance and stare-down intensity:
"High Heels," as the title surely suggests, is about keeping one's balance in a "sport parka":
"Dry" features aquatic sounds and some creative hanging around:
There's no actual cycle in "Bike," but that doesn't stop Mimi and Maily from peddling:
"Zig Zag" shows us how to avoid climbing gym ropes:
In "Hug," the ladies get into caressing themselves (perhaps celebrating a job well done):
And when you've finish your workout, please don't forget to turn off the lights:
Strange, for gym rats, these two never seem to work up a sweat. Overall, the clips make for fun, quick viewing. Though for some, they might induce traumatic flashbacks to middle-school P.E. class. (Those infernal ropes—they burn! Our palms and psyches are scarred for life!)
CREDITS
Client: Björn Borg
Directed by: Nils Ljunggren
Featuring: Mimi Xu, Maily Beyrens
Music: Mimi Xu
Illustrations and animation: Maily Beyrens
Creative Direction: Naomi Itkes
Art Direction: Johan Avedal
Director of photography: Erik Sohlstrom
Editor: George Cragg