When you think of Sabyasachi Mukherjee, grand Indian weddings, beautiful jewellery, rich fabrics, and unmistakable craftsmanship probably come to mind. But this September, he is taking his love for history to somewhere bigger…. NEW YORK FASHION WEEK!
Sabyasachi has entered a multi-year collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met), with the first collection set to debut during his New York Fashion Week show on 15th September.
And..his inspiration goes back centuries.
The Met Becomes Sabyasachi’s Moodboard!
The first chapter of the collaboration is a High Jewellery collection inspired by the Byzantine Empire and the Roman World.
The Byzantine Empire, centred in Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul, was once a meeting point for different cultures. It’s art carried influences from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia, as well as cultures connected through the Silk Route and India.
Through the Met’s Licensing Program, Sabyasachi was given access to inspiration from the museum’s collection, which covers about 5,000 years of art.
He then brought his own creative eye to that history, with the jewelery handcrafted in India before making it’s way to New York. The Met shared that Sabyasachi worked closely with it’s curators and designers throughout the process, describing him as a thoughtful and curious partner. The museum also praised his commitment to craftsmanship, beautiful design, and storytelling.
The collaboration is especially meaningful because Indian craftpeople have long contributed embroidery, beading, and handwork to international luxury fashion. This time, however, the craftsmanship, designers and name being celebrated on the global stage are all Indian.
Sabyasachi Has Always Loved a Little History
Looking into the past for inspiration is nothing new for Sabyasachi. His work has always carried a strong sense of Indian culture and heritage. Even as his label grew internationally, he never toned down the traditional craftsmanship, jewelery, or maximalist style that made his designs recognizable in the first place.
His eye for detail has also been shaped by another glamorous world…’Cinema’..
Sabyasachi began his fashion career in 1999 before entering costume design with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black in 2005, which got him the National Film Award for Best Costume Design.
Years later, he revealed to The Hollywood Reporter India that working with Bhansali taught him an important lesson about design.
While working on Guzaarish, Sabyasachi noticed Bhansali putting effort into an area of the set that would never appear on camera. When he questioned it, the filmmaker explained that he could not work on a half-finished set simply because audience would not see it.
The idea stayed with Sabyasachi.
Today, the same attention to detail can be seen in his 26,000-square-foot Delhi flagship store, where everything from it’s long corridors and decor to even it’s bathroom has been carefully designed.
His Take on Modern Luxury
For someone famous for extravagant fashion, Sabyasachi also has an interesting take on today’s obsession with constantly looking fashionable.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, he said actors today can become too concerned with creating an “airport look” or “red carpet look” for every appearance. To him, luxury should sometimes remain a little more discreet.
He is equally protective of his own creative identity and does not believe in constantly changing his designs to suit celebrities or stylists.
Perhaps that strong sense of identity explains why his latest partnership feels so fitting.
Fashion Week is usually about asking what comes next. Sabyasachi, however, is proving that sometimes the most exciting way forward starts by looking back.
With The Met’s centuries of history, Indian craftsmanship and Sabyasachi’s unmistakable eye for luxury coming together in New York, this is one Fashion Week moment worth watching. The version gets to the juicy parts much faster– NYFW + The Met! Indian craftsmanship, the Bhansali story, his gorgeous store and his take on modern celebrity fashion, without turning into an essay.
Sources: Forbes, The Hollywood Reporter, India Today
