Backstage with Sabyasachi at 25: On the prowl for global markets
The couturier has dominated Indian weddings, red carpets, and A-list celebrity outings for over a decade. As he celebrates 25 years of his eponymous label, a clear sight towards a global audience is v
Mumbai"s corporate Jio World Convention Centre transformed into the decadent world of Sabyasachi for the designer"s first physical showcase in five years. Every inch of the carefully styled room was covered in ornate motifs featuring animals and flowers from India, along with a mile-long grazing table that served everything from French pastry and chimichurri butter to Japanese dark chocol
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While the outside room was decked in glamour and maximalism, signature to the brand, the inner show area featured a simple street set meant to recreate middle-class Calcutta, complete with decaying mint facades and everyday clothes drying on their balconies. In these campaign images, the collection"s looks are shot amid quintessential Calcutta.
"Calcutta, a city of patina&mdashwhere the
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The collection, which featured a staggering 155 looks, had a comprehensive selection of menswear with sharp tailoring and oversized accessories.
Image by Bikramjit Bose; Sunhil Sippy
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Sumptuous, modern statement looks, embroidered on velvet, will likely look to find their way to cocktail bars in Paris or New York. "I believe we are moving into a new generation of consumers who will appreciate unique handmade products while valuing wearability and long-term usage," he says.
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Winterwear dominated the runway, styled with touches of Sabyasachi embellishments. Women could choose from a wide range of options, from global silhouettes of shorts, skirts and billowing tops, to fewer looks styled as entirely ethnic Indian actors Alia Bhatt and Ananya Panday attend the show in two starkly different looks from the collection.
Image by Bikramjit Bose; Lodovico Colli di Felizzano
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While Sabyasachi"s signature glamour sometimes peeked through accessories or smaller elements, a large part of the collection was in neutral tones, perhaps devised as decadent separates&mdashin an unseen avatar for the maximalist couturier.
"A lot of what you see on the runway isn"t fabric it is pure embroidery," Mukherjee says. "The clothes can be extremely deceptive. For instance, some
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Actor Deepika Padukone and supermodel Christy Turlington played showstoppers in yin-and-yang outfits. Both can be seen in monotone looks, accentuated by layers of high jewellery and other accessories, referencing Frida Kahlo"s headband, Madonna"s crucifix, and so on.
Mukherjee says he"s betting big on his jewellery line, which has seen marked interest from markets such as the US and the
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Sabyasachi"s first show in five years drew in an illustrious crowd, from the business elite to Bollywood"s leading ladies. Here, he is seen with Kumar Mangalam Birla, whose company, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, has acquired a 51 percent stake in Sabyasachi"s brand Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor Ahuja is seen in a dramatic feathered ensemble from the couture label.
