Lounge
What Sabyasachi proved with his 25th anniversary show
Summary
Designer Sabyasachi's grand show to mark 25 years of his brand demonstrated his ambition to be a superbrand and a global Indian luxury house
While creative directors of fashion houses in the West are playing musical chairs, a different game is playing out in India: what will be the first luxury fashion brand to go global?
Right now, Sabyasachi seems to be holding all the cards—a partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion Retail Ltd (the corporate bought 51% four years ago), a 5,800 sq. ft store in New York City's affluent West Village, a line of recognisable bags and jewellery that retail in stores like Bergdorf Goodman in New York, showcases at fashion weeks in Milan and New York, and collaborations with brands like H&M and Estée Lauder. The Kolkata-born designer is currently in the process of launching a perfume and beauty range. And of course, the fashionable founder's ambition. In a 2022 interview with Lounge, he had said: "I don’t think any other brand in this country has lasted as long as we have and we continue to grow higher. I want to be India's first superbrand."
That ambition was on display on 25 January, when Sabyasachi marked 25 years of his brand with an extravagant show at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
The 600-odd guests, who included corporate and couture house leaders, UHNIs and clients, fashion buyers, fashion journalists and actors, were greeted by a long grazing table that drew on the decadence of the Victorian era, while 1970s Hindi, Bengali and English songs—a mix of Rabindranath Tagore, Usha Uthup and Leonard Cohen—played in the background, a feature of Sabyasachi shows. Guests exchanged air kisses while balancing glasses of champagne, four-tiered strawberry and chocolate cake, caviar, oysters, artisanal cheese. The perfect backdrop for selfies was created with 10ft tall porcelain vases, plush vintage carpets, French paintings and faux tigers and cheetahs.
Also read: What Sabyasachi x H&M gets wrong and right, almost
The entrance to the show recreated the narrow streets of north Kolkata with rundown houses jammed together, the clotheslines draped with shabby fabrics and garments—a nod to his childhood in an India that is rarely acknowledged in the world of luxury. The sprawling hall that followed had a functioning water fountain similar to the one at Victoria Memorial with green windows skirting the ramp. One would have recalled old Kolkata or Paris, depending on where one came from.
Actor Deepika Padukone opened the show in an oversized beige trench coat with matching trousers. It was a look seen before but the styling—chunky, multi-stone Sabyasachi jewellery, a Frieda Kahlo-esque black headband, big eyeglasses and black leather gloves—helped it become more unique. A fine balance of maximalism and minimalism that one has come to expect from Mukherjee and a sensibility he credits his grandmothers for.
The 150-odd looks that followed blended the nostalgia of old Kolkata—silk scarfs and embroidery, rose-tinted glasses and ties—with global silhouettes, luxe grunge, traditional embroidery and the language of the Instagram generation.
It was not a retrospective as many had expected. The show was a fashionable flex to show what the brand believes it is capable of and is working towards. The made-in-Kolkata ready-to-wear collection worn by models of different ethnicities (but sadly not sizes) had the spirit of couture, and was clearly aimed at the global luxury shopper who prefers comfort. Everyday couture for those who live multilayered lives.
There were references to Coco Chanel's work in a coat embroidered in different yarns and crystals to create the illusion of tweed—deception at its best. There were bejewelled T-shirt-like tops with viral slogans and tags such as "Where has love gone", "Dog dad", "Cat lady", and "Table for one". For a brand that rarely follows trends, the play with the world of social media indicated its growing focus on attracting a larger client base.
While the collection did not experiment with silhouettes, it excelled at fabric innovation. A long coat that seemed to be embellished with large stones was actually fashioned from artfully sewn cotton balls.
The now-globally recognizable Sabyasachi logo was used flamboyantly across bags, clothes and accessories.
Despite the bold statements and innovation, there was little experimentation with traditional Indianwear, which made up about 10% of the line. Why would a brand that became famous in India for its lehngas and saris not show a bigger range? "The lehnga is dying; people want layering," Mukherjee said when we met at his Mumbai store the day after the show. “The future is ready-to-wear that's also couture."
By the time American supermodel Christy Turlington closed the show on 25 January, wearing a plain black sweater and fur trousers, Mukherjee's intentions had been made clear: He aims to create India's first global luxury brand by learning from the past without repeating it. Now that's the biggest flex.
