Fashion Friday Feature: Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Welcome to #FashionFriday on Marigold Events! #FashionFriday posts feature Indian Fashion Designers, talking about how they got started in the industry, and their unique style. Continuing with our series of posts written by Gina Mathew, Founder of Couture Rani, today we will feature Indian Fashion Designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, and his claim to fame.

Designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee or better known simply as Sabyasachi is one of the few Indian designers who has gained international recognition for his work as well as a loyal fan following worldwide. Although, his design sensibility is firmly Indian, his unique combination of prints, textures, and colors cut in contemporary silhouettes have created an inimitable style and given his collections a truly global appeal. Sabyasachi graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Calcutta in 1999 and just four short months later launched his own label. In  2001, he won the Femina British Council’s Most Outstanding Young Designer of India Award, which took him to London for an internship with designer Georgina Von Etzdorf. The internship was a instrumental in helping the designer to broaden his world view and design sensibilities. Upon his return, Sabyasachi began retailing in all the major stores in India. In 2002, he participated in his first fashion week at Lakme Fashion Week where his debut collection earned him rave reviews from both the national and international press. Women’s Wear Daily, considered the most respected international trade magazine, called Sabyasachi the “future of Indian fashion.”

Design Aesthetic

Sabyasachi brought a completely different design aesthetic to Indian fashion by  challenging the stereotype of what Indian fashion should look and feel like by ironically focusing almost exclusively on Indian craft and textiles. Sabyasachi realized early on that in order to succeed in the international market, it was not about westernizing Indian garments but rather modernizing styles and shapes to create mass market appeal. And thus he focused on using local, handwoven fabrics like khadi, handloom silk as well as regional arts like block printing, bandhani and gota work as a way to both promote and preserve the country’s artisinal heritage. His pieces tend to have a vintage, almost yesteryear look to them but his designs are always modern, chic and elegant. Of his designs, Sabyasachi has said, “A lot of Indian women like wearing clothing which defines them as Indian. I might be doing Western clothing, I might be doing Indian clothing, but there is always a common denominator, and that is India.  If you look at the approach, if you look at the artistry, if you look at the textiles, there’s always a strong indigenous feel.” (Business of Fashion)

Bollywood:

Like many Indian designers, Sabyasachi has also designed costumes for Indian movies most notably Black (2005), Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007), Raavan (2010) and Guzaarish (2010). His work on Guzaarish aslo led him to launch an exclusive jewelry collection inspired by the film which included necklaces, rings and earrings.

His most ardent fans are also actresses he’s worked with on film like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan, who after receiving criticism for her wardrobe choices, now only wears designs by Sabyasachi for all her public events.

International Recognition:

Sabyasachi is the only Indian designer who has shown at all the major fashion weeks in the world as well as the only one to show consecutively at New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week.

Delhi Couture Week Show:

The video is from 2010. Sabyasachi did not show at Delhi Couture Week this year.

Video Credit: Couture Rani

Image Credit: fashionfad.in

Check out our Facebook Page for more pictures from Sabyasachi’s Collection.