Telling the India story: 25 years and iconic designs of Sabyasachi
In 1999, a young middle-class lad dreamt of being the greatest designer not just in India, but “in the world.” He rejected job offers from top designers in India at that time in pursuit of an ambition to create India’s biggest luxury house. Cut to 25 years later, the young boy has transformed into a luxury design maven — a brand in itself called Sabyasachi. Anything that he touches may not turn gold but is surely heirloom-worthy.
From crafting an empire of couture, high-jewellery, signature accessories, signing global collaborations and opening museum-worthy stores in Mumbai and New York with rare collectibles, and artefacts, he stands tall as the only Indian designer who gets the ‘India story’ to the world. It lies in his perfect balance of cultural preservation and timeless luxury.
Marking 25 years of this stellar journey, the 50-year-old designer threw an opulent soiree accompanied by a fashion show in Mumbai in January. It had actor Deepika Padukone walking at the fashion show with a bandwagon of models presenting over 150 looks. From jackets with intricately carved zardosi, soothing Pashminas, to headbands reminiscent of Frida Kahlo, to exquisite saris — he covered the range from minimalism to maximalism. The show came to life at a set design imitating a Kolkata neighbourhood. The takeaway? If an ordinary Kolkata boy could do it, the sky is the limit when it comes to turning dreams into reality. TMS spotlights iconic moments when Sabyasachi told the India story to the world.
Popularising Indian couture
The designer has revolutionised Indian couture to the point that most brides espouse a deep-seated desire to be — ‘The Sabyasachi bride’. Markets, especially the Chandni Chowk in Delhi are famous for having replicas of Sabyasachi’s bridal saris and lehenga, where dreams seem to fulfill on bagging even the cheapest copy of the designer’s original piece as most of his designs are celebrity approved for their weddings.
From actor Anushka Sharma, who chose a pastel pink lehenga for her wedding, Deepika Padukone, who chose a red and gold lehenga for her Sindhi wedding, to Priyanka Chopra, who opted for a deep red lehenga for her Hindu wedding -- each of them chose to be a ‘Sabya Bride’.
Dressing global icons
Sabyasachi has dressed quite a mix of Hollywood celebrities, royalty and international socialites. It has solidified not just his place, but the place for Indian heritage and craftsmanship at international red carpet events. From Oprah Winfrey dressed in custom Sabyasachi sari on her visit to India in 2012 at Jaipur Literature Festival, Deepika Padukone’s black and gold sequin Sabyasachi sari for Cannes in 2022, to Jennifer Lopez adorned with Sabyasachi jewellery at Toronto International Film Festival 2024 — each of the pieces showed the grandeur of Indian craftsmanship.
International collabs
Collaborating between brands is not new. While lifestyle brands usually collaborate to expand market reach, tap into a new audience and boost sales and cultural influence — Sabyasachi ensured that he’s collaborating to sell the Indian narrative in crafts, textiles and heritage. His 2024 collaboration with the global beauty giant Estee Lauder for a capsule collection of 10 lipsticks, introduced shades suited to the Indian skin tone. Named Rouge Bengal, Udaipur Coral, Calcutta Red, Devi Pink amongst others — it was a show of the bounties of his country to an international clientale.
Further, his collaboration with high street brand, H&M in 2021 produced a ready-to-wear collection where the Western wear label sold a quintessentially Indian attire — the sari — for the first time. If that’s not all his collaboration with Christian Louboutin in 2017 for footwear had Indian crafts of zardosi, mirror work, Phulkari and brocade on footwear like still toes, wedges and loafers. “I have never believed India to be a third world country. We are a first world civilisation where luxury originated and where it has always belonged,” he rightly said in an Instagram post on his 25th year anniversary as a label.