“The best way to be stylish in the fashion industry is to not be fashionable at all”
Sabyasachi Mukherjee is one South Asian designer who needs no introduction but we’ll give him one anyway. The 1974-born designer hails from Kolkata and belongs to a Gujrati family. Fashion was what Sabyasachi wanted to get into but as is the norm in this part of the world, he was expected to pursue a career in something that was considered more ‘rewarding’ – in his case it was engineering, which he didn’t succumb to, much to the relief of hundreds of brides everywhere!
The designer’s first sari was created for his mother when he was in 12th grade, just a little while before he sold his books to pay for his admission to the National Institute of Fashion and Technology, which, not surprisingly, he graduated from with several awards. A few months later, with his younger sister on board as the manager of the brand Sabyasachi, the designer began his career in fashion with a workforce of only three people; it goes without saying that he still managed to create waves across the country.
Sabyasachi is said to be one of the pioneers of a technique that is commonly used by numerous designers today, and that is the use of traditional Indian textiles which are churned out in a rather modern or artistic context. Hence, he aptly describes his work as “international styling with an Indian soul”. The design guru finds inspiration all around him, be it the culture or antique textile of his hometown Kolkata or something as mundane as deserts and gypsies. While the designer’s work includes powerful creations that take one back in time to Indian history with a rather authentic display of the old-school or vintage, it’s surprising and remarkable to see the same designer create pieces that serve as the epitome of modern-day Western cuts and silhouettes. It’s almost as this man has perfected it all.
It’s common knowledge that Sabyasachi has showcased his collection not only in India but also at fashion weeks abroad including Milan Fashion Week, which is quite an achievement in itself, even without all the appreciation and enthusiasm with which his work was received there. The designer has also stocked at Browns in London, which has been rated by Vogue magazine as one of the best places to shop in the world in addition to good old Selfridges. His frowers at fashion shows and his list of celebrity clients is extensive, and includes the iconic Sridevi, Shabana Azmi, Deepika Padukone, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, Sushmita Sen and Sonam Kapoor among many more. International celebrities include renowned actresses such as Reese Witherspoon and Renée Zellweger.
The designer, no doubt, has a label that is booming but at the same time he also manages to find the time to get involved with social causes; whether this is because of his humble background or because he feels some sort of ‘guilt’, his intentions are good. His successful ‘Save the Saree’ project proved to be a huge hit and involved the designer retailing hand-woven sarees where all proceeds went to the weavers in Murshidabad.
The creative genius pauses his busy life and indulges in a quick tête à tête with OK! Pakistan.
How would you define style?
Sabyasachi Mukherjee: I believe that clothes should just be an extension of one’s intellect. So what you are in your mind is what you should be on the outside.The best way to be stylish in the fashion industry is to not be fashionable at all.
“You can be the most stylish person by not conforming to fashion. One needs to understand that fashion is a mass phenomenon that everyone follows whereas style is something you do which is completely your own that others follow.”
Do you feel your style sensibility has evolved over time?SM: We are now in a fashion era with maturity, and are able to cut out the floss in clothing and concentrate on the core. Indian fashion is becoming more and more mature, and we are stepping into a big revolution of going back into the basics. As I said, even though my couture wear may have a lot of embellishments, the collections are actually extremely quiet.
Who is the Sabyasachi woman or man?
SM: The ideal Sabyasachi wearer would be somebody who doesn’t care about “Sabyasachi” the brand.
Embroidery and embellishment are an integral part of South Asian culture and you amalgamate traditional and contemporary elements seamlessly. Please tell us about the creative process involved.
SM: They say creativity is fueled by the soul. I can recall a moment when I felt inspiration working through me; it’s every night when I sit on my terrace and look at the stars, and I know I am a very small part of this great universe. It fills me with humility and it just makes me realise that bigger things are yet to come.I’m Indian and so are the things that surround me. That is also why India reflects in my work, constantly. I look at the West for inspiration when I travel overseas. The complete paradox is part of who we are – maximalist meets minimalism all the time and that paradox is the starting point of the journey of exploration. In this channel setting generation, you are made to touch everything without absorbing anything. This is the biggest cause of a burn out. I am discovering the music of silence in my life, which is currently too cluttered. Silence is my inspiration.
“To be successful, I believe you need to have a strong point of view; otherwise there is a tendency to become like the rest of the crowd.”
What is your design philosophy?
SM: My design philosophy is ‘personalised imperfection of the human hand’. Deserts, gypsies, antique textiles and cultural traditions of my hometown, Kolkata, have been a lifelong inspiration and I believe that clothes should just be an extension of one’s intellect as I said earlier. I use unusual fabrics, texturing and detailing, and a ‘fusion’ of styles, ‘patch-worked’ with gorgeous embellishments in a vibrant and diverse colour palette to make the feeling of going back to the ‘soul’. Ours is not a fashion brand; we just do beautiful clothes with beautiful textiles, which don’t get bogged down by consumer cycles or forecasting. The Sabyasachi brand is dedicated to reviving old textiles and creating clothes which gives Indians all across the world a very strong intellectual cultural and emotional connect. That is what the DNA of the brand is.
Tell us about your favourite creation.
SM: Over the years, there are many moments which have held a special place – from space design, which is becoming an all-consuming passion to the launch of my jewellery line with Kishandas & Co. I can’t define any one moment.
How do you design clothes for specific clients?
SM: We have five flagship stores and a number of stores we retail out of in India, and we have a wide presence internationally. Our philosophy, as mentioned before, is ‘personalised imperfection of the human hand’. Bespoke is not the basis of my business model. Bespoke should not be a medium to satisfy your personal arrogance. When you are too popular, you lose your voice and become everyone else’s mouthpiece. Hence you have to be very selective; I don’t meet too many people who inspire me enough. For bespoke design, the customer has to be the muse. There has to be an exchange of minds and sensibilities. You need to marry someone else’s ideology with yours. I can create something stunning without knowing the person, but I can’t do it without being inspired by the person. If the foundation of bespoke is a very well thought of finished product, then 75 per cent of Sabyasachi is bespoke. Otherwise, I have to be very inspired and those are far and few in between.
Tell us about the thought process and inspiration behind one of your recent couture collections, Ferozabad.
SM: I love the menswear [range] from this specific collection. Recently we opened our Mumbai store where we have a dedicated section of menswear which is becoming quite popular with discerning men seeking cultured Indian clothing. In the women’s collection, I love the fact that it’s extremely quiet despite being heavily embellished. The thought process and theme for the collection is about complete paradoxes: disciple marries whimsy; romanticism has been steeped in reality. Sheer layering, the finest quality of thread work, hand-printed details and a nod towards femininity defines the collection.
Tell us about the latest silhouettes and colours that you have incorporated in your new line.
SM: The silhouettes in the new line are saris, lehengas and kurtas with churidaars, and the colours were Burma red, Hyderabad pink, khaadi and green.
What do you think women should invest in apart from clothes?
SM: Her happiness. She should eat her carbs and laugh a lot!
What has been your proudest fashion moment?
SM: In my early years I was doing the New York circuit and was getting restless for recognition on the home front in India. That’s when I felt that I needed to do something back home as pressure to get recognised in my country was getting to me. In India, to be respected as a fashion designer you are expected to make a statement with Western clothing. I wanted to demystify the same – it’s like a commercial film also getting critic’s praise. This put the bug in my head and I designed the collection of Chaand Bibi hence it’s always been special to me. I feel my show Band Baaja Bride – now running successfully in its fifth season – is a proud fashion moment. Here we have to make clothes for brides who have deep aspirations from us as designers. Every season, we try to explore new avenues, new romances, different kinds of brides, back stories, ways of shooting and even styling, and we try to be progressive with different kinds of wedding concepts. I think that it’s a great platform to understand my brides through Band Baaja Bride. I wanted to aim to use this platform to neutralise taboos and views about the wedding markets. The show helps me understand the psyche of India and its people, whether they are from a small town, a village, a tier two city, a metro or even an NRI-community. The diaspora of brides who come to the show is so wide that it really helps us in our market research.
What’s on your wish list this season?
SM: A men’s store in Delhi is high priority. The second big wish is to convert our Calcutta store into a destination store. I am looking for an old bungalow in Calcutta, which can house the complete range for the brand just like our new Mumbai store. It will hence be a one-stop shop that will carry our menswear, womenswear, jewellery, furniture and kidswear collections. The new dimension I would like to add in our Calcutta store would be a food concept.
You’re renowned not just in India but also in the West. Where do you see yourself in five years?
SM: There are many plans, but life is a journey. Ask me four years later!
Sabyasachi’s list of celebrity clients is extensive, and includes the iconic Sridevi, Shabana Azmi, Deepika Padukone, Kajol, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, Sushmita Sen and Sonam Kapoor among many more. International celebrities include renowned actresses such as Reese Witherspoon and Renée Zellweger.
INTERVIEW: MAIRA PAGGANWALA
PHOTOGRAPHS: AFP, COURTESY SABYASACHI
