THE REIGNING EMPEROR of INDIAN FASHION

Ainee Nizami Ahmedi on Sabyasachi's 25-year evolution— from heritage craftsmanship to global luxury

- Ainee Nizami Ahmedi

Setting foot in Sabyasachi Mukherjee's world is stepping into a reverie of opulence and nostalgia. Glistening chandeliers, sumptuous rugs, and ornate Victorian furniture set the tone, while a 72-foot-long grazing table, crafted like a wild, overgrown forest, invites you into an extravagant sensory spectacle. But the thread that connects it all beneath the grandeur is the city that remains his eternal muse—Kolkata.

As Sabyasachi's eponymous label clocks 25 years, the celebrated designer raised curtains to a grand showcase. The reception arena, drenched in theatrical excess, featured towering floor and ceiling lamps swathed in deep red floral fabric, monumental porcelain vases, and antique animal sculptures punctuating the mise-en-scène. The grazing table, carved out of lush, dense foliage, led guests onto a runway that felt less like a show and more like a journey.

The spectacle opened into another world — a painstakingly reconstructed North Kolkata lane, where the chaos of heritage clashed with the poetry of decay. Balconies jutted out unevenly, competing for space, while cracked stained-glass windows, distressed wooden furniture, and Bengal's signature marble nameplates transported you to an era of faded aristocracy. Wires dangled messily, and the entire set was a heartfelt homage to the homes that define Kolkata’s soul.