Sabyasachi unveils the first look of his largest flagship store in Mumbai

Sabyasachi Mukherjee. File pic

Sabyasachi Mukherjee is a brand in his own right, widely known for his well-known Indian bridal wear and his distinctive contribution to Indian textiles with a modern twist.

The celebrated fashion designer announced the opening of his luxury house rooted in heritage, craft and culture in Mumbai at ICP Fort Heritage, Veer Nariman Road, Off Horniman Circle, which will be open from Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., beginning April 18, 2023.

Sabyasachi is a celebration of slow authentic luxury, of the handmade and the finest of Indian craftsmanship. A brand that revels in India's legacy but with a uniquely modern perspective, capturing what was and what is, with a single-minded vision to create modern heirlooms.

The store is sprawled over 25,862 sq ft and housed in the majestic neo-classical landmark built in the Italianate revival tradition. The neo-classical building was completed in 1913 by Chambers and Fritchley and was originally built for the British Bank of The Middle East. The building is classified as a Grade II A heritage structure under the Heritage Regulations of Greater Bombay 1995. Bringing the ideals of fine culture back to this heritage structure, Sabyasachi has reimagined the interiors into an immersive retail space that merges the house's signature cultural savoir-faire with Indian decadence, craftsmanship and history.

Over 100 chandeliers, 275 carpets, 3,000 books and 150 works of art created by the Sabyasachi Foundation, are layered between age-old Tanjore paintings, Pichhwais in the Deccan, Nathdwara and Kota style, vintage photography, Mughal miniatures, rare bronzes, 19th century Company Paintings and rare lithographs. The space is lined with curiosity cabinets sourced from souks, modernist interpretations of Persian Qajars, 18th century Venetian handcrafted chairs, rare French Art Nouveau cabinets and arrogant brass sculptures made in Calcutta.

Leather-bound books, Tang dynasty pottery, rare Canton vases and odd antiquities lie on retrofitted turn of the century furniture with fine inlay work, alongside the house's now signature block printed silk velvet lined busts, vitrines and lampshades. From Rajasthan to Bengal, vintage handwoven and crafted textiles from across India can be found all across the store, showcasing a sliver of India's grand crafts legacy.

While the wallpaper and upholstery are part of the Sabyasachi for Nilaya collection by Asian Paints, presenting various house motifs and hallmarks. The space is a living museum and the most realised iteration of the Sabyasachi experience.

Housed within is a micro-exhibit from the Sabyasachi archive currently showcasing couture from the inaugural Sabyasachi X Christian Louboutin collaboration Bater, 2015 and its sequel Firdaus, 2016. Hidden lounges and dens dot each floor, with a tearoom tucked away behind silk velvet drapes, offers guests a moment of pause with a curated list of Sabyasachi's favourite blends. Even as the signature notes of rose and frankincense waft through the labyrinthine space.

The ground floor homes the Sabyasachi bridal collection. The first floor is dedicated to the brand's largest showcase of jewellery in the world, housing Fine, Heritage, and High Jewellery collections. And the second floor is home to womenswear, menswear, the international collection, and Sabyasachi Accessories. Sabyasachi's vision for the retail experience remains consistent across the various cities and stores. It's an escape and a reminder to step away and into a timeless sense of being and the complete abandon and decadence of the joy of age-old heritage and slow luxury. The store is an homage to the multi-cultural heritage of India, of the cross-cultural exchanges that have played out over the centuries, of Sabyasachi's Calcutta and of the grand inheritance of luxury that belongs to India.

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