“For the last two decades I built a heritage fashion brand based on a simple value system. Sabyasachi Jewellery has been built with the same principles – authenticity, integrity, quality and the finest of craftsmanship.”
Sabyasachi Mukherjee, a visionary in his own right, is on a roll with global collaborations. With Bergdorf Goodman, New York’s iconic luxury department store chain, he also continues to make his mark in the realm of jewellery. This collaboration, titled ‘The Bengal Byzantine Broadway Collection’, stays rooted in Indian heritage, art and craft whilst celebrating opulent Byzantine magnificence as well as the exuberant theatrical power of Broadway. He believes that India is not just one story, and neither is Sabyasachi Jewellery.
This marks his third collaboration with Bergdorf Goodman, having crafted a massive apparel and accessories collection with them in 2021, succeeding his debut partnership with them that launched in early 2020.
“Bengal’s grand history of handcrafted jewellery almost faded away because of a lack of patronage. I want to bring this legacy back to the world.”
This venture hones in on the master craftsmanship of Bengal whilst traversing a historical journey from Calcutta to New York. There is a strong presence of maximalist influences drawn from the confluence of east and west. Its realisation happens through a touch of Sicilian baroque blended in with the rustic finery of Harappa, medieval goldsmithing merged with sophisticated Georgian techniques and brooding Moorish arches embedded into age-old Mughal crafts.
An indulgent cross-cultural dialogue sees deconstructed Maharani necklaces paired with fine hand-printed velvets, enamelled Grecian medallions that meet tropical charms from the mangroves of the Sundarbans, and the finest of tourmalines set beside modest turquoises.
The man behind the craft takes us through the collection, his influences and vision for the future.
On the significance of Bergdorf Goodman for the Sabyasachi brand
“I think it’s time for Indian jewellery to get back into the global spotlight. Not just as museum pieces but as a rich, thriving living legacy. Our annual presentation at Bergdorf is a great platform to bring our craftsmanship and design to a global audience.”
On balancing eclectic influences
“Our foundation for making jewellery is based on traditional Indian crafts and heritage techniques – it is at the core of everything we do. And is there anything more Indian than being syncretic?
Inspiration is so abstract; it’s never one thing. It’s more a rush of thoughts, be it Georgian refinement or the rustic craftsmanship of the Harappans. This collaboration was quite really a journey from Calcutta to New York, and all the cross-cultural exuberance of the past and future between the two.”
On his experience working with an assortment of precious stones
“I love working with an almost hedonistic mix of gemstones. I like breaking the hierarchy of precious stones by mixing tourmalines, diamonds, emeralds and rubies with dalmatians, pyrites, apatites and turquoise and so on and on. I think my many years as a colourist guided my eye with gemstones. You need to be an artist to make jewellery that can stand the test of time.”
On the fauna-centric motifs of the collection
“Like the Royal Bengal tiger, most of the fauna you see in this collection are all found in the mangroves of the Sundarbans – be it the endangered ghariyal found on its sandy banks or the more common frog near its ponds.”
On his vision for heritage jewellery of the future
“I do not believe in trends or anything made for the moment. The beauty of high jewellery is in creating something that can truly last forever. I’ve always seen myself as a conservationist, preserving our legacy and heritage from my point of view. It’s not just about the finest of gemstones and metals but the artisanal effort and legacy that frame each of my pieces. It is just the inherent value of jewellery that makes it precious. It’s the rarity of craftsmanship and craft – and this is what makes a future heirloom. It would excite me to see young designers from India realise how fine Indian craftsmanship can be and how much we can learn from our legacy of jewellery making.”
