Turn on your cultural antennae.

I am a Marketing professional and can’t help but wonder what is it that Sabyasachi has other than his design sensibilities that has made his brand so successful? He has clearly exemplified that one has to be a culture vulture or get eaten by the competition. To anticipate what your consumers will want in the future, you need to understand the culture that infuses their lives. He educates us on how to anticipate cultural change and use it to mobilise a brand for growth. Evolve or die. It is a sentiment that rings true more than ever before in the fashion fraternity.

The world is changing faster than ever, and as the world changes the people in it change. And when people change, what they want from the things they buy changes too. Sabyasachi Mukherjee plays a crucial role in championing that change in people’s tastes and then working towards delivering what people need. And that I think is perfect business strategy – Influence , inspire, create a demand set a trend and then fulfil the desire.
Understanding cultural change is critical. It may be amorphous and invisible, but culture is everywhere. It is part social, part political, part environmental and part physical; it makes up most of our lives. And in understanding culture, and cultural change, brands like Sabyasachi grow today and can make sure that they also keep growing tomorrow. Sabyasachi uses emerging culture as his conduit to the future – this makes sure what he offers today remains relevant and fresh. Culture answers questions that consumers sometimes cannot. For example, how is the role of fashion changing over time? What will femininity mean in India in future? Will ‘natural’ still mean the same tomorrow as it does today? This is the most important part of understanding culture.

It is where brands like Sabyasachi get their cultural vibrancy from. It is what makes brands like his feel like living, breathing parts of life and others like Juggernauts stuck in the slow lane. Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s creation works not simply through outstanding creativity or dazzling aesthetics. It is more so because they are a means to an end rather than an end itself.

His work is championing beyond a mission rather than just being champion in and of itself. It’s the good that the Sabyasachi brand does that makes it a champ. Design however, also plays a very big part. In addition the level of branding is pitched just right. Sabyasachi has good design sensibilities that does good and makes us feel good by consuming it. It starts with how design can be a vehicle for an idea, rather than the idea informing the design. It provides proof that aesthetics can be a source of brand values.

Do you think it is time for you to turn on your cultural antennae?

Please leave your views and comments below, by clicking on the comments button.