SABYASACHI, Fashion and Business ….. a rare match made in heaven

I can’t help but wonder how the brand SABYASACHI has grown so quickly and become synonymous with wedding clothes and Indian party wear. The Kolkata based blue eyed boy must have a robust commercial mind to grow his venture from a mere 20,000 rupees loan into a staggering empire worth 52 crore rupees employing over 700 people in a relatively short period of time. Being a fashion enthusiast and a professional marketer I am amazed by his strategic global growth and an elite fan base.

So why is Sabyasachi Mukherjee so successful?
Sabyasachi offers rustic charm and high end design - a curious combination of old and new. He uses nostalgia that also has an of the moment quality and his creations retain relevance long after the so called fashion trends and seasonal

parameters have faded – they are timeless pieces. They are a perfect example of a particular kind of vintage design -  progressive retro which is to say it might look a home and hearth but under the skin it is bang up to date.

I think one reason why Sabyasachi has an appeal is because like him his clothes are made for the masses. They stand out for the right reason, they are unique but still feel familiar; more than anything else I thing they are very wearable.

What I mean by that is – at times when consumers see models wearing designer clothes on the ramp they know that will never be able to get away with the deep necklines, brash oversized embellishments, body hugging silhouettes .etc. all these elements creates a sense of an unnatural and unapproachable idea of what fashion is.

Sabyasachi on the contrary gives his consumer what is close to them, what they know, what they are familiar with. He offers them the chance to look great without having to go out of their comfort zone. He derives his design inspirations from the rich traditions and culture in India. His passion and love for India and its offerings is evident in his work. This is what makes his creations so appealing, in one way or the other he connects with his consumer at a personal level through a common medium – The Indianess in all Indians! He understands that people pay for certain sensibilities and offers us a true Indian aesthetic that has an appeal.

What is even more astonishing is how accurate is Sabyasachi’s evaluation of what India needs in terms of affordable fashion. It is this commercial acumen and a fantastic creative mind that makes him stand out from his counterparts. When most designers looked for inspiration from the west he stuck with India, when they worked on promoting their collection in UK, USA and the wider world , Sabyasachi expanded organically and it is this originality which got him international recognition too!

I came across this statement made by Sabyasachi - 'If the designs are driven by commercial viability then they are bound to be lost in oblivion. I know it is a matter of survival for most of us but this is the only solution to sustain creativity. The knowledge that international media and fashionists have about India is very limited; so it is of prime importance that we focus on our textiles, techniques and fabrics and educate the world about how rich the handloom industry in India is.' His passion and love for India is evident from all the work he has done in reviving the Indian Handloom Industry and giving a livelihood to hundreds of skilled craftsmen. Save the Saree campaign is one of the many examples.

It is quite clear that Sabyasachi is brewing a fashion storm and has become the designer to turn to when you are in sartorial crisis. Two is a coincidence , but three is a trend – please step forward Vidya Balan, Rani Mukherjee and Aishwaria Rai!

Do you want to join them?