Forget everything you expect from a Sabyasachi runway for a moment. For his return to New York Fashion Week on September 15, the ace designer traded some of the expected couture extravagance for jeans, denim layers, button-downs, wrap skirts and relaxed silhouettes - and then made them unmistakably his with Indian craftsmanship and dramatic jewellery, with supermodel Christy Turlington setting the tone on the runway.
Sabyasachi brings an Indian soul to New York
Nearly 18 years after his New York Fashion Week debut in 2009, Sabyasachi Mukherjee returned to the city’s fashion calendar with a collection that approached Indian luxury from an unexpectedly relaxed direction.
Titled Bengal Byzantine Broadway, the 72-look Spring/Summer collection played with the idea of making what Sabyasachi described as "modern couture" feel practical. Easy shirts and denim appeared alongside more structured pieces, while saree-inspired details found their way into bolero jackets and other silhouettes.
Waist ties added definition without making the clothes feel overly formal, while shoulder-padded jackets, flowy shirts and wrap skirts expanded the collection’s mix of relaxed and tailored dressing.
The designer also brought in recognisable Sabyasachi motifs. A Bengal tiger appeared as a jewel-like detail on sweaters and as a deep vermillion-red graphic on denim, connecting the contemporary wardrobe back to his Indian visual language.
Desi jewels had their moment
The runway also introduced another major chapter for the Sabyasachi brand: a multi-year fine jewellery partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The jewellery drew from Byzantine and Etruscan influences, with the collection featuring solid-gold cuffs covered in gemstones, Etruscan-inspired pendants and bold statement rings.
Elsewhere, oversized Byzantine cuffs, Grecian-inspired medallions and reworked Maharani-style necklaces added the kind of maximalism traditionally associated with the Sabyasachi aesthetic.
But here, the jewellery was deliberately placed alongside everyday wardrobe pieces. Denim and gold became an unlikely pairing, allowing the accessories to transform casual clothing into something far more dramatic.
Christy Turlington opens the show, Indian models join
Supermodel Christy Turlington led the runway as the opening look stepped out in layered denim. The styling immediately established the collection’s central contrast: familiar American-inspired clothing meeting the ornate craftsmanship associated with Sabyasachi.
She elevated the denim-on-denim ensemble with layers of gold jewellery, including long chains, traditional kadas and jhumka-style earrings. A clutch and gold heels added another dose of glamour, creating a look that moved between casual and extravagant without choosing just one.
The international cast also included Indian models Dipti Sharma, Dhyani and Avanti Nagrath, who appeared in looks combining Western-inspired silhouettes with distinctly Indian jewellery.
