Sabyasachi Mukherji — arguably India’s premier designer, has come under scrutiny this past week for perceived misogyny in archaic comments made during marketing the launch of his new Instagram exclusive collection, Fiza. The designer took to the platform in an attempt to initiate a discussion of what it means to be a woman in an upcoming India. A conversation embedded in controversy.
“If you see a woman ‘overdressed’, caked with makeup, armoured with jewelry, it is most likely that she is wounded.”
Even placed under a Miss Havisham quote, there is little redemption for such gross overgeneralization. And although it is unclear how this statement would aid advertising for #sabyasachijewelry (corresponding to the Fiza line), it has seen success in tagging the esteemed designer as disconnected from India’s common woman.
A growing reputation that is supported by the exclusivity of the Sabyasachi lehenga — the very essence of luxury. It’s no secret that Indian bridal wear is as expensive as it is exquisite. But with Sabysachi’s hand embroidered lehengas and sarees ranging anywhere from 2-7 lakhs INR (approximately 3-10k USD), wearing the designer to the mandap is alas only a fantasy for ordinary Indian brides. Given that the majority of his consumer base comprises of the upper echelon of Indian society, it doesn’t seem necessary for Sabyasachi to resonate with the layman. In fact, it seems as though he has made a name for himself as the aspiration rather than reality for a majority of Indians.
So why does it matter if a majority of middle-class Indians take offense to the comments of a brand that they would never patronize?
Over the past year, the Sabyasachi brand has followed in the footsteps of other luxury fashion companies in seeking to rebrand as catering towards a younger demographic — a rising millennial generation. Just as Gucci has incorporated social media hype into their marketing, and Versace has shifted their color palette to operate on 80’s and 90’s nostalgia, Sabysachi is attempting to evoke a young and dynamic brand, without compromising on the signature traditional Indian silhouette. The focus on aesthetics of an Instagram page and the shift in marketing strategy highlight the need to appeal towards a younger clientele.
But it seems as though the designer’s own views are the only thing holding the brand back from truly achieving its goal of reaching out to a new generation.
Last week’s incident is already strike two for the women of India. Sabysachi has been treading icy waters since the 2018 Harvard India Conference, during which he stated: “I think, if you tell me that you do not know how to wear a saree, I would say shame on you. It’s a part of your culture, (you) need to stand up for it,”.
Though taken as a jab by middle class Indian women, it seems as if his statements are a reaction against the idea that the only way to be a modern woman is embracing a western silhouette. The argument of reversion to a conventionally Indian look is slowly becoming a theme of his rebranding efforts — as brighter and more Desi associated colors are featured in the Fiza collection.
The pursuit of serving a new India woman has left a designer who has dictated for so long what feminine elegance looks like, struggling to reclaim that narrative from the masses. And given the conscious reinvention of the Sabysachi name and image, it seems that the once culture emblem of India will cave to the will of the people.
All images courtesy of: Sabyasachi Instagram
à la mode 