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Sabyasachi at 25: Maximalism, magic, and fashion history in the making

A fangirl’s virtual front-row seat to the grandeur and magic of Sabyasachi’s 25th anniversary show

Neelanjana Bhattacharya Published 30.01.25, 07:12 PM
Sabyasachi’s 25th anniversary show at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre was a grand affair with Deepika Padukone and (right) Christy Turlington as showstoppers

Sabyasachi’s 25th anniversary show at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre was a grand affair with Deepika Padukone and (right) Christy Turlington as showstoppers Courtesy Husna-Tara Prakash

“Keep it simple!” – a design philosophy that is embraced by many. But in the world of fashion, history isn’t created by keeping it simple. And Sabyasachi knows the dominance of maximalism.

A grand celebration

A grand show on January 25 at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre, marking 25 years of Sabyasachi, captured the majestic journey of the designer in all its glory and splendour. Models draped in dazzling evening gowns with embroidered Indian borders, crafted saris, brocades, pin-striped suits, sequin shift dresses with bold messages, jewelled coats and printed trenches worn with flared jeans or trousers, bejewelled leather goods and accessories — a projection of Sabya’s absolute, unfettered, and unchallenged power in Indian fashion.

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The show was a testament to the designer’s absolute power in Indian fashion

The show was a testament to the designer’s absolute power in Indian fashion Courtesy Husna-Tara Prakash

Apart from his clothes, the zeitgeist of Sabyasachi’s show was his jewellery, for which he had garnered criticism when he just made his foray into the jewellery business in 2017. In time, quietly and swiftly, he proved that his jewellery isn’t just fancy big stones, but a work of precision and craftsmanship, firmly in touch with India’s heritage. His jewellery is meant for kings, queens and high-profile socialites with a lot of taste. The show is a clear testament of Sabyasachi’s enduring influence on jewellery.

Sabyasachi’s jewellery collection has been spotted on red carpets and award shows internationally with Hollywood and Bollywood A-listers sporting the bespoke pieces. Clockwise from top left: Rihanna, Shah Rukh Khan, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Lopez, Scarlet Johansson, Viola Davis in Sabyasachi jewels

Sabyasachi’s jewellery collection has been spotted on red carpets and award shows internationally with Hollywood and Bollywood A-listers sporting the bespoke pieces. Clockwise from top left: Rihanna, Shah Rukh Khan, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Lopez, Scarlet Johansson, Viola Davis in Sabyasachi jewels @sabyasachiofficial/Instagram

From Kolkata to the world

As we all know, Sabyasachi’s journey began in Kolkata and so, as tribute to his beloved city, he replicated a piece of old Calcutta in Mumbai. But how we wish the show had taken place in Calcutta itself — an even truer testament to his love for the place he calls home. He makes up for it with his Instagram campaign, shot in Kolkata, offering glimpses of boi para, Mocambo, Laha Bari, the maccher bajaar in New Market and more.


Instagram was abuzz with stunning visuals of the event. With meticulous attention to detail, he transported his jet-setting audience to old north Kolkata — the former epicentre of rajbaris — through a runway design that recreated the old-world charm. You could feel the history inscribed in the design. The set, an imitation of the grand mansions of north Kolkata with their characteristic green wooden doors and windows, and gracefully aged facade, captured the grandeur of those rajbaris. Old clothes hanging from the clothesline felt quintessentially Bengali, while the fountain in the middle of the city square, flanked by lion statues, added a regal touch.


Beauty, quality and eclecticism

Inside the Sabyasachi spectacle, his exquisite taste shone not just through his luxurious clothes, high jewellery and the astonishing set — it was woven into every element of the evening. The boho-luxe atmosphere that he created was driven by beauty, quality, and eclecticism and the evening evoked a sense of welcome and festivity amongst its glamorous guests having the most whimsical time.

Social media is abuzz with photographs of the high-profile guest list and everyone having a great time in a charming, whimsical setting

Social media is abuzz with photographs of the high-profile guest list and everyone having a great time in a charming, whimsical setting @sabyasachiofficial/Instagram

Visually appealing grazing tables occupied almost the entire venue. Tall statues of tigers and panthers surrounded by foliage and flowers overlooked the feast while statuettes of birds, elephants and ostrich feathers, artefacts and porcelain were staged at various points creating a never-seen-before visual drama. In particular, the life-size sculpture of the “The Great Elephant Migration”, with foliage all around it, stood out as evocative. These life-size elephant sculptures have been made by indigenous artisans from the Nilgiri Hills of southern India, using dried lantana camara, an invasive, toxic shrub that has been threatening wildlife habitats. Thus they carried a deeper narrative of sustainability and craftsmanship. Humongous Ming vases were carefully placed, adding to the exquisiteness of the decor. The bartenders were flown from Russia along with a crate of caviar! From the visuals that flooded the internet, everything looked so mesmerising and luxurious that it must have provoked fits of foot-stomping ecstasy in its audience present there — and envy in those who weren’t.

The almost fantastical decor exuded maximalist old-world charm, much like Sabyasachi’s stores

The almost fantastical decor exuded maximalist old-world charm, much like Sabyasachi’s stores @sabyasachiofficial/Instagram 

The fangirl in me loved the star-studded evening as much as the show. It was a celebration of the power of Sabyasachi. Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ananya Panday, all dressed in Sabyasachi, arrived for the grand show. And then, of course, there were the exquisite models and show-stoppers — Deepika Padukone and Christy Turlington — dressed in Sabya’s regal clothing and numerous dazzling cuffs, rings and chokers, created history by walking the ramp for Sabyasachi. Rumour has it that Christy jetted from Mumbai to Paris to walk for Jacquemus within 24 hours, and honestly? That level of commitment to fashion history deserves its own round of applause.


As a tribute to the maestro, the window arcades of The Taj Mahal Palace were dressed in Sabyasachi — an iconic moment in itself. The guest list read like a who’s who of global fashion and high society, with jet-setters from all over the world descending upon Mumbai to celebrate this milestone moment of his life and career.

Sabyasachi’s journey isn’t just a portrait of India’s royalty and imperial power of the bygone era — they’re portraits of India’s soft power in the world of fashion, now forever etched in human history.

The author is a former disinterested lawyer, a full-time interior enthusiast, a clothes horse, and currently masquerading as the founder of a clothing brand - HAŃSHU

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