Kolkata, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday announced a multi-year collaboration that will see the Indian designer draw inspiration from the museum's vast collection of art and culture for contemporary jewellery, accessories and clothing.
The inaugural chapter of the collaboration will see Mukherjee's label Sabyasachi unveil a high jewellery collection inspired by the art of the Byzantine Empire at a runway presentation during New York Fashion Week on September 15, according to a press release.
The collection is inspired by the art of the Byzantine Empire, the eastern continuation of the Roman Empire that was centred in Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul, from the fourth through the 15th centuries.
It draws on Byzantium's history as a major centre of commerce, culture and artistic exchange, with its visual language shaped by influences from Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Persia and civilisations of the Far East connected through the Silk Route via India.
For the collection, Mukherjee has drawn from objects, motifs and techniques represented across The Met's departments of Greek and Roman, Medieval and Islamic art.
Imperial medallions, architectural adornments, ancient statuary and stonework, religious iconography and other objects of antiquity serve as starting points for the contemporary jewellery collection.
{{/usCountry}}Imperial medallions, architectural adornments, ancient statuary and stonework, religious iconography and other objects of antiquity serve as starting points for the contemporary jewellery collection.
{{/usCountry}}Stephen Mannello, Head of Retail and Global Licensing at The Met, said the collaboration would allow works from antiquity to be viewed through a contemporary lens.
"We are passionate about uplifting stories of creativity and craftsmanship housed in The Met collection through collaborations with modern day makers," Mannello said.
"Engaging with Sabyasachi and his team allows us to view works from antiquity through a new lens, shining a spotlight on stories of the past through his creative viewpoint. We look forward to sparking conversations that inspire fans of The Met and Sabyasachi to immerse themselves in the past, present, and future of art and design," he added.
Mukherjee said the collaboration offered an opportunity to reinterpret centuries of creativity through contemporary design while exploring the cultural exchanges that shaped the Byzantine world.
"This collaboration is about engaging with one of the world's great collections of art and the opportunity to reinterpret centuries of creativity through contemporary design," he said.
"The Byzantine world was not defined by a single geography. It was shaped by the movement of people, ideas, and craftsmanship across continents including India. What fascinates me is not only Byzantium itself, but the civilizations that informed it and the extraordinary artistic dialogue that emerged from interactions through trade," Mukherjee added.
The designer also found parallels between Byzantium's history as a commercial and cultural hub and his hometown Kolkata.
"I find similarities to my home, Calcutta, itself a commercial hub influenced by trade and exchange. Through this collaboration, we are able to transform historic inspiration into modern interpretations that feel relevant, beautiful, and desirable today," he said.
Every piece in the collection will be conceived, developed and handcrafted in India by Mukherjee's network of master artisans.
Future collections developed under the partnership will continue to draw inspiration from The Met's collection, spanning jewellery, accessories and clothing.
The inaugural collection will be available at Mukherjee's flagship store at 160 Christopher Street in New York City's West Village, other global Sabyasachi stores and select specialty retailers worldwide.
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