Louboutin makes red-hot ‘solemate’ for Sabyasachi

Designers team up to open Amazon India Couture Week

NEW DELHI: Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee opened the 2015 edition of Amazon India Couture Week (AICW) through a line that celebrated hand embroidery from different parts of India in the form of modern cuts and intricate detailing. The signature red soles of French footwear designer Christian Louboutin added glamour to the show, which took place here on Wednesday.



The collection was titled ‘Bater’, one of the most common hunting birds of India and depicted a dark, gothic look through colours and cuts. “Although it’s a common bird, it has a lot of resilience and I wanted to bring out a collection, which is inspired by hunting birds and prey. I wanted to keep it dark, gothic and sexual, but with very fine and intricate embroidery,” Mukherjee told reporters following his show.

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Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Christian Louboutin

“We used a lot of hand embroideries from different parts of India. There was zardozi, Badla ka kaam, fine resham ka kaam, Parsi. So, all sorts of old Indian embroideries interpreted in a modern way with geometric shapes and lines. It was a new kind of expression from us,” added Mukherjee. Through his latest couture line, he attempted to be body-conscious instead of voluminous. “It was basically a modern and eccentric travel line.”



Louboutin, 52, whose iconic red soles were donned by the models, was mesmerised by Mukherjee’s collection. “It was a very beautiful collection. Of course, I knew the work of Sabyasachi Mukherjee, but I had never attended his show. It was a great experience. I barely attended any Indian fashion show and I loved the set and outfits,” he said.

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The set was transformed into a jungle with sounds of bats and fireflies adding drama to the set. Models were seen donning clothes exuding Mukherjee’s signature aesthetics. The collection boasted a diverse range of outfits, including sari draped over jackets, long maxi dresses and short dresses. The menswear featured offerings, such as sherwanis, Nehru jackets, and bandhgalas paired with shawls.



One of the striking things about the opening show of AICW was the absence of Bollywood A-listers. When asked about this, Mukherjee said, “Me and Christian Louboutin have a lot of friends in Bollywood. But he has dressed up some of the most beautiful women in the world and I think, for me, he was the showstopper.”  The collection was completed in only two months, and the designer said he’s “proud to be a part of a country where anything can happen.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st,  2015.

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