The evolution of Ensemble

Ensemble stocks some of the most sought-after designer labels in the country, and is now set to put an end to shopping treks to India by bringing the Indian fashion collection to town. Sabyasachi’s Spring Summer 2011 Collection is not the first Indian collection to be showcased at the fashion house.

Along with Mukherjee, Ensemble has earlier featured the designs of Simar Duggal, Ritu Kumar and Tarun Tahiliani.

This year, the fashion house included Anamika Khanna’s designs as part of its spring collection in February. However, nothing comes close to Mukherjee when it comes to pret and formal wear. “Sabyasachi Mukherjee is the biggest designer of the subcontinent,” Zeba Hussain of Ensemble told The Express Tribune.

Mukherjee who started his label, Sabyasachi, in 1999, earned the distinction of being the only Indian designer invited to showcase at Milan Fashion Week, 2004. He also bagged the grand winner award at the Mercedes New Asia fashion week in Singapore in 2003.


What makes Mukherjee’s collection unique is his design philosophy of focusing on India’s exclusive textiles and techniques. “Designers should try to avoid going overboard, whether they are making a couture collection or pret. Indian designers need to say no to commerce if they want to sustain creativity,” Mukherjee, 37, said in an interview.

“If the designs are driven by commercial viability then they are bound to be lost in oblivion. I know it is a matter of survival for most of us, but this is the only solution to sustain creativity,” said Mukherjee.

“The knowledge that international media and fashionistas have about India is very limited; so it is of prime importance that we focus on our textiles, techniques and fabrics and educate the world about how rich the handloom industry in India is,” he said.

After reinventing Indian textile and crafts in his designs, the designer is all set to debut in children’s wear this year, as he believes children need much more variety in terms of designs and patterns. He will also have handbags and shoes to add to his accessory line.

“The kinds of clothes children are offered nowadays are a bit boring and this is the reason why I want to bring a revolution in terms of creativity and design. There are many designers who are doing it in the West and we need to bring the same approach here by presenting a collection that will not only be ethnic but also Indian,” he said.

Sabyasachi’s Spring Summer 2011 Collection is now available at the House of Ensemble.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2011.