Sabyasachi's new Mehrauli flagship is part store, part museum

Designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee's new flagship store in Mehrauli spans 26,000 square feet. Mehrauli’s a known wedding shopping destination, where the (monument)al nostalgia comes in handy for the grandeur. Sabyasachi is known, full stop. The store reportedly has the opulent museum charm that Sabyasachi is known for: chandeliers, hundreds of antique carpets, vintage textiles and mirrors and curio pieces, the like. Still – there are even stronger statements; found glittering throughout the place. 

Now open to the public, the store carries a nod to old-world Calcutta and 300 original paintings from the Sabyasachi Art Foundation. And PTI reports that a brass plaque on one wall that reads, ‘Craft will not compete with artificial intelligence. It will outlast.’ Speaking at the launch and quoted in PTI, he said, ‘You know what happens is that there are momentary distractions and there are permanent relationships. Human relationships can never be taken over by AI. We will all want to become human again, it's a temporary phase.’ 

I wouldn’t think that a maestro who’s made clothes for literally every other celebrity in India would be personally concerned with AI, which might just make this more of a meaningful statement. It’s only added to by the inevitably meticulous design of the store.

What the Sabyasachi Mehrauli store looks like

The Chowringhee corridor: Inspired by the iconic 1940s and 50s boulevard, home to his original studio, lined with grand salons, crystal fixtures, and classical sculptures.

Passage inspired by Hogg Market: A nod to Kolkata's famous bazaar, designed to evoke the sensory ecstasy of finding artisanal treasures under a single roof.

The Tramcar installation: An enclosed wooden vintage tramcar complete with star-cut glass detailing and a life-sized Bengal tiger.

The 'Nachghar' lounge: A customer sanctuary taking cues from Bengal’s traditional music chambers where cultural patronage once flourished.

Sabyasachi's journey: From Mehrauli to The Met

The store opening also doubled as a celebration for the label’s landmark multi-year collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The partnership will see Sabyasachi mine 5,000 years of the museum's cultural archives to craft contemporary clothing, accessories, and high jewellery. The inaugural chapter, a high-jewellery collection inspired by the art of the Byzantine Empire, is set to debut during New York Fashion Week on September 15.

The details

Address: Kutub Serai 6-8, One Style Mile, Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli, New Delhi 110030

Timings: Mon-Sun. 11am-7pm.

Contact: +91 9810311155, +91 9147387963; for jewellery, +91 7604067464.