Fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee on Tuesday announced a multi-year collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art to create jewellery, accessories and clothing inspired by the Met’s art collection. The first collection will be a jewellery line inspired by the Byzantine Empire, which will debut at New York Fashion Week on September 15.
The collaboration is part of Sabyasachi’s international expansion, after the launch of his New York store in 2022. For The Met, the collaboration provides another way to bring its collection alive through fashion and luxury. Stephen Mannello, head of retail and global licensing at The Met, said the museum was interested in working with contemporary makers to reinterpret stories of creativity and craftsmanship in its collection. “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,” Mannello said in a statement.
The inaugural collection will focus on Byzantine art, drawing on objects and motifs represented across The Met’s Greek and Roman, Medieval and Islamic art collections. These include imperial medallions, architectural adornments, ancient statuary, stonework and religious iconography.
Commenting on the development, Sabyasachi 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,” Mukherjee said in a statement. He also drew a connection with Kolkata, describing his home city as a commercial hub shaped by trade and cultural exchange.
Future collections under the collaboration will continue to draw from The Met’s holdings and may span jewellery, accessories and clothing. The jewellery collection will be sold through Sabyasachi’s flagship store in New York, other global Sabyasachi stores and select specialty retailers worldwide.