By Tanya Banon

New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANSlife): "What you seek is seeking you…" says designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee of his latest collaboration with H&M. The international fashion giant was looking for a partner to carry their voice in India and carry the Indian sensibility internationally, who better than the iconic label Sabyasachi to take the India narrative forward.

"I've done many collaborations and each one is diverse, but what I try to do with every collaboration is further the India story, take it forward; if I cannot have an Indian narrative, I don't want to do it… with H&M it was such a proud moment, it's like a lifetime achievement award when it comes to recognition of one's work. It's only when your label has a strong voice that it can traverse the mind space of many countries," says the designer.

In what is a truly proud moment for Indian fashion, for the first-time ever fashion giant H&M collaborates with an Indian label to create a capsule collection for its customers across the globe. The Sabyasachi H&M collaboration themed "Wanderlust" will present rich textiles in modern as well as classic Indian silhouettes that resonate with the modern global nomad mindset.

"At H&M, we are thrilled to be able to announce the new date for our collaboration with iconic Indian designer Sabyasachi. At a time like this, we believe people value the use of homegrown crafts and textiles more than ever and that's something no one can do better than Sabyasachi. We look forward to taking this stunning collection to as many people across the global as we can," states Maria Gemzell, Head of New Development, H&M.

Due to the complexities of the Covid-19 situation, the launch was put on hold, but the wait is finally over. The much awaited ‘ready-to-wear' collection will hit the shelves this Thursday, 12th of August at selects retail stores across the globe and online. The range will bring relaxed sophistication to everyday life in an understated, yet glamorous style.

The pret collection with H&M, gives the Sabyasachi label an opportunity to spread its aesthetic to a wider audience in India and worldwide. "I'm often asked why I can't make my clothes more affordable, but an outreach like pret requires huge investments and logistics costs which I couldn't delve into. Now I can proudly say I've made a special pret line which belongs to H&M and the world, it comes at a great time celebrating 20 years of my label," says the Kolkata based designer.

H&M has always collaborated with the biggest names across the globe, so it should come as no surprise then that Sabyasachi was their pick, as Gemzell adds, "H&M's iconic collaborations cater to a global audience. We want to collaborate with partners who share are values and progress. Fashion is not only about clothes, but also about giving dreams and hopes to people, and so we choose talent and values which resonate this. It's important to give something more to our customers all over the world and that's why this collaboration was important to us." "Collaborations create emotions and fashion is both global and local at the same time. India is a super important market for H&M and it's a privilege to work with a talent and creative designer like Sabysachi," asserts Gemzell.

In soothing but rich fabrics, the collection is the perfect modern statement for glamorous lounge wear for fashion lovers who want a chic yet eclectic ensemble. A key highlight of this collection will be Indian textile and print traditions brought to life by the Sabyasachi Art Foundation, meticulously crafted and embroidery in multicultural silhouettes.

Speaking about the collection the designer revealed, "What was important for us is embroidery and print. It was important to showcase these handmade creations designed and digitized into a commercial scale by H&M to create timeless, beautiful and affordable clothing. A lot of H&M's manufacturing is done in India, they brought their best teams in, and we put our heads together to create a line I'm extremely proud of."

The Sabyasachi H&M collection will offer a complete fashion wardrobe for both ladies and men, including accessories, jewellery, footwear, sunglasses all at accessible price points. Some highlight pieces include long flowy dresses, tunics, blouses, breezy shirts, wide pants and more. It will also offer a first of its kind collaboration saree which is exclusively designed for customers in India.

"The collection is amazing, and it really shows the aesthetics of Sabyasachi-- its eclectic, fluid, decorated; it has all the elements all fashion lovers across the globe love. In our brand D&A we talk about dressing for your personality, to dress as the best version of yourself, not as anyone else… that is the power of fashion. We have a great process of production and talented people in development, it's about choosing the right components and an efficient production line, it's many ingredients which have to come together perfectly for a successful collaboration," states Maria.

The collection is topical in that it is gender fluid which is an conversation that fashion can no longer ignore. "When we talk about inclusion and diversity, these are very important values for H&M," asserts Maria. Adds Sabyasachi, "It's topical but at Sabyasachi we have maintained this fluidity since the brands inception. I was brought up in a house where we were taught to respect and treat men and women as equals, gender fluidity was normal it was not something which had to be specifically addressed. When it comes body positivity, gender fluidity, these are important conversations we present through our collections, where both men and women can borrow from each other's sections, try different sizes, interact mix and match for a completely new wardrobe."

"We had a great sense of chemistry and when a brand and a fashion house understand each other magic happens," reveals the designer. IANSlife spoke to Sabyasachi and Gemzell at the launch to get more details.

Excerpts from the interview:

H&M is famous for its collaborations... how important was it for the brand to onboard an Indian designer for its India market and that too Sabyasachi who is undeniably India's leading couturier?

Maria Gemzell: H&M has been offering fashion fans a constant stream of designer collaborations since the start with Karl Lagerfeld back in 2004, with our partnerships becoming eagerly awaited events. We chose Sabyasachi for a designer collaboration because he is the undisputed master of Indian couture, with an amazing ability to dictate new silhouettes. We were drawn to how he speaks to the modern woman and man, as much as the craftsmanship and beauty of his designs, which you will be able to see throughout the collection. But what really makes this collaboration unique is the personal signatures included in the collection, such as the unmissable Bengal Tiger—Sabyasachi's signature logo as well as the signature textiles & prints from the Sabyasachi Art Foundation.

While the collection is quintessentially Sabyasachi; from prints and embroideries to craftsmanship, he was extremely generous?making the process of collaboration a?wonderful experience. From being invited into his creative process where we created this?collection together to breaking bread together! What a happy surprise to see his ability to remain so down to earth while working so hard and being so successful. We were also surprised at how fun the process was- he was excited about making prêt-á-porter and we were excited about working with him.

With the pandemic, there's a whole movement towards sustainable and conscious fashion, how does a fast fashion brand like H&M evolve and inculcate this sentiment?

Maria Gemzell: Sustainability has always been at the heart of all that we do - it is even in our business vision of offering everybody fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way. H&M group wants to lead the change towards a more conscious fashion future, and we have high set goals: By 2030 all materials used should be sustainable sourced or recycled, and our vision is to become fully circular by 2040.

This collection is what fashion enthusiasts in India have been waiting for, but how important is this collaboration for you within the larger context of international branding and visibility?

Sabyasachi Mukherjee: When I look at what this collection can do for me as an individual, I think it will help me grow a consumer base for a lot of important verticals that we plan to climb, which will be essentially global in nature, like accessories, perfumes, beauty. It helps me create a connection with the customer who is not known to me and who I am not known to.

When I look at this from the perspective of business and that of a country, I think what it does is that it firmly cements India as a market that the globe can no longer ignore.

Maybe India is not a market as significant as China in terms of scale but it definitely is a very significant one that is emerging out of the East and if I am able to create a bridge between my world and the International audience by staying true to who I am, at the same time keeping my authenticity alive, this collection will probably pave the way for a lot of Indian designers who want to scale the world but on their own terms.

The theme of the nomad is a recurring one in your design trajectory,?do you feel it's because you're a gypsy at heart with a passion for the world that it reflects your ‘Wanderlust' spirit??

Sabyasachi Mukherjee: A designer does the best body of work when he/she is the closest to who they are and what they feel. I have always been a traveller, either physically or through my mind's eye. I have a gypsy heart which is curious about global cultures, that picks up elements from different parts of the world and puts it together in terms of design and reflects in everything that I do - crockery, cutlery, clothing, jewellery or even homes.

I am happy that I have been able to put this curious mind of mine to good use by creating a collection that attest helps you travel through your mind's eye, considering you are confined to your homes and cannot travel physically at the moment.

The collection will be available on 12th August 2021, 11:00am onwards at select H&M stores in India by appointment only as well as on HM.com and Myntra. To ensure a responsible shopping experience in stores, customers have to pre-register their preferred visit date and time to the nearest H&M store on HM.com. Shopping is only possible if the customer has made a prior appointment via HM App/www.hm.com in - stores.