Christy Turlington was the face Sabyasachi Mukherjee chose to open his much-awaited return to New York Fashion Week. And it wasn’t just any runway appearance. The supermodel walked out in a striking denim look, wearing pieces from Sabyasachi’s new fine jewellery collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art.The show, titled ‘Bengal Byzantine Broadway’, took place on September 15 and marked Sabyasachi’s return to New York Fashion Week nearly 18 years after his last show there in 2009.For Turlington, it was also a return to the Sabyasachi runway. She had previously closed the designer’s 25th-anniversary retrospective in Mumbai, while Deepika Padukone opened that show.This time, she took the first spot on the New York runway.
Christy Turlington opens ‘Bengal Byzantine Broadway’
Turlington’s look was an interesting mix of everyday Americana and Sabyasachi’s more ornate world. The layered denim outfit was relaxed and familiar, but the jewellery made sure the look didn’t blend into the crowd.That contrast was very much part of Sabyasachi’s idea for the collection. Classic blue jeans, plaid shirts, denim vests and cowboy hats appeared alongside detailed Indian craftsmanship and statement jewellery.The designer described the styling as a “high-low look”, bringing historical references into clothes that feel much more modern and wearable.And then there was the jewellery.The Sabyasachi X MET collection featured oversized solid-gold pieces and gemstone-studded designs inspired by historical objects from the museum’s collection. Byzantine revival cuffs, Etruscan-inspired pendants and chunky rings stood out against the relatively understated clothing.
Sabyasachi brings India and Americana together
‘Bengal Byzantine Broadway’ played with the idea of what Indian fashion can look like on an international runway.Rather than relying only on familiar Indian motifs, Sabyasachi brought together elements of American Western dressing with the craftsmanship his label is known for. Sparkling hand-beaded coats, hand-quilted linings and embroidered cow-print patches appeared alongside more recognisable wardrobe staples.“For me, it’s a perfect amalgamation of Americana and Indian [craft],” Sabyasachi told ELLE.The Kolkata-born designer, whose brand opened a New York store in 2022, has increasingly positioned Sabyasachi as a global label while keeping Indian craftsmanship at its core.He also pushed back against the idea that India should be viewed only through traditional imagery.“I think that India is not a land of elephants and peacocks,” he said, adding that the country brings together history, art, culture, modernity, technology and medicine.His point was clear: Indian craftsmanship can exist in a modern global wardrobe without being reduced to a stereotype.
The MET collaboration takes centre stage
The new fine jewellery collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art gave the show another layer.The pieces drew from ancient art and historical objects, including influences from Rome, Greece and the Islamic world. But instead of treating those references like museum pieces, Sabyasachi turned them into oversized jewellery designed to be worn and noticed.That was particularly visible on the NYFW runway, where the jewellery often became the most dramatic part of the look.The clothes themselves were relatively restrained. The jewellery wasn’t.For Sabyasachi, that focus on handmade work also comes at a time when fashion is increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence.“In a world where we are slowly getting desensitized by artificial intelligence, I think it’s more and more important to put a human touch forward,” he told ELLE.
Why Christy Turlington was the perfect choice
Turlington brought her own fashion history to the Sabyasachi runway.One of the original “Big Five” supermodels, she rose to international fame in the late 1980s and became part of the famous “Trinity” with Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista.Her career has included hundreds of magazine covers, major campaigns and runway appearances for some of the biggest names in fashion.But her connection to The Metropolitan Museum of Art makes this particular appearance even more interesting.Her relationship with the museum goes back to the early 1990s, when she was named the “Face of the 20th Century” and 120 mannequins were reportedly modelled on her face.Turlington has also built a life beyond fashion. She founded Every Mother Counts in 2010, a non-profit focused on improving maternal health around the world, following her work on the documentary ‘No Woman, No Cry’. She also holds a master’s degree in public health.So, seeing her open Sabyasachi’s MET collaboration in New York brought together several threads at once: supermodel history, Indian craftsmanship, museum art and a designer returning to the city after almost two decades.And for Sabyasachi, the message seemed to be just as much about where Indian fashion is going as where it has come from.
