Sabyasachi Lands in London With High Jewelry and Masks for a King
ANIMAL INSTINCTS: Maximalist designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee swept into London, and into British royal circles this week, bearing a host of special creations.
He showed his high jewelry collection at Lancaster House, next door to St. James’s Palace, and created the white elephant-shaped shola masks that King Charles III and Queen Camilla wore to the Animal Ball, a fundraiser in aid of the Elephant Family charity on Wednesday night.
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Elephant Family is a charity cofounded by Mark Shand, Queen Camilla’s late brother, that works to protect Asia’s wildlife and natural landscapes.
“Save the elephants, and then you save the forest — and then you save yourself,” Shand told W Magazine, WWD’s former sister publication, in 2008. The charming Shand fell for his first elephant, Tara, in the ’80s and always said the encounter changed his life.
Mukherjee is on the same page as Shand.
He described his high jewelry collection, which he called The Animal Ball Edition, as a collection of “modern heirlooms” and an homage to endangered animals, with pieces crafted by heritage artisans.
The high jewelry pieces on display at Lancaster House were statement with a capital “S,” and as fat and colorful as summer fruits. Artisans used techniques such as hand-enamelling on gold; weaving precious stones and pearls using silk thread, and hand molding and setting precious stones in gold.
One necklace featured a 109.95-carat Zambian emerald, while a jewel-encrusted bracelet showcased a 10.14-carat tourmaline. The Lancaster House display was dizzying. Prices were on request.
A day after unveling the high jewelry collection, Mukherjee made another big reveal, handing traditional white shola masks to the king and queen. He said the masks were made by hand using age-old artisanal techniques and materials by the master craftspeople of Bengal.
Shola refers to the craft of carving sholapith, a spongey cork from an aquatic plant that grows in the marshlands of Bengal. The king’s and queen’s masks were featured two ornate elephant heads with the trunks touching.
Other masked guests on Wednesday night at Lancaster House included Kristin Scott Thomas, Christian Louboutin, Brian May and Marc Quinn.
“The Elephant Family and I are committed to similar, but different, missions,” Mukherjee said. “While I aim to preserve endangered heritage crafts, they conserve endangered wildlife and habitats. It’s my privilege and honor to be a part of their cause.”
Sabyasachi’s business is in expansion mode. He has flagship stores in major cities across India; a jewelry boutique in Dubai, and his first international flagship launched in New York last year.
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