Sabyasachi debuts his jewellery on e-commerce with Tata CliQ

The Hindu

15 hours ago

There is a certain mystery that shrouds the universe of Sabyasachi, a brand often spoken about in revered tones. Its clothes, the epitome of aspiration for Indian brides across the globe. Its jewellery, wooing the who's who of the world at retail meccas like Harrods and Bergdorf Goodman. Its stores, transportive and evocative of a kind of maximalist Indian charm that no other brand has been able to replicate (even as many have tried).
So, it is no surprise that designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee has guarded the world that makes up his eponymous brand carefully. And while he has strived to make it accessible — having the foresight to launch accessories as an entry point to the brand as early as 2019 — he has always been guarded about the touchpoints where you can access it.
Famously eschewing e-commerce for the most part, the couturier has now entered into a partnership with Tata CliQ Luxury — which is also the online distributor for Bulgari in India — to build a digital boutique to house his fine jewellery. This will launch with a special 79-piece collection curated just for the platform (a mix of online exclusives and those from his existing line, a repertoire that will continue to grow), with prices ranging between ₹55,000 to ₹9 lakh. 'I told myself that I would start giving access to the brand after 25 years,' he says, having hit the quarter-century mark earlier this year.
'This is going to be a watershed moment for Indian luxury, and we wanted to do it right,' says Sabyasachi of this association. 'When you build a luxury business, you have to be mindful when you expand categories. It's important to first build the brand's integrity through — I won't call it scarcity — but through mindfulness. You can't hurry up that process.'
Interestingly, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) owns a 51% stake in Sabyasachi since 2021, while his current collaborator comes from the Tata Group. 'Both are the first families of nation building in India, and this was a good opportunity for these businesses to come together with me being in the middle,' says Sabyasachi, who launched his fine jewellery range in 2017, and earned a revenue of ₹150-175 crore from it last year.
This particular collection (ready-to-ship, until stocks last) comprises a range of pendants, earrings, and rings in 18 carat gold, using VVS-VS EF colour brilliant-cut diamonds, natural pearls, and precious gemstones. Sabyasachi was keen to ensure the mix retains the quality of modern heirlooms, second skin almost, that can be worn to the boardroom, holiday, weddings or just another Tuesday.
'India's younger generation is moving away from big, flashy jewellery to more meaningful designs. The next generation of luxury is going to stand on great design, wearability, and a notion of investment,' he says of the holy trinity he abides by. And he is confident when these consumers sit with a calculator to evaluate his pricing, it will appease value-conscious minds. The entry-level gilded coin pendant bearing the brand's Bengal tiger emblem is the designer's favourite. 'I am always partial to the lowest common denominator,' he smiles.
On his part, Gopal Asthana, CEO of Tata CLiQ Luxury, dedicated a lion's share of his efforts to creating a superlative experience for their joint online boutique, which will be insulated from other brands on the platform. 'The idea was to extend the same environment of the Sabyasachi store to the digital arena, coupled with unparalleled customer service and storytelling around the pieces, for which the team is being trained at Sabyasachi,' adds Gopal. Having found that the Indian customer does need hand holding to hit buy on jewellery over ₹3 lakh online, Gopal says assisted sales is a big focus of the offering, as is swift delivery.
Sabyasachi, on his part, continues to be committed to creating a sense of belonging with his design language. Which is why the brand's logo sits at the heart of the offering. 'When you wear the Bengal tiger, you don't wear Sabyasachi, you wear India. I'm often criticised for choosing symbols that are common but I find a lot of power in being able to build communities through shared experiences,' he adds. The designer believes this online foray comes at a, 'very strange time when Indians will want to consume Indian products with pride. And if your product can create a visual identity that talks about being Indian yet being world class, that becomes a game changer, and at not-so world-class prices.'
Sabyasachi Fine Jewellery will be available on Tata CliQ Luxury from August 21 onwards.