3 min readNew DelhiJun 30, 2023 04:30 PM IST
First published on: Jun 30, 2023 at 04:30 PM IST
The Animal Ball, a fundraising event organised by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, took place recently with the aim of supporting the Elephant Family charity. This charity, co-founded by Camilla‘s late brother Mark Shand, is dedicated to safeguarding Asia’s wildlife and preserving its natural landscapes. Renowned Indian designers such as Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, and Anita Dongre added to the splendour of this fashionable evening.
Sabyasachi, known for his expertise in showcasing Indian craftsmanship, created captivating masks specifically for the King and Queen. During the Animal Ball, both monarchs were spotted wearing these exquisite Shola masks, adding a touch of elegance to their attire. “I like to tell hyper-local stories to the world in an attempt to create economic sustainability for heritage crafts and craftspeople,” the designer wrote on Instagram, sharing pictures of Charles and Camilla in the Shola masks from Sabyasachi.
He further wrote that the Shola masks have been made using age-old artisanal techniques and materials, as a collaboration between the artists from the Sabyasachi Art Foundation and the master craftspeople of Bengal. “The masks celebrate the continuity of one of Bengal’s most treasured heritage crafts that are practised by about 5,000 artisans.”
Sabyasachi explained that Shola is the craft of carving sholapith, the spongey cork from the aquatic plant that grows in the marshlands of Bengal. “Every year the craftspeople make decorations for the deities and entire structures during the Durga Puja celebrations—that is a part of UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” he added.
According to the designer, these Shola masks are made in homage to Bengal’s living heritage and culture.
For the unversed, Shola craft is an age-old tradition of Bengal. “It is the art of making delicate, intricate, decorative objects from the soft, supple, porous and lightweight core of the shola stem. Shola is an annual aquatic herb which grows in the wild, in marshy, waterlogged areas and at the same time is water resistant. It is also referred to as the Indian cork. This unique craft is used for making a plethora of products ranging from decorative pieces to ritualistic items,” as per Google’s Art and Culture.
The acclaimed Indian designer also showcased his high jewellery collection at Lancaster House. “Exceptionally curated gemstones come together with tropical flora and fauna. Modern heirlooms forged in gold to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Made in homage to endangered animals, using fine endangered crafts,” he wrote.
Sabyasachi shared that the Bengal tiger necklace is crafted from 18k gold with a 109.95-carat Zambian emerald and a 5.06-carat old mine-cut diamond with multicoloured and organic gemstones, and brilliant-cut diamonds. The back is intricately crafted and studded with EF VVS VS diamonds.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla wear Sabyasachi's Shola masks (Source: Sabyasachi/Instagram) 
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