The Impressionist

For someone who has made a successful career in clothes in earthy tones, Sabyasachi Mukherjee has done an about turn, and says he is in love with unabashedly bright colours all over again.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee on his designs for the junior Bachchans and his New York Fashion Week collection

For someone who has made a successful career in clothes in earthy tones, Sabyasachi Mukherjee has done an about turn, and says he is in love with unabashedly bright colours all over again. And the man responsible for it is none other than the post-Impressionist French artist Paul Gauguin. 8220;There8217;s a joie de vivre in his works that is infectious. I have always admired him, particularly his self-portraits and works like The Yellow Christ. I finally decided to decode it into ensembles. I have used his paintings as a subtext and worked on the colour palette accordingly,8221; says the Kolkata-based designer, who will showcase the collection on September 12 at The Salon at Bryant Park at the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week.

There are, of course, other influences, equally Bohemian, on the 34 garments that he will show at his third appearance in New York. From the 20th century German Expressionist artist Emil Nolde to French balladeer Edith Piaf, Mukherjee has taken the very best from his idols and translated them on to his clothes. There are handprinted silks in Art Deco motifs, discharge printed chiffons, bomber jackets with multi-coloured textured embroidery among other things. 8220;In my three seasons in New York, this is my best collection yet. Even though as designers our concept of clothes is to change with the season, I believe each garment should have something more to take it forward beyond the stipulated time frame. I want my clients to feel free and happy to be themselves,8221; he says.

It8217;s probably one of the reasons why Mukherjee8217;s loyal followers, particularly those in Bollywood, can never get enough of him. Post the fashion week, his little black book is choc-a-bloc with assignments, chief among which is director Mani Ratnam8217;s ambitious bilingual project, Ravan, a re-interpretation of the Ramayana. The film, slated to go on the floors by the end of the month has Ahbishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai playing Ram and Sita, while Govinda plays Hanuman and south Indian actor Vikram gets into

Ravan8217;s skin. Even rookie actor Ranbir Kapoor has been roped in for a role in the epic. Mukherjee is slated to style the look of the magnum opus, post his fashion week commitments. 8220;I enjoy doing films because it gives me ample scope to break the monotony of working linearly on collections. Working with Mani Ratnam is a challenge in itself. When you have people like Abhishek and Ash, who have an inherent sense of style, it becomes all the more interesting,8221; he says. Watch out for the next milestone.

Paromita Chakrabarti

Paromita Chakrabarti is Senior Associate Editor at the The Indian Express. She is a key member of the National Editorial and Opinion desk and writes on books and literature, gender discourse, workplace policies and contemporary socio-cultural trends. Professional Profile With a career spanning over 20 years, her work is characterized by a "deep culture" approach—examining how literature, gender, and social policy intersect with contemporary life. Specialization: Books and publishing, gender discourse (specifically workplace dynamics), and modern socio-cultural trends. Editorial Role: She curates the literary coverage for the paper, overseeing reviews, author profiles, and long-form features on global literary awards. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent writing highlights a blend of literary expertise and sharp social commentary: 1. Literary Coverage & Nobel/Booker Awards "2025 Nobel Prize in Literature | Hungarian master of apocalypse" (Oct 10, 2025): An in-depth analysis of László Krasznahorkai’s win, exploring his themes of despair and grace. "Everything you need to know about the Booker Prize 2025" (Nov 10, 2025): A comprehensive guide to the history and top contenders of the year. "Katie Kitamura's Audition turns life into a stage" (Nov 8, 2025): A review of the novel’s exploration of self-recognition and performance. 2. Gender & Workplace Policy "Karnataka’s menstrual leave policy: The problem isn’t periods. It’s that workplaces are built for men" (Oct 13, 2025): A viral opinion piece arguing that modern workplace patterns are calibrated to male biology, making women's rights feel like "concessions." "Best of Both Sides: For women’s cricket, it’s 1978, not 1983" (Nov 7, 2025): A piece on how the yardstick of men's cricket cannot accurately measure the revolution in the women's game. 3. Social Trends & Childhood Crisis "The kids are not alright: An unprecedented crisis is brewing in schools and homes" (Nov 23, 2025): Writing as the Opinions Editor, she analyzed how rising competition and digital overload are overwhelming children. 4. Author Interviews & Profiles "Fame is another kind of loneliness: Kiran Desai on her Booker-shortlisted novel" (Sept 23, 2025): An interview regarding The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. "Once you’ve had a rocky and unsafe childhood, you can’t trust safety: Arundhati Roy" (Aug 30, 2025): A profile on Roy’s recent reflections on personal and political violence. Signature Beats Gender Lens: She frequently critiques the "borrowed terms" on which women navigate pregnancy, menstruation, and caregiving in the corporate world. Book Reviews: Her reviews often draw parallels between literature and other media, such as comparing Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune to the series Only Murders in the Building (Oct 25, 2025). ... Read More