Sabyasachi Mukherjee urges people to buy Indian

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
May 13, 2020

Designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee has urged his followers to "buy Indian" and support the domestic handloom industry, as a way to support and protect Indian craft communities during this challenging time for the economy. 

 
“Every Indian citizen is a stakeholder in our economy,” Mukherjee wrote on Facebook. “It is now fully within our collective will and power to reshape the structure of our economic system, and ensure that growth also reaches those stakeholders  who are most vulnerable. ‘Made in India’ is no longer only about pride; it’s about promoting sustainable, equitable, and scalable growth that will help local businesses flourish and create more jobs on a grassroots level.”
 
Mukherjee’s eponymous brand has worked with craft clusters for years and uses numerous traditional hand-embroidery techniques in its garments.

“We must meet this moment by looking inwards,” wrote Mukherjee. “By supporting our communities, our products, our heritage. Mindful consumption with an emphasis on domestic goods is how we can contribute to a better India for all.”
 
Mukherjee has been sharing ‘Stories of Kindness’ and memories from past collections on his brand’s social media to inspire his customers and fans. The designer’s flagship stores remain temporarily closed but Mukherjee has shared images from his Destination Weddings 2020 bridal collection online.
 
The designer had a big year planned with an H&M collaborative collection launch and plans for his first U.S. flagship store. In December 2019, Mukherjee announced that the brand’s first American flagship store would open in New York in September 2020. As New York is currently the epicentre of coronavirus in the US, the launch may have to be revised.