Want to collaborate with Sabyasachi Mukherjee? Consider joining the designer for a meal

According to the couturier, two of his recent collaborations – Christian Louboutin and Thomas Goode – began over food. It only took the couturier five minutes to say yes to the latter.

For those looking for an in to collaborate with couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee, consider joining him for a meal.

During a recent interview with a fashion magazine, Mukherjee mentioned how food was a common factor in two of his most recent collaborations – Christian Louboutin and Thomas Goode & Co. (a 200-year old British luxury retailer). “All good things happen over food. It was how my collaboration with Christian Louboutin began, and now with Thomas Goode as well,” he said.


The designer reportedly met the latter over a sit-down dinner hosted by Malvika Poddar at the Oberoi in Mumbai and said yes within the first five minutes.

“I’ve been a Thomas Goode customer for a very long time,” Mukerjee told ET Panache on the side-lines of the AD Design Show. “I love their crockery, their cutlery and their store in Mayfair which I think is probably one of the most beautiful stores in the world. So when Johnny Sandelson (Thomas Goode Chairman) spoke to me over dinner, I agreed in five minutes.”

“It was such a magic moment for me. As Bengalis, you know we have a culture of collecting dinner sets and tea sets. It’s a part of prestige in Bengali families. I don’t know if we care much for fancy cars but we do care for a good tea set. And so I thought this (collaboration) was a perfect fit.”

View this post on Instagram

Sabyasachi x Thomas Goode @thomasgoode_uk @london Calcutta and India play a pivotal role in the design ideology of the very first Sabyasachi x Thomas Goode collaborative dinner plates. Local flora and fauna, architecture, fables and parables are recreated through a hyper imaginative lens of Sabyasachi and hand rendered by the 43 artists from the Sabyasachi Art Foundation. Thomas Goode & Co. one of London’s oldest luxury retailers has partnered with Sabyasachi Mukherjee to define a new wedding trousseau. Sabyasachi is a cultural and creative icon and India’s most sought-after bridal designer. His elegant creations are steeped in history and focus on traditional Indian craftsmanship which grace the world's most beautiful women and many of India's most important film and stage productions. In partnership with Thomas Goode, which has a 200-year legacy of contributing to the weddings of the UK’s, Europe’s and India’s most royal and oldest families, Sabyasachi has created an exclusive wedding trousseau. The new collection includes bespoke dinner service designs, glassware, the finest table linen and other decorative delights which encapsulate beauty, craftsmanship and luxury. The wedding trousseau will be delivered in Thomas Goode’s hand-crafted luxury shipping case for a bride to embark on a new journey with treasured possessions. #Sabyasachi #ThomasGoode #SabyasachixThomasGoode #TheSabyasachiArtFoundation #London #Mayfair #UK #ThomasGoodeLondon #ThomasGoodeMumbai #TheWorldOfSabyasachi

A post shared by Sabyasachi Mukherjee (@sabyasachiofficial) on Sep 16, 2019 at 9:07pm PDT

The ‘It’ Factor
Mukherjee, who normally takes a few months to decide upon a collaboration, said it was Sandelson’s vision and his own instinct that drove him to say yes. “I think we both had complete clarity on what we wanted to do and the synergies matched.”

It’s a sentiment that Sandelson definitely agrees with.

Asked about those crucial five minutes during a separate interview, he said, “When you meet Sabya you meet someone with a clear vision—he understands people, the value of a beautiful aesthetic and the worth of being able to create something very special together. Plus, I really liked his laugh.”

The Sabyasachi x Thomas Goode collection, an exclusive wedding trousseau line featuring bespoke dinner service, glassware, table linen and decorative pieces, is currently in production and will be available early next year.