Couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee on his grand foray into the beauty world with Estée Lauder

Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Everyone who knows the name (everyone does), wishes to be associated with it in some way. Whether it's wearing (or aspiring to wear) his creation, working with him, seeing him in person—a conversation would be ideal—or knowing every detail about him, even the remotest association is a 'glimmer' for them.

And understandably so. Mukherjee has, in many ways, redefined luxury when it comes to traditional Indian wear. It’s the first name that comes to mind when looking for inspiration for a traditional look—from the modern silhouettes and kohl-rimmed eyes, to the slick hairstyle and incorporating red in your fit. Over the years, the couturier has expanded his brand to include jewellery, home furnishing, and accessories. And now, with his recent collaboration with Estée Lauder, he has made his way into the beauty space. 

Was it just a natural progression of brand expansion? Not quite. Mukherjee has been “seeding the idea for 20 years”. Yet, the collaboration with Estée Lauder was more serendipitous than intentional. “There's a quote by Rumi: What you seek is seeking you. I wished to collaborate with someone from the beauty business, and Estée Lauder was on the lookout for someone in India.”

The new limited-edition range of Sabyasachi lipsticks is a collaborative work of four and half years, which comes as no surprise considering how both the brands are known for their perfection. Mukherjee explains, “We were both committed to creating something beautiful and spectacular, no matter how much time it takes, because you get this one chance in beauty to create something that's forever and iconic.”

In an exclusive interview with Harper's Bazaar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee discusses everything from the collaboration to the limited-edition Estée Lauder x Sabyasachi lipstick collection, and more.

Harper’s Bazaar: Your collaboration with Estée Lauder for this range started in 2019. What was the creative process and how did the collection come to be?

Sabyasachi Mukherjee: In 2019, when I met the Estée Lauder team, they knew India was going to become a very important market. This was way before the Nykaa revolution, the launch of Tira Beauty, or the explosion of western brands making their way to India, or the Dior show in Mumbai. We both understood the power of India and what it represents. We wanted to do a collaboration that captured the entire opportunity—for Estée Lauder, it was about tapping into the power of India, and for me it was about representing the country in the right way, both within and outside India.

In a collaboration, it is essential that the product represents the best of both brands. I wanted the product to represent the luxury of India, and Estée Lauder wanted to create a global product. We were very clear about the positioning of the product—it would be universal, yet distinctive. 

Everybody said luxury cannot be born out of India, but I wanted to show the world that we can create the best lipstick in the world. It might seem like it’s a small lipstick, but a lot goes into it making it global and perfect. It takes the most amount of time to create something simple because that simple product will reach a billion people.

HB: The names of the lipsticks—for instance, Bombay Berry and Kolkata Red—capture the essence of the cities and the country. How important is it for a brand to create this emotional connection with the audience? How does it impact the image of the brand? 

SM: When I think of India, I think of colour. When the West thinks of India, they too think of colour and also beauty. Every person that I've met, anywhere in the world, is enamoured by Indian women and their beauty—the saree, the textures. When people come to India, the first thing they take away is the colour, then the smell, and then the art of decoration. I wanted to put all of that into a lipstick. 

Every lipstick has been inspired by a personal memory or is an interpretation of an idea that I have of India. For instance, when I think of Bombay, I think of glamour, I think of Rekha, I think of jazz, Marine Drive, and Art Deco, and I imagine the wearers of these lipsticks. I wanted a party lipstick. Kolkata, on the other hand, is synonymous with the colour red—the sindoor, the alta, the white and red sari, and red buildings. It’s a luscious colour that the city celebrates, thus the name. 

HB: Which of these lipsticks is closest to your heart? 

SM: It would be Calcutta Red, Rouge Bengal, Tropical Tangerine, and Muslin Tea. 

HB: What were some of the non-negotiable features you wanted to incorporate in the range considering it is largely designed for Indian consumers? 

SM: India is a tropical country and everybody sweats, so I was very clear that I wanted to do a satin matte and an ultra-matte formula, keeping in mind that many women forget to hydrate their lips. So, the idea was to create a matte lipstick that hydrates, doesn't run, lasts long, smells good, has an amazing texture, and also be a priced possession for anyone who buys it.

Everything from the packaging and the smell of the lipstick, to the formulation was chosen keeping these factors in mind. The idea was to create something in beauty that would give the consumer a sense of pride and remind them that beautiful things don't have to be transient; they can be classics that they can keep using.

HB: What's a core memory of yours from your five-year association with Estée Lauder? 

SM: It was when I was going through the archives of Mrs Lauder. For me, she is one of the many women who believed in her dreams, much before people believed in her. She had clarity about what she wanted to do with her life and the products she wanted to create. I realised how similar we are as people. I come from a middle-class background. Nobody in my house ever understood fashion, but I got out into this world believing that I would create the first luxury brand out of India. And going through her archives, made me realise I was on the right track. I keep telling people that you have to stick to your vision because it's only a matter of time before the world believes in you. 

HB: You mentioned that you always wanted to do something in beauty. Will we see a lot of these collaborations in the future? 

SM: Hopefully this is going to be the first step towards bigger forays into beauty. There's no turning back from there. 

Also read: In conversation with India's leading couturier, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, on the evolving meaning of luxury

Also read: What made it to our favourite latest beauty launches