3 posts tagged "Sachin + Babi"
Into the Night with Sachin + Babi
Sachin + Babi is known for bringing intricate embroideries and unique fabrics to its customers at a contemporary price point. While casual separates make up the bulk of their business, Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia, the husband and wife duo behind the label, have also been crafting custom red carpet pieces for years. And this March, just in time for awards season, they’re releasing a new eveningwear collection.
“We wanted to take some of the embroideries from our favorite Spring pieces and push them forward on richer failles and even lambskin,” Sachin told Style.com. Many of the special-occasion designs articulate key looks from the most recent S+B runway show in a more glamorous way. For instance, the chain-link-embellished tulle minidress worn by Eniko Mihalik is even sexier as a floor-scraping body-con gown with a dramatic scoop back. It’s the kind of thing that will make a girl feel like she owns the room. Speaking of owning the room, in Pepsi’s new campaign images, Beyoncé wears a navy mirror-embellished tuxedo jacket from Sachin + Babi’s Spring collection (and little else) while pushing a shopping cart of soda. That jacket was reimagined for the evening line as a sweet shift dress. Admittedly, it didn’t blow our minds quite as much as a pantless Mrs. Jay Z. But it will definitely make a splash at a cocktail party.
Sachin + Babi’s Eveningwear Collection ($735-$2,095) will be available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and specialty stores in March.
Ankasa Es Su Casa
“My tarot reader told me, ‘You have expansion in your cards,’ ” designer Babi Ahluwalia tells Style.com. Her tarot card reader was certainly right—Babi and her husband, Sachin, opened a new flagship store in Soho for their home line Ankasa yesterday. The duo, better known in the fashion world for their eponymous contemporary label Sachin + Babi, have been making a name for themselves in the home decor market for over a decade now with Ankasa, which specializes in unique textiles. Fittingly, the first thing you notice upon entering the loftlike space is a cluster of antique frames showcasing one-of-a-kind fabric swatches the Ahluwalias have collected during their travels to India, where they source many of their fabrics, over the years. “We finally decided to part with them [the swatches], but they’re still my babies,” Sachin explained. In addition to the brand’s top-selling throw pillows and luxury bedding, the downtown store (the label’s first shop is located on the Upper East Side on Madison Avenue) offers wares from napkin rings and crystal-encrusted coasters to custom upholstered furniture. There’s an emphasis on individual, grab-and-go items like suede pochettes and printed canvas totes ($295 to $395). It’s an approach they apply to both their home and fashion design: “The most important part of an overall look is the accessories. Whether it is throw pillows or a croc handbag chosen impulsively—those extra touches finalize the look and make it tight,” says Sachin.
Ankasa, 424 Broome St., NYC, (212) 226-8002.
On Our Radar: Sachin + Babi Psychedelic Print Dress
It’s not the most popular opinion, but I really mean it: Resort is by far my favorite fashion season. Why? For one thing, without the hoopla of official fashion weeks, the collections get less overexposed than those for Spring and Fall; when they hit the store floors, they still have that fresh appeal. And of course it doesn’t hurt that many of them are designed for traveling to warmer climes. An easy-breezy dress that’s perfect for vacation, but stands up back in the city, too—what’s not to love?
One of my favorites this week was Sachin + Babi’s psychedelic tie-dyed silk dress. I’m planning to pair it with platform sandals for an evening party out of town with my family. And back at home, black tights and a black blazer would do the trick for a more cosmopolitan look until spring comes again.