The Met And Sabyasachi To Debut Byzantine-Inspired Jewelry Collection

Jewels by Sabyasachi inspired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Byzantine collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art and Sabyasachi

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) and international fashion house Sabyasachi are embarking on a multi-year design and retail collaboration that will bring the museum’s collection of art and culture to life through contemporary fashion and jewelry.

The collaboration will debut with a high jewelry collection inspired by the art of the Byzantine Empire, centered in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) from the fourth through 15th centuries. The collection will be unveiled during a runway presentation at New York Fashion Week on September 15, with pieces subsequently available at the Sabyasachi flagship at 160 Christopher Street in New York City’s West Village, other Sabyasachi stores and select specialty retailers worldwide.

The partnership is described by the two organizations as a “shared commitment to creativity, craftsmanship and the enduring power of historic works of art to inspire contemporary design.”

Based in Kolkata, India, Sabyasachi is known for elaborate fashion, jewelry and art objects that draw on India’s cultural history and royal heritage while incorporating Western influences. The fashion house was founded by designer and couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee, whose designs are worn by celebrities in India and around the world.

Through the collaboration, Sabyasachi will draw inspiration from The Met’s collection of more than 5,000 years of art and culture from around the world. Selected objects and their histories will be reinterpreted as contemporary luxury products through the lens of Indian craftsmanship. Each piece will be conceived, developed and handcrafted in India by Sabyasachi’s network of master artisans.

The Met’s collection of late antique and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world, according to the museum. It includes monumental sculpture, mosaics, icons, metalwork, jewelry and luxury objects produced across the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and West Asia.

For the inaugural collection, Sabyasachi drew from objects, motifs and techniques represented in The Met’s departments of Greek and Roman, Medieval, and Islamic art. Imperial medallions, architectural adornments, ancient statuary and stonework, religious iconography and other objects of antiquity served as sources for the contemporary jewels.

“We are passionate about uplifting stories of creativity and craftsmanship housed in The Met collection through collaborations with modern-day makers,” said Stephen Mannello, head of Retail and Global Licensing at The Met. “Engaging with Sabyasachi and his team allows us to view works from antiquity through a new lens, shining a spotlight on stories of the past through his creative viewpoint. We look forward to sparking conversations that inspire fans of The Met and Sabyasachi to immerse themselves in the past, present and future of art and design.”

“This collaboration is about engaging with one of the world’s great collections of art and the opportunity to reinterpret centuries of creativity through contemporary design,” said Sabyasachi Mukherjee. “The Byzantine world was not defined by a single geography. It was shaped by the movement of people, ideas and craftsmanship across continents, including India.

“What fascinates me is not only Byzantium itself, but the civilizations that informed it and the extraordinary artistic dialogue that emerged from interactions through trade,” he added. “I find similarities to my home, Kolkata, itself a commercial hub influenced by trade and exchange. Through this collaboration, we are able to transform historic inspiration into modern interpretations that feel relevant, beautiful and desirable today.”

Future collections will continue to draw inspiration from the breadth and depth of The Met’s holdings, resulting in historical narratives expressed through jewelry, accessories and clothing, according to the two organizations.