It’s been 30 years since Sachin & Babi first met at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Coincidentally, both designers came from India from a family of designers, but their stars didn’t collide until they arrived in New York for school. Friendship grew into love, and soon after, a company.
Their love story is one in which marries their heritage and passions for artisanship and craft, preserving the art of Indian embroidery in their family-owned and operated factory in Mumbai. They first worked for other top houses, from CFDA member brands Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera to Jean-Paul Gaultier, until launching their very own namesake label.
Both Sachin & Babi’s personal and brand story is one rooted in love, but also of celebration of their culture, sharing with the world not only beautiful clothes, but also the inheritance of artistry from their family.
Give us some background on your heritage and how you ended up where you are today.
We’re expats from India, from Mumbai and Delhi respectively. We came to pursue an education in fashion at FIT, where we met in the fall of 1994. We quickly realized we were cut from the same cloth. In fact, both of our mothers were designers in the apparel trade in the domestic markets in India.
Upon graduating, we founded ANK Embroideries, which was a bespoke design and production service for designers in New York, Milan, and Paris. We were fortunate to learn from the best and spent close to two decades developing some of the finest artisans and craftsmen in India with a refined atelier that worked exclusively for these designers.
In 2009, after years of honing our craft, we decided to launch our eponymous line, Sachin & Babi, with an ethos of elevated, sophisticated, and accessible design. 15 years later, we get to do what we love every day together.
How does your heritage play a role in the way you approach your business and design?
For Indians, playing with color comes naturally. We grew up in the land of color, and for us, bright pink is a neutral. When we came West, we innately leaned on the vibrancy of color in our prints and designs.
Our heritage is integral to our brand. India prides itself on creating products that require an artisan’s experience and an expert’s hands. That is at the forefront in our minds in everything we create. We refer to ourselves as ‘dressmakers,’ and to be a good dressmaker, craftsmanship is of the utmost importance.
What are some things you wish people knew more about when it comes to your heritage?
Craftsmanship is a part of our heritage. We’re the second generation of designers in our family, working with second generation artisans in our factories. My mother started her business in the 1980s, and we continue to use the infrastructure she established to this day.
What are some of your favorite things (it can be food, music, entertainment-related) about your heritage?
We love, as we call it, Desi grub. Our go-to Indian restaurant is Gupshup. Musically, we love Anushka Shankar. Of course, romantic Bollywood hits never fail. We enjoy Indian cinema—especially Zoya Akhtars and Karan Johar’s productions—and [Indian-American filmmaker] Mira Nair is a dear friend of ours.
What are some professional and personal exciting things we can look forward to?
This past February we launched our first shoe and bag line, which we’re delighted to say really resonated with our customers. We’re looking forward to continuing building that out in coming seasons, as well as broadening our assortment to include bridal capsules with little white dresses and guest-of gowns.
