Eveningwear Design Darlings Sachin & Babi Expand Into Shoes, Handbags
Sachin & Babi are ready for something new.
The married design duo known for their eveningwear and embroideries is taking their business one step further with an expansion into shoes and handbags for the first time.
In what they call a small “test-and-see” collection, Sachin & Babi have delivered a capsule of accessories filled with their signature design details. More specifically, the debut line includes two shoe styles and three bags that the couple say are a response to the desires of their loyal customers who often wear the label’s evening, bridal and occasion apparel.
“Our customers have been asking for accessories to go with our dresses for quite some time, Sachin Ahluwalia said during a collection preview at the couple’s home in NYC’s Tudor City neighborhood this week. “It felt like the right moment, especially given our exponential growth in recent years.”
As for important design details, Sachin points out that bows are “integral” to the brand’s design, so it was essential to incorporate this into their new line of accessories. And while the company does maintain a family-owned atelier in South Mumbai where second generation artisans craft all their embroideries, Sachin & Babi are working with partners in Vietnam to produce the footwear.
“We do make the bows ourselves by hand, but then they’re shipped to our external partners for finishing,” Sachin said. “This also helps keep our collection sitting at the value-driven price points we like to maintain.”
Looking at the shoe collection, which feature cushioned soles, consumers will find the “Lenox,” a closed-toe, obi-bow slingback which debuts in four colorways: Cerise and Noir Flower in duchess satin, as well as Garden Club and Pink Lemonade in faille. The second style, the “Chelsea” is an open-toe strappy pump available in two colors: Electric Lime and Blue Ikat Floral.
As for the bags, the duo has released the “On The Rocks” convertible clutch, which showcases a gold tone finish, faceted step-cut crystal embellishments, fuchsia lining with interior pocket, and a removable gold tone chain with top closure in both duchess satin or Faille. The look is fashioned in six colorways.
The “Bubbly Bag,” an evening look with a silver tone finish, features a pearl and crystal embellished half-moon top handle, fuchsia lining with interior pocket, and a removable gold tone chain with top closure, offered in black and pewter. And, the “Cupid’s Clutch,” in electric lime and silver sequin, boasts a silver finish, a removable silver tone chain with top closure, and what will become a signature fuchsia lining with interior pocket.
The new shoe and bag range, which retails between $295 to $425, is now available for pre-order and will be officially released in February. More styles are expected in coming seasons.
But for now, consumers will have to go direct to the brand’s website to get their hands on the label’s newest addition. “In the future, we will open the categories up to key retail partners, but in the meantime, we want to build this out sensibly and progress naturally,” Babi said.
Since launching their label in 2009, Indian-born husband and wife designers Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia first cut their teeth in fashion producing embroideries for such labels as Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Manolo Blahnik.
Today, Sachin & Babi has a growing global presence with an international e-commerce business and a select in-store offering with preferred retailers both internationally and domestically. Their designs have been seen on the likes of Michelle Obama, Priyanka Chopra, Jennifer Lopez and Taylor Swift.