Sachin & Babi Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear

Prior to starting their contemporary and evening label , husband-and-wife design team Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia had already found considerable success with their textile business, ANK International. So it’s no surprise that the duo’s collections often start with fabric choice. Sachin said that the initial inspiration for their Fall 2016 collection came when he was visiting the Getty House in San Francisco, and was shown some of Mrs. Getty’s couture items. He immediately recognized a fabric he had made a dozen years ago that was embroidered with real cabochon stones. While the Getty House was beautiful, it was the gems that stayed with him and provided the inspiration for much of the collection’s color palette: garnet red, ruby, blue topaz, and emerald. The latter showed up particularly beautifully on the skirt of a strapless, velvet-bodice ball gown. “This is for the gala girl,” said Sachin. That is, the modern kind that doesn’t want to spend $5,000, nor be weighed down on the dance floor. Using Babi’s considerable textile knowledge, the duo employed an un-embroidered jacquard for the skirt, which holds its shape without the need for heavy lining or filler.