My virtual desi closet

Clothes by Sabyasachi Mukherjee            

I grew up in India and lived there for what seemed like my whole life then - until I was a quarter-century-old.

Then I moved to the United States in pursuit of a boy (and higher studies) and ended up making a life here. But that's another story for another day!

Nine years in the United States and I have become a true 'desi'. Pronounced 'they see', the term is an ethnic adjective of sorts, an identity marker, referring to a person or product from the Indian sub-continent who is now an immigrant in another part of the world.

As a desi, I often find myself looking back with untamed nostalgia at the food, fashions, music, language and culture I grew up with in India.

Truth be told, the thing I miss most about India, is the day-to-day dressing-to-kill factor!

Oh Sabyasachi, how I love thee!

The part where every outfit is carefully picked to match makeup and jewelry.

The part where the most gorgeous handmade / hand embroidered pieces are easily available at a price that might leave you gasping a bit, but still in the mostly affordable range if you're holding down a decent job.

So in the midst of my crazy life, I enjoy nothing more than salivating over the latest of Indian fashions online, even the more unaffordable ones.

So what if I won't get a chance to wear any of it, in my casual, laid-back, small-town American life?

Actress Vidya Balan wears Sabyasachi

And Pinterest makes it easy for me to virtually drool over the creations of my favorite Indian designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

An exceptionally gifted couturier whose trademark lies in international styling with an Indian soul, Mukherjee wows me every time with his choice of unusual fabrics, textures and fusion styles; his detailing, patchworks and embellishments; all in a diverse and vibrant color palette that appeals to something deep in my soul.

Critics say his global appeal lies in the use of indigenous methods like bandhni, gotawork, block printing and hand dyeing, in the construction of modern silhouettes.

All I know is his creations simply take my breath away. 

My virtual desi closet almost seems to be a shrine of sorts to Mukherjee's magical creations.