The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Indian fashion house Sabyasachi have launched a multi-year design and retail collaboration that will draw on the museum's collection of art and culture for contemporary fashion and jewelry. The partnership will begin with a jewelry collection inspired by the art of the Byzantine Empire.
The inaugural collection is scheduled to be unveiled during a Sabyasachi runway presentation at New York Fashion Week on September 15, 2026. Following the presentation, the pieces will be available at Sabyasachi's flagship at 160 Christopher Street in New York City's West Village, as well as through other Sabyasachi stores and select specialty retailers worldwide, according to Forbes.
The two organizations have described the partnership as a shared commitment to creativity and craftsmanship and to the ability of historic works of art to inspire contemporary design. The collaboration will extend beyond the first jewelry collection, with future projects expected to draw from additional areas of The Met's holdings.
The First Collection Draws From Byzantine Art
The first collection takes inspiration from the Byzantine Empire, centered in Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul, from the fourth through 15th centuries. Forbes reports that Sabyasachi drew from objects and visual references represented across The Met's Greek and Roman, Medieval and Islamic art departments.
Among the historical references identified in Forbes' reporting are imperial medallions, architectural adornments, ancient statuary, stonework and religious imagery. The Met's holdings of Late Antique and Byzantine art include sculpture, mosaics, icons, metalwork, jewelry and other luxury objects from the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and West Asia.
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Town & Country reported that the initial release contains more than 100 pieces. The publication also reported that gold is prominent throughout the collection, with pieces incorporating 18- and 22-karat gold as well as gemstones including tourmaline, spinel, amethyst and lapis lazuli.
The publication also identified large pendants, asymmetrical shapes and figurative motifs among the collection's design features. These details come from Town & Country's reporting on the first images released from the collaboration.
Sabyasachi Will Produce the Pieces in India
According to Forbes, the collaboration will use selected objects and their histories from The Met's collection as sources for contemporary luxury products. Each piece in the inaugural collection will be conceived, developed and handcrafted in India through Sabyasachi's network of master artisans.
The approach connects the museum's collection with Sabyasachi's established work in jewelry and fashion. The brand, founded by designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, is based in Kolkata and has developed collections incorporating Indian cultural and historical references alongside Western influences, according to Forbes.
Mukherjee has also discussed the historical connections behind the Byzantine inspiration. In a statement reported by Town & Country, he said the Byzantine world was shaped by the movement of people, ideas and craftsmanship across continents, including India, and pointed to trade and cultural exchange as important aspects of that history.
The Met's Stephen Mannello, head of Retail and Global Licensing, also told Forbes that the museum's licensing work creates opportunities to bring works from its collection into contemporary design. The partnership with Sabyasachi is part of that broader effort to connect the museum's holdings with contemporary products.
A Multi-Year Collaboration
The jewelry collection is the first release in what The Met and Sabyasachi have described as a multi-year collaboration. Forbes reports that later projects will extend into additional categories, including accessories and clothing, drawing inspiration from other parts of the museum's collection.
The collaboration also marks a new chapter in Sabyasachi's relationship with New York. The designer previously presented at New York Fashion Week in 2009, making the September 2026 presentation his return to the event after more than a decade.
For the immediate launch, however, the focus remains on the Byzantine-inspired jewelry collection. The September 15 presentation will introduce the first group of pieces, after which the collection is scheduled to enter retail through Sabyasachi's New York flagship, other brand stores and selected specialty retailers worldwide.
The partnership therefore begins with a defined focus: historical works from The Met serving as references for a contemporary jewelry collection produced by Sabyasachi in India. Future releases will determine how the collaboration expands into other parts of the museum's collection and additional categories of design.
