Two Women: Designer Sabyasachi puts plaque in Mumbai store in tribute to Runa Laila and his mother

Internationally acclaimed Indian fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee has made a special tribute to Bangladeshi singer and composer Runa Laila and his mother - two women who have inspired him- by putting a plaque titled 'Two Women' in his Mumbai store.

Describing his utter admiration for the renowned Bangladeshi singer, Sabyasachi wrote in the plaque, "Across the border, in Bangladesh, another woman I admire wore a similar black and gold sari with her own chandbalis, cropped hair and sleeveless blouse. The legendary songstress Runa Laila.

"I was an obsessive fan. Back then, my very strict father allowed me exactly ten minutes of Doordarshan-just enough time to watch Runa Laila sing Dumadum Mast Kalandar."

The Bangladeshi singer thanked Sabyasachi for his tribute in a social media post on her official Facebook account on Tuesday.

"The internationally acclaimed designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee has put a plaque in his Mumbai store that says TWO WOMEN. And of the two, one is his mother and the other is me. Two women who have inspired and influenced him," Runa Laila wrote.

"I'm deeply honoured," she said, adding, "Thank you Sabya."

Photo: Facebook

Meanwhile, about his mother, Sabyasachi wrote, "My mother had a turquoise blue Benarasi sari. It was a rather offensive shade of turquoise with gold motifs and coral silk thread accents, and a flirtatious baby pink fall.

"My grandmother hated it. She called it garish. "I thought it was wild. It was threadbare in places, but she wore it with a reckless abandon, with her short bob, an oversized scarlet bindi, delicious gold chandbalis and a turquoise sleeveless blouse that was rather scandalous at the time."