By Tina Edward Gunawardhana

When I first saw images of Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of Balmain, carrying a sewing machine bag at the coveted Met Gala, I was blown away by the subliminal statement of the bag. When I realised it was created by Sajith Amaratunga, who had graced the Hi!! Magazine cover, I was awestruck and reached out to the Paris-based star leather goods designer to find out more.

At this year’s Met Gala, some of the most talked-about accessories came from the hands of Sajith Amaratunga, the rising leather goods designer at Balmain. From Rosalia’s satin Anthem pouch to Jenna Ortega’s navy fur version carried at the after-party, Sajith’s creations stole the spotlight. But it was Balmain’s Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing, who made headlines with the showstopping Sewing Machine Bag—a sculptural, fully functional piece inspired by the tools of the tailor’s trade.

Sajith, who has grown steadily within the Balmain atelier over the past five years, brings both technical prowess and a flair for storytelling to his designs. The process behind the Sewing Machine Bag involved deep historical research, intricate craftsmanship, and a race against time, resulting in a piece that was both wearable and symbolic. For Sajith, the moment Olivier carried it up the Met steps was more than a career milestone—it was the realisation of a long-held dream.

1-At the recently held  Met Gala, many celebrities were carrying bags you had created for Balmain—can you tell us which celebrities carried your handbags on the red carpet this year, and how those collaborations came about?
 
The one that is on everyone lips is of course Olivier Rousteing, our creative director of Balmain,. this year  he carried the Balmain Sewing Maching bag.

The other celebrities that attended the Met Gala wore variations of the Anthem pouch; Rosalia wore a white satin version while Patrick Scharzenneger from White Lotus 3 opted for a burgundy leather. Jenna Ortega who wore the iconic  rulers metallic dress  for the Gala chose a navy blue fur Anthem pouch for the Met after party.

These collaborations are arranged between Olivier, the VIPs coordinator and the celebrity stylists, together they decide which are the best options to present at the event. Sometimes for really iconic pieces like the Sewing machine I have a direct meeting with Oliver to see which direction he wants to take and giving him options to choose from.
 
2-The sewing machine handbag made quite a statement. What was the inspiration behind that striking design, and how did it align with the Met Gala’s theme of dandyism?
 
Yes we are so happy that is has been so well received and that the public has appreciated it. Our main inspiration was effectively the tools of a tailor so as per Jenna Ortega’s dress was made by rulers, Rosalia represented the mannequin that we have in our studios and the Sewing machine is the main tool we use to make garments.
 
 
3-Can you walk us through the process of creating the sewing machine bag—from sketch to red carpet—especially the technical challenges involved in making such a sculptural piece wearable?
 
After Olivier asked me to make this piece for this important event my first approach was research. I started browsing from the first machines ever created to the latest ones of these days in order to create something never seen and mixing different parts of history together.

We had limited amount of time so it was rush against time. I presented the first sketches to Olivier and after his approval i made the technical sheets studying in detail every single part of this bag.
 I included symbolic details hidden in some parts such as our carry over diamond grid engrave on the left side, the number 44 on the big wheel that rapprenset the number of the first HQ, etc.
 
4-How do you balance pushing the boundaries of concept design—like with the sewing machine bag—with maintaining functionality or wearability?
 
Many have asked if it was just a sculpture, but I have to say, to your surprise, not at all.
It would have been too easy to have a bag-looking object. The challenge that I had and that excited me the most was to transform a sewing machine into a functional bag.

On top, you can clearly see there is a closure, and when opened, you can clearly fit items inside. It is quite spacious and you can fit different items easily in it. The handle was made of leather, and I took inspiration from our carry-over luggage.
 
 
5-What kind of craftsmanship and techniques were involved in producing the Met Gala handbags, and did you collaborate with any specific artisans or workshops?
 
Yes, we worked with this well-known supplier with whom I’ve already collaborated and that creates wonders also for brands like Valentino, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana. Obviously, for privacy reasons, I cannot share the name.
 
6-As a young designer, what was it like seeing your work carried by global celebrities on one of fashion’s biggest stages?
 
I have to say that i feel really grateful for having had this opportunity and i have to thank Olivier for trusting me with this project. It has been always my dream to have one of my creations on the Met Gala stairs and the reason that made it even better was having Olivier himself carrying it, who has been my inspiration since day one.
 
7-You’ve been with Balmain for several years, growing from an assistant to junior designer to a designer. How has your creative voice evolved during that time?
 
In september i will celebrate 5 yrs in this incredible maison. I feel Balmain is an amazing school where since the beginning i learned so many things. I grew as a person and as a designer. The beauty of our job is that we keep evolving and we never stop learning. Every day there is a challenge to face.

I feel at the beginning I was more shy but with the gaining of experience i felt more confident to share my thoughts and visions.
 
8- Looking ahead, how do you envision your role in shaping the future of leather goods—are there any dream projects or themes you’d love to explore next?
 
That is an interesting question, but I think I’ll keep the secret. As you know, I’m quite superstitious and I believe that something has to be kept in order to become true. So stay tuned for the next steps haha