From Mona Patel in nude sculpted gown to Sudha Reddy in a 180-carat solitaire necklace, Indians steal the spotlight at Met Gala 2024
Met Gala 2024
From Rahul Mishra to Gaurav Gupta, we saw quite a few Indian labels making their Met debut this year. (Source: Mona Patel/Instagram, Natasha Poonawalla/Instagram)
On the first Monday of May, the iconic steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art — much like every year — saw a melee of South-Asian stars sporting Indian designers and repping the home team.
From Alia Bhatt in Sabyasachi to Isha Ambani in Rahul Mishra, and Mindy Kaling in Gaurav Gupta, we saw quite a few Indian labels making their mark at fashion’s biggest night. As such, let’s take a look at all the Indians who stole the spotlight at the Met Gala 2024, which celebrated the theme ‘Garden of Time’.
Mona Patel
Fashion entrepreneur and philanthropist Mona Patel made her Met Gala debut wearing custom Iris van Herpen. The philanthropist has the internet abuzz with her body hugging nude sculpted gown, butterfly corset and scalloped train. Styled by Law Roach, the Vadodara-born fashion mogul paid homage to the Met theme ‘Garden of Time’ with kinetic butterflies peppering her arm sleeves in slow motion.
Patel is known for her non-profit Couture For Cause, combining her fashion and philanthropic endeavors by raising funds and donating couture pieces through auction, often from her personal archive.
Alia Bhatt
The Bollywood actor wore a custom mint green Sabyasachi sari studded with real gems and a 23-foot train.
Styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, the Gangubai Kathiawadi star took to Instagram to share few snippets of ‘behind the scenes’ of the look: “It has taken a collective effort of 163 dedicated individuals, including master craftspeople, embroiderers, artists, and dyers, investing a total of 1965-man hours to create this ethereal saree. As I wear this outfit, I feel incredibly grateful to embody this exquisite creation, a testament to boundless love and painstaking effort.”
Isha Ambani
The Director of Reliance Retail wore a custom hand embroidered couture sari gown by Indian designer Rahul Mishra. The custom look “took over 10,000 hours to complete”, shared her stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania on Instagram. “Delicate samples of flowers, butterflies, and dragonflies were meticulously integrated from the archives into the design, via distinct applique and embroidery techniques,such as Fareesha, Zardozi, Nakshi, and Dabka, as well as French knots,” she further added.
The 31 year old businesswoman also carried an exquisite clutch crafted by Swadesh, with Nakashi and Miniature Painting created by Jaipur artisan Hari Narain Marotia.
Natasha Poonawalla
The Executive Director of the Serum Institute of India donned a custom Maison Margiela styled by John Galliano, pairing the look with exquisitely crafted footwear by Christian Louboutin.
Taking to Instagram, she shared her joy and privilege of working with Galliano: “We loved the idea of the fragility of time and life co-existing with strength and permanence and incorporating my own sleeping beauties; my set of wedding jewels. It has been an honour to work together with a legend, and such an open creative collaborator to make an everlasting living piece of art.”
Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling stunned in a Gaurav Gupta couture nude sculpted gown with a structured cape that started at her shoulders and ended in a long train.
The comedian shared her thoughts in a press note, “I am so impressed with Gaurav’s artful interpretation of this year’s Met Gala theme, intertwining the beauty of a blooming flower with his signature sculptural techniques to evoke the passage of time and cycle of nature. It’s been a surreal experience to work with him and I’m grateful to
be wearing such a masterpiece.”
Gaurav Gupta, who made his Met Gala debut this year, said: “Mindy radiates grace, making her the ideal muse for this design. Just as a flower blooms only once before withering away, this gown embodies the transient yet exquisite essence of style.”
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
The Calcutta based designer wore an embroidered cotton duster coat from the Sabyasachi Resort 2024 collection layered with tourmalines, pearls, emeralds and diamonds from Sabyasachi High Jewellery.
He took to Instagram to share his vision behind the look, “As the galloping horde of mechanization, modernization, and uniformity march ever closer; it is craft, that embodiment of human touch, tradition and diversity that will safeguard culture from the passage of time.” This was the first time an Indian designer walked the Met Gala red carpet.
Sudha Reddy
Sudha Reddy in Tarun Tahiliani couture at the Met Gala 2024. (Source: Sudha Reddy/Instagram)
The Indian billionairess wore a bespoke Tarun Tahiliani couture piece to the Met red carpet, along with an heirloom diamond neckpiece. A vintage Chanel bag and Swarovski jewels completed her look.
The wife of P.V. Krishna Reddy stunned in the ‘Amore Eterno’ necklace, featuring a remarkable 180 carats, a 25-carat heart-shaped diamond at the center, and three additional 20-carat heart-shaped diamonds. The piece was crafted for their 25th wedding anniversary, as shared by her on her Instagram.
Simone Ashley
This year, the Bridgerton actor of Indian origin rocked a navy blue cutout Prabal Gurung dress and jewellery by Zoya Jewels. Back in 2022, the Sex Education star wowed in a Moschino gold embroidered bustier top and black high waisted bias-cut skirt. A dramatic black satin opera coat completed her previous Met Gala look.
Ambika Mod
The One Day star wore a custom Loewe white silk gown with 3D digital imprint of the 1951 ‘Petal’ Ball gown by Charles James. The signature piece has a petal-shaped waist detail and floral petticoat, and was printed onto Ambika’s gown by creative director Jonathan Anderson.
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