Neha Mehrotra
05-May-2026
From sarees stitched over a thousand hours to capes inscribed with the names of their makers, these were the looks that defined India's most powerful night yet at fashion's biggest stage.
The theme was "Costume Art". The dress code: Fashion Is Art. And if the 2026 Met Gala proved anything, it's that India has never needed permission to treat the body as a canvas. This year's Indian contingent arrived and departed, not merely dressed. Here, ranked, are the Indian faces who stopped traffic on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
1. Isha Ambani in Gaurav Gupta
BUSINESSWOMAN & PHILANTHROPIST
The night's most jaw-dropping Indian moment belonged to Isha Ambani, who arrived in a gold-woven sculptural saree – a garment so ambitious it required 25 artisans and 1,200 hours to complete. The structured cape by Gaurav Gupta amplified the silhouette into something architectural, while hand-painted Pichwai motifs ran across the fabric like a moving temple wall. At the centre of it all: 1,800 carats of diamonds, emeralds, polki and kundan – many drawn from her mother Nita Ambani's personal collection.
2.Karan Johar in Manish Malhotra
FILMMAKER & MET GALA DEBUT
(Image Credits: Sheldon Santos and The House of Pixels (Photographer), Aalim Hakim (Hair), Paresh Kalgutkar (Make Up), Avan Contractor (Hair), Marissa Machado (Make Up), Getty Images)
Karan Johar made his long-awaited Met Gala debut and, by all accounts, arrived fully formed. Styled by Eka Lakhani – herself debuting as a Met stylist – Johar's look drew from the visual language of painter Raja Ravi Varma, interpreting Indian artistic heritage through couture. He described the experience as "embodying art through clothing" – and for once, the quote matched the reality. A confident, assured entrance from someone who has spent decades dressing others for big moments, now stepping into one of his own.
3 .Manish Malhotra in Manish Malhotra Atelier
COUTURIER
Making his second consecutive Met Gala appearance, Malhotra turned his own red carpet moment into a tribute. His signature black bandhgala was elevated by a commanding architectural cape – a piece that took more than 50 artisans across Mumbai and Delhi nearly 960 hours to realise. It incorporated dori, zardozi, chikankari and kasab embroidery and – crucially – carried the names and signatures of the craftspeople who built it alongside visual references to Mumbai's cinematic landmarks.
4. Natasha Poonawalla in Dolce & Gabbana + Marc Quinn
BUSINESSWOMAN
Natasha Poonawalla wore what can only be described as wearable sculpture. Her white couture gown by Domenico Dolce was paired with the Orchid Pectoral, a sculptural art piece by British artist Marc Quinn – blurring the line between installation and clothing. Diamond accessories kept the styling focused, while the overall look felt lifted from a gallery wall. The choice to anchor fashion in fine art, rather than heritage craft, was a deliberate and sophisticated reading of the "Costume Art" theme.
5. Princess Gauravi Kumari & Sawai Padmanabh Singh in Prabal Gurung
JAIPUR ROYAL & MET GALA DEBUT
Perhaps the most romantically storied look of the night. Princess Gauravi Kumari made her debut in a Prabal Gurung gown constructed from Maharani Gayatri Devi's iconic pink chiffon sari – reimagining her grandmother's legendary elegance in the language of contemporary couture. Layered pearl necklaces and kundan jewellery from Jaipur's royal legacy completed the effect. She was joined by Sawai Padmanabh Singh in a velvet coat with intricate zardozi embroidery – together, they were a living exhibition of Rajput heritage.
6. Ananya Birla in Robert Wun + Subodh Gupta
ENTREPRENEUR & MET GALA DEBUT
Ananya Birla arrived as a piece of art. A custom Robert Wun structured black jacket and voluminous skirt created a strong architectural silhouette, but the defining element was a sculptural stainless steel face mask by Indian artist Subodh Gupta. Minimal makeup and restrained jewellery kept the focus where it belonged: the collision of fashion and fine art.
7. Sudha Reddy in Manish Malhotra + Mariel Haenn
PHILANTHROPIST
In collaboration with Manish Malhotra and stylist Mariel Haenn, Sudha Reddy created a deeply symbolic look rooted in Kalamkari art – specifically the Tree of Life motif from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with Hyderabad as its emotional anchor. The result was a couture interpretation that wore its provenance openly, blending heritage craftsmanship with global fashion sensibility. Not the loudest look of the night, but one of the most considered.
8. Diya Mehta Jatia in Mayyur Girotra
ART COLLECTOR
Diya Mehta Jatia walked the red carpet in a custom couture creation by Mayyur Girotra. She embodied the spirit of the evening, wearing a piece that brought renewed attention to Shola, one of India’s most fragile and rapidly vanishing art forms. Sculptural forms echoing its softness and intricacy were layered onto a dramatic silhouette inspired by Baroque and French architectural detailing, while a handwoven Kanjivaram textile from Kanchipuram, interlaced with gold and silver, anchored the piece, bringing together distinct craft traditions in a single narrative. Additionally, Diya Mehta wore bespoke high jewellery by QWEEN, marking the brand’s global debut. The look featured rare, statement gemstones (including a 25-carat emerald and 20-carat diamond) with a clean, contemporary design approach and has already picked up international coverage.
9. Mona Patel in CUSTOM COUTURE
INDIAN-AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR
Mona Patel arrived with a concept: Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Her gold and white ensemble referenced human anatomy through structured detailing and layered construction, anchored by a cape bearing the Vitruvian Man imprint – Renaissance philosophy refracted through modern couture restraint. It was thoughtful, intellectual, and proof that fashion can be both beautiful and brainy.
