Every year, the Met Gala transforms their red carpet steps of Metropolitan Museum Art into a global stage where fashion meets art. More than just a red carpet, Met Gala celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and storytelling through the clothes they wear on the red carpet.
At the 2026 Met Gala, the theme is called “Costume Art”. Which allows builds the gap between clothing, art, history and identity. Every year there will always be a favorite artist that people would get excited to watch on the red carpet. However, this year Indian designers and South Asian celebrities did not just follow the theme, they defined it.
Isha Ambani
Isha Ambani, business women and the daughter of Mukesh Ambani wore a custom gold-saree by Gaurav Gupta for this year’s Met. Her saree had pure gold threads made by artisans at Swadesh and was styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania. The look was inspired by ancient Indian frescoes, with hand-printed pichwai-inspired motifs, which made tradition into a art that is wearable.
Karan Johar
Bollywood Filmmaker and producer Karan Johar literally embraced art. This Met Gala was Karan’s debut appearance, and he wore a hand-printed ensemble made by Manish Malhotra, which was inspired by the works of Raja Ravi Varma. Among the designs was Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, Arjuna and Subhadra, and There Comes Papa. The detailing in his outfit was perfectly done, with traditional artisans applied directly. His fit carried history, and he was the resemblance of living painting.
Princess Gauravi Kumari and Sawai Padmanabh Singh (Pacho), the Maharaja of Jaipur
Sawai Padmanabh Singh, also known as Pacho, wore a Prabal Gurung which was crafted in Jaipur. His outfit was made in deep velvet, and took 600 hours to complete, the outfit had intricate aari and zardozi embroidery, which is a pure showcase of the richness of Indian handwork.
Princess Gauravi Kumari made a personal history on the red carpet. She wore a gown which was made by her grandmother Gayatri Devi chiffon saree. It was designed by Prabal Gurung, and it preserves the original fabric while giving it a modern twist.
Natasha Poonawalla
Natasha Poonawalla made a bold and artistic route with a sculptural piece made by Marc Quinn, which was paired with a white couture gown by Domenico Dolce. This was a perfect look between fashion and art.
Sudha Reddy
Sudha Reddy also wore a Manish Malhotra made outfit. It was inspired by the “Tree of Life”, rooted in Kalamkari traditions from South India.
Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra the man behind most of the beautiful outfit made a statement himself, by wearing a black bandhgala paired with a cape embroidered. His fit took nearly 960 hours to complete and made by more than 50 artisans from Mumbai and Delhi. His whole look had names and signatures of the artisans behind his work, and makers behind the craft. Manish Malhotra’s Met Gala 2026 look was one of the most stunning and meaningful outfit of the night.
Ananya Birla
Ananya Birla wore a outfit made by Robert Wun and a sculptural mask by Subodh Gupta. Her look was styled by Rhea Kapoor, and it was combined with fashion, art and personal identity.
Diya Mehta Jatia
Diya Mehta Jatia showcased traditional craftsmanship which was made by Mayyur Girotra. The look was highlighted with West Bengal’s special Shola craft, and layered over Kanjivaram silk with gold and silver details.
Celebrating Indian Craftsmanship
At Met Gala 2026, Indian designers and South Asian stars did not just dress for the theme, they literally embodied it. Through hand-crafted, textiles, embroidery, and artistic reference, they proved that fashion is more than clothes, it’s history, identity and art. And when it comes to being on one of the largest fashion stages in the world, Indian history can be showed to the world through their lens.
Sources: Vogue India, Wion, adgully
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