The first Monday of May arrived with style-watchers holding their breath at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s storied steps. The 2026 MET Gala, as glittering and grandly assembled as any year before it, gathered fashion, film, music and sports industries’ most daring luminaries. This year’s theme was “Costume Art”, with the dress code described as “Fashion is Art”, which invited guests to embody the complex, centuries-long interplay between couture and creative expression. Co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and the inimitable Anna Wintour, the evening was, as it is every year, “fashion’s biggest night out”.
But amid all the global glitter and couture convergence, it was the South Asian contingent that truly stole the show. From Karan Johar who made his debut to Isha Ambani making her return, they arrived not just dressed to impress but to make history. Heritage met high fashion as leading names interpreted the theme throughsculptural silhouettes, bold colour stories, statement nods to regional artistry. Each appearance carried a narrative that extended beyond aesthetics. Together, these moments marked a shift from representation to authority.
Karan Johar
Celebrated filmmaker Karan Johar made his MET debut in a custom couture look by Manish Malhotra. Inspired by legendary painter Raja Ravi Varma, his black-and-gold ensemble featured hand-painted panels, zardozi borders and 3D sculptural elements depicting lotuses, swans and pillars. Iconic works like Hamsa Damayanti, Arjuna and Subhadra were woven into the design, bringing India’s most enduring painted narratives to the global stage. Crafted over 5,600 hours and 86 days, with every brushstroke done by hand, the look was, as Karan put it, “a testament to the belief that how you tell a story matters as much as the story itself.”
Simone Ashley
Simone Ashley’s third time MET Gala appearance was a charm… or rather chain. The Devil Wears Prada 2 actor arrived in a draped chain gown from Stella McCartney for the occasion that created the illusion of nudity. The nearly-naked dress, as per the brand, is “constructed from 70% repurposed Falabella chains and threads sourced from the Stella McCartney London atelier.” She wore diamond earrings and bracelets, along with silver platform shoes that matched the tone of the dress to accessorise.
Isha Ambani
Businesswoman, philanthropist, and arts patron Isha Ambani returned to the Met Gala in a custom Gaurav Gupta blouse and a tissue sari woven with pure gold threads by master artisans at Swadesh collective. The drape’s surface ornamentation drew from ancient Indian frescoes, with hand-painted pichwai-style motifs along the border enriched with zardozi, aari work and relief embroidery. The hero element is her jewellery-integrated blouse, constructed with over 1,000 diamonds and precious stones totalling over 1,800 carats, including heirloom old mine diamonds, rare emeralds and traditional polki and kundan elements drawn from Nita Ambani’s personal collection. The look took more than 1,200 hours and 50 artisans to bring to life.
Tyla
Grammy winner Tyla leaned into maximalism at her third MET Gala in a custom Valentino creation by Alessandro Michele. A pure spectacle, her ensemble featured a plunging crystal-and-bead bodice, finished with silver rhinestones, fringes, sequin-embroidered tulle sleeves. The bodice cascaded into a satin bleu paon skirt with a thigh-high slit. Wet-look curls, shimmering skin and pumps rounded off her look.
Manish Malhotra
For his second MET Gala appearance, couturier Manish Malhotra turned himself into a canvas. He designed a custom bandhgala, which was “a deeply personal couture statement.” The black ensemble was layered with a dramatic architectural cape, crafted over 960 hours by 50 artisans across Delhi and Mumbai, was a love letter to his city and his craft. Dori work, zardozi, chikankari and kasab weave Mumbai’s cinematic landmarks into the fabric, while the names of every artisan are embroidered into the lining.
Diya Mehta Jatia
Fashion consultant, entrepreneur and digital tastemaker, Diya Mehta Jatia embraced the theme in a custom Mayyur Girotra creation. Her Baroque-inspired sculptural silhouette was built on a handwoven Kanjivaram base of gold and silver threads. But the real story lay in the Shola work that elevated the gown. A near-extinct West Bengal craft, Shola is traditionally carved from vegetable ivory but Mayyur reimagined it into her garment’s layered framework. She 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.
Sawai Padmanabh Singh & Princess Gauravi Kumari
Sawai Padmanabh Singh, the Maharaja of Jaipur, fondly known as Pacho, turned to time-honoured Jaipuri craft for his look. He opted for a black bandhgala layered with a striking Phulghar coat developed by Prabal Gurung and realised in Jaipur by Yash and Ashima Tholia. Cut in velvet, it is quilted with cotton and elevated with aari and zardozi embroidery and finished with dabka and Resham. The look took over more than 600 hours to complete.
Where several looks were borrowed from archives, Princess Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur’s was inherited from an erstwhile Maharani. The Princess made her debut in a gown designed by Prabal Gurung, crafted using an original pink chiffon sari that once belonged to her grandmother, Maharani Gayatri Devi. The vintage drape was transformed into a sculpted single-shoulder silhouette, retaining the soft blush tone and fluid grace that defined Gayatri Devi’s legendary style. Layered pearl necklaces, a kundan choker and uncut diamonds and rubies from Jaipur’s ateliers completed the look.
Natasha Poonawalla
Natasha Poonawalla bloomed, quite literally, in her look. The billionaire philanthropist and style icon walked the carpet wearing a sculptural orchid crafted by British visual artist Marc Quinn and a white couture gown by Domenico Dolce. The Orchid Pectoral, which served as a sculptural breastpiece, was cast in white high-tech resin, with its petals unfurling front and back. The fluid custom Dolce & Gabbana couture gown trailed softly behind, grounding the look in elegance.
Sudha Reddy
Billionaire philanthropist Sudha Reddy returned to the red carpet in a custom creation by Manish Malhotra. Conceived in collaboration with global celebrity stylist Mariel Haenn, the ensemble titled ‘The Tree of Life’ took over 3,459 hours by more than 90 artisans to complete. The look championed centuries old textile art form Kalamkari. A corseted silhouette in royal blue formed the foundation of the ensemble and anchored by Manish’s signature swirl construction. Antique gold zari embroidery flowed across the surface.
Bhavitha Mandava
Indian model and Chanel ambassador Bhavitha Mandava arrived in what appeared to be a floor-skimming pair of straight-leg denim and a sheer polo, until you looked closer. The look was entirely Chanel, crafted by Matthieu Blazy in ultra-fine silk designed to mimic everyday fabric, a trompe l’oeil trick that has become a house signature. It may not be dramatic as expected from MET Gala looks, but it carried some meaning. It mirrored the exact outfit she wore to open Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show in December, making the choice deliberate.
Ananya Birla
For her first appearance at the Gala, Ananya Birla wore a custom Robert Wun ensemble. It comprised a sharp silk-wool blazer with a sculptural peplum flowing into a gun-metal glass organza ballroom skirt. But it was artist Subodh Gupta’s stainless steel and acrylic face mask that stopped the carpet cold. Crafted from traditional Indian silverware, the piece transformed everyday domestic objects into armour, styled by Rhea Kapoor with minimal jewellery.
Charli XCX
Charli XCX took an art-referential route, translating the theme into something evocative rather than dramatic. She subtly channelled the theme in a custom Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello gown. Her strapless, semi-sheer black gown with a ruched bodice and a trailing hem. At its centre, a delicate handblown glass Iris flower snaking upward in a soft bloom. The look paid homage to Yves Saint Laurent’s 1988 couture show, which itself honoured Van Gogh’s Irises.
Mona Patel
Mona Patel wore a Dolce & Gabbana creation inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic work. Playing on her own name, “Mona” became a direct reference to the Mona Lisa, with Renaissance motifs unfolding across a sculptural gold and ivory gown. The outer layer was a sepia-toned silk gazar cape that looked like a manuscript etched with the Vitruvian Man, handwritten notes and portrait studies. Beneath it was an ivory mermaid silhouette with hand-pleated chiffon engineered to echo the body’s own musculature and form.
