Indians Making Waves at International Galas & Red Carpets

Fashion is known to host two most-awaited affairs annually. The first Monday of May every year marks one of the most prominent evening affairs for the world of fashion —Met Gala. The fundraising benefit of 2024 for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is nothing short of an iconic spectacle. After honouring the fashion maven Karl Lagerfeld back in 2023, the Met Gala 2024 red carpet theme revolved around Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Following suit was another annual affair of a red carpet spectacle, the Cannes Film Festival that holds a long history of rolling out notable fashion moments. The Indian representation on the fashion’s biggest events have been reinstating the fashionista status of a lot of Indian actors along with industry influencers, creatives and many new names taking a notable spot for their style statement. Here’s a lowdown on the internet breaking arrivals from the recent red carpet season.

Alia Bhatt in Sabyasachi

Alia Bhatt’s second outing on the red carpet was a whimsical affair as Anaita Shroff Adajania styled her in a custom-made sari by Sabyasachi featuring a 23-foot long train. The sari was speckled with silk floss, beads, sequins, semi-precious stones and fringed with glass beads rendered over 1965 man-hours by 163 artisans. The hand-crafted blouse is studded with emeralds, Basra pearls, tourmalines and multi coloured sapphires. Accompanying her was the connoisseur himself—Sabyasachi in an embroidered cotton duster coat, accessorised with tourmalines, pearls, emeralds and diamonds from Sabyasachi High Jewellery.

Alia Bhatt in Sabyasachi

Sabyasachi

Mona Patel, the Indian origin creative genius behind ‘Couture for Cause’ in the USA made her debut at the Met Gala red carpet with co-host Law Roach who worked his magic to style her in whimsy elements. Her ivory curve-accentuating gown was devised with kinetic flower buds quivering in slow motion by Iris Van Harpen and kinetic motion artist Casey Curran.

Mona Patel in Iris Van Harpen

Another business mogul who graced the Costume institute’s grand exhibition was Suddha Reddy in a custom-made couture creation by Tarun Tahiliani, featuring a floor-grazing cape enriched with French knot embroidery, 3D butterflies rendered by 80 artisans over 4500 man hours. The off shoulder corset bodice was accentuated with a multimillion 180 carat necklace from her personal collection and Swarovski studded manicure, exhibiting her regal roots.

Sudha Reddy in Tarun Tahiliani

Serving iconic extravagant looks year after year, Natasha Poonawala returned to the red carpet in a custom look from Maison Margiela’s Artisanal Collection created by John Galliano. The philanthropist nailed the dictum with a sculpted dress draped with frayed sheer black detailing. The maximalist billionaire completed her look with a puffy white beret and a pair of Christian Louboutin.

Natasha Poonawala in Maison Margiela

Indian origin stars of Hollywood showed up to the gala in some of the most exquisitely glamorous looks giving a fitting homage to the theme of this year, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”. Mindy Kaling instated her fashion prowess in a sculpted nude couture gown, while Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley arrived in a glamorous cut-out accented gown by Prabal Gurung. The One Day actress made her red carpet at the Met in a monochrome gown by Loewe.

Mindy Kaling in Gaurav Gupta

Simone Ashley in Prabal Gurung

Ambika Mod in Loewe

Descending to the French Riviera, Cannes were Bollywood faces including Aditi Rao Hydari, Kiara Advani, Sobhita Dhulipala and a slew of Indian influencers amongst whom Nancy Tyagi stood out for self-sewing some of the most stellar red carpet looks.

After making waves for her Gaja Gamini walk in Heeramandi, Aditi Rao Hydari sashayed the red carpet gown in a floor-grazing monochrome gown by Gaurav Gupta, adorning pared down makeup and some statement jewellery pieces.

Aditi Rao Hydari in Gaurav Gupta

Kiara Advani, on the other hand, channeled vintage Hollywood elegance in a Nedret Taciroglu pink and black gown, featuring a corset bodice and a drama-evoking black velvet fishtail with a long train. The retro genre look was accentuated with a bow on the back of the gown, black mesh gloves and a whopping 30 crore Bvlgari Serpenti necklace and a ring. Amidst the minimalistic and retro fashion statement, Sobhita Dhulipala stood out adding dollops of shimmer to the red carpet in a gilded crystal embellished gown by Itrh.

King became the first Indian pop artist to walk the Cannes Film Festival red carpet and he marked this hallmark occasion in an exquisitely handcrafted blazer by Anamika Khanna with a vision to honour Indian craft at a global horizon. Speaking of Indians making history at the Cannes red carpet, Delhi-based fashion influencer Nancy Tyagi took over the gram with her ostentatious self-stitched red carpet outfits.

Kiara Advani in Nedret Taciroglu back