Karan Johar in Manish Malhotra
The Designers Behind Cannes and Met Gala’s Most Talked-About Fashion Moments
In 2026, Indian fashion did not just attend the world’s biggest red carpets. It defined them.
From Cannes to the Met Gala, Indian designers brought a new energy to global fashion, one rooted in craftsmanship, culture and a distinctly modern sense of glamour. The silhouettes were dramatic, the details deeply considered and the storytelling entirely their own.
Not trend-led. Not costume. Just unforgettable.
Tarun Tahiliani – Reinventing the Sari for the Global Stage
Alia Bhatt in Tarun Tahiliani
Few looks travelled across the internet quite like Alia Bhatt’s custom Tarun Tahiliani sari at the L’Oréal Paris Cannes dinner.
Victorian-inspired corsetry met fluid Indian draping in rich burgundy florals and muted ivory tones, creating a look that felt cinematic yet effortless. Styled with polki jewellery, layered brooches and a lace fan, it captured the kind of glamour that lingers long after the photographs fade.
Tarun Tahiliani has spent decades reshaping the language of Indian occasion wear, proving that the sari can feel timeless and entirely contemporary at once. In 2026, the global spotlight felt perfectly aligned with his vision.
Manish Malhotra – Couture with History, Drama and Emotion
Manish Malhotra wearing his own vision
Manish Malhotra at the Met Gala 2026 was not a moment. It was a manifesto and it arrived in three acts.
The designer appeared in a sharply tailored black bandhgala with a sculptural cape embroidered by artisans whose names were woven into the garment itself, a tribute to the hands that have built his legacy over three decades.
Karan Johar’s Met Gala debut look was drawn from the legendary canvases of Raja Ravi Varma. Vintage zardozi, hand-painted gold work and a dramatic cape that felt less like fashion and more like a declaration.
Sudha Reddy in Manish Malhotra
Then came Sudha Reddy in The Tree of Life, an elaborate couture creation combining Kalamkari, marodi, resham and zardozi across velvet, silk and tulle. Rich in craftsmanship and cultural references, it celebrated Indian textile traditions on one of fashion’s most visible stages.
Across every appearance, Manish Malhotra reminded the world that Indian couture carries not just beauty but history and emotion.
Gaurav Gupta – Sculptural Fashion at Its Boldest
Isha Ambani in Gaurav Gupta
Gaurav Gupta arrived at the Met the way he always does, with a point to prove and the craftsmanship to back it up entirely.
Worn by Isha Ambani at the Met Gala, a sculpted gold tissue sari with Ajanta cave motifs painted by a National Award-winning Pichwai master, layered with zardozi and aari work and finished with a resin-sculpted cape that framed her in a halo of gold.
A sari that looked like it had been built for a different kind of future, one where Indian couture does not take cues from anywhere else but sets them. Gaurav Gupta’s design language is unlike anything else in Indian fashion today. Sculptural, architectural, carved rather than sewn. Bold, future-forward and completely on its own terms. This is what it looks like when a designer stops seeking validation and starts writing the rules.
Mayyur Girotra – Quiet Craftsmanship, Lasting Impact
Diya Mehta Jatia in Mayyur Girotra
Not every Cannes moment announces itself with a spotlight. Some arrive softly and stay with you the longest.
Mayyur Girotra dressed Diya Mehta Jatia in a Kanjeevaram sari layered with delicate Bengal shola craft, bringing together heritage techniques from different regions of India in one beautifully restrained look.
No spectacle. No noise. Just the quiet, unshakeable confidence of a designer who understands that Indian textile heritage, worn with intention, is the most extraordinary thing in any room. In a year full of statements, this was the one that lingered.
Shop the Designers Defining India’s Global Fashion Moment
From Cannes to the Met Gala, Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Malhotra, Gaurav Gupta and Mayyur Girotra placed Indian couture firmly at the centre of the global conversation.
Discover the designers redefining Indian fashion on the world stage, now available at Aashni + Co.
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