Once upon a Met Gala carpet, the fashion gods witnessed a takeover, and spoiler alert, it was gloriously Desi. As the theme ¡°Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion¡± promised a rebirth of style, Indian designers decided to resurrect the whole damn kingdom. If the Met was a runway, Indian couture claimed the throne.
Alia Bhatt, dressed by the emperor of opulence, Sabyasachi, floated down the carpet like a maharani from a Gatsby dream. The look? A saree-inspired silhouette bathed in the colours of nature¡ªthink earthy tones, sea-sky swirls, and just enough sparkle to blind your ex. Crafted by 163 artisans over 1965 hours, it was not just a look. It was legacy in motion.
Then came Isha Ambani, our red carpet regular with the quiet power of a storm. Draped in Rahul Mishra¡¯s masterpiece, she channelled Mother Nature if she had a stylist. With over 10,000 hours of hand embroidery¡ªyes, ten thousand¡ªthe ensemble burst with florals, zardozi, and the kind of finesse only Indian village artisans could deliver. Even her clutch was on theme, featuring an Indian miniature painting of a peacock¡ªlike, who else carries fine art as an accessory?
Next up, Sudha Reddy proved she was not just rich in bank balance, but also taste. Tarun Tahiliani crafted her a gown so divine it felt like time itself paused to admire it. With ivory silk, hand-carved motifs, and jewels by Farah Khan Ali that could probably pay off our student loans, the look whispered elegance but screamed power.
And just when we thought the carpet had peaked, in walked Mindy Kaling, glowing in Gaurav Gupta¡¯s architectural marvel, ¡°The Melting Flower of Time.¡± Yes, it sounds like a concept album, and yes, she pulled it off like a queen. The gown looked like it was blooming and dissolving at once¡ªa poetic collision of drama and design.
So, was the Met Gala 2024 just another night of fashion flexes? Maybe for the rest of the world. But for Indian designers, it was a mic-drop moment. A loud, unapologetic reminder that couture is not just stitched in Paris or Milan ¡ª it is handcrafted in the lanes of Kolkata, embroidered in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, sculpted in Delhi studios, and dreamed up by visionaries who blend legacy with rebellion. From regal drapes to surreal silhouettes, India did not just walk the red carpet ¡ª it redefined it. And honestly? The global fashion scene better keep up.
As the Met Gala 2025 creeps up on us like a fashionably late celebrity, all eyes are once again on the red carpet, and the question on everyone's lips is: which Indian designer is going to shut it down this year? After the jaw-dropping style moments we witnessed in 2024, from Sabyasachi's regal revival to Gaurav Gupta¡¯s architectural drama ¡ª expectations are sky-high. We have seen Indian couture steal the spotlight, rewrite the rules, and quite literally melt time.
Now, as the countdown to the first Monday of May begins, the fashion world is holding its breath to see who will show up, show out, and show the world, again, that India is not just part of the Met conversation. It is leading it.