Fashion

May 27, 2025

Every year, Met Gala Red Carpet becomes a canvas for self expression, creativity and stunning looks. The 2025 version, the theme “Tailored For You”, challenged the attendees to resume personal identity through fashion prism, celebrate personality, cultural nuances and celebrate master tailoring. While the event dazzled with futuristic silhouettes and archival inspirations from the West, Indian personalities created a memorable place, and brought stories, heritage and textile expertise to global luxury fashion dialogue.

This year’s Met Gala was more than just an event for the Indian stars, it became a global performance of Indian craftsmanship, cultural pride and fashion innovation. Let’s take a deep dive into the assortment of what Indian celebrities wore and how they used the subject as an entrance for past and future stories.

Shah Rukh Khan: Debuting with Dignity and Drama

After many years of fan expectation, Bollywood’s biggest superstar Shah Rukh Khan debuted in Met Gala 2025 with a hint of drama, wearing an all black outfit prepared by her long term friend Sabyasachi Mukherjee. 

He walked the red carpet in a black on black ensemble, featuring a custom tailored bandh gala sherwani crafted from Bengal silk and velvet. The appearance was elevated with rich embroidery inspired by the Mughal era, as well as antique brooches which caught a lot of attention. He also wore an iconic “K” Pendant and stacked rings which were symbolic of his family members.

He gave an indication of dandies from the 1800s, with a dramatic gold cane, and wore trendy sunglasses, which became a historical form of the modern cool. The presence of SRK was a master class in subtle power – emphasizing on elegance with timeless tailoring.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas: Drama, Dots, and a Dazzling Emerald

A regular at the Met Gala, Priyanka Chopra Jonas has come full circle from risk taker to red carpet queen. This time around, she teamed up with Balmain to design a drama filled look that stopped traffic and made headlines. She stepped out in a carved up black and white polka dot gown, a tribute to old school cinema and French haute couture. Her gown showcased cascading pleats, show stopping off the shoulder sleeves, and a tautly cinched waist, recalling mid century femininity but executed with bold modernity.

What really took her appearance to a higher level, however, was the Bvlgari Magnus Emerald necklace, holding a record breaking 241.06 carat faceted emerald—the largest ever set by the Italian brand. The gem, which bore a maharaja jewel like quality, spoke of both luxury and Indian royal heritage in perfect harmony with the evening theme.

Diljit Dosanjh: A Spiritual Statement Through Fashion

Diljit Dosanjh, India’s international music sensation and fashion rebel, amazed onlookers with an extremely symbolic outfit created by Prabal Gurung. His sherwani was ivory in color, but the reason it stood out was the incredible amount of cultural detail that had been worked into it. The cape flowing behind him was covered with the map of Punjab, lines of poetry in Gurumukhi, and small representations of gurdwaras and fields of wheat—celebrating both the earth and its spiritual legacy.

He sported a bejeweled turban, reminiscent of Sikh royalty, and a handmade kirpan with a lion head hilt. His accessories were one of a kind archival finds from Cartier’s Maharaja collection, blending vintage European luxury with South Asian resonance. Dosanjh’s appearance was not mere fashion—it was a cultural and spiritual homage.

Kiara Advani: Embodying Motherhood and Metaphor

For actress Kiara Advani, the Met Gala 2025 was close to the heart. Expecting her first child, she lived the moment of the theme’s emphasis on uniqueness and storytelling through a show stopping Gaurav Gupta creation. The evening gown was a sculpted black and gold masterpiece—boasting a metallic breastplate that revealed two hearts bound together by an umbilical cord, all sculpted from ethically sourced gold resin.

Her white organza cape, floor sweeping and in soft folds, was built around her like angel wings—in tribute to André Leon Talley, the late fashion editor with capes and a larger than life presence. Kiara’s step off the stairs wasn’t only visually strong—it was emotionally resonant, a celebration of femininity, motherhood, and strength.

Natasha Poonawalla: Parsi Pride Meets Paris Couture

Fashion lover and philanthropist Natasha Poonawalla has had experience being under the Met’s avant garde radar before, and in 2025 she broke the mold once again—this time with a powerful cultural message. Working with Manish Malhotra, Natasha’s ensemble honored her Parsi Zoroastrian roots. Two antique Parsi Gara sarees were disassembled and reconceived as an operatic fishtail skirt, worn with a bustier draping borrowed from European corsetry.

The pièce de résistance was her jacket: a fitted, long line embroidered blazer that referenced the ‘dagli’, a ceremonial Parsi robe. Her neckpiece—a lace cravat—was created by Atelier Biser, blending colonial era tailoring with contemporary femininity. Natasha’s look was a global history lesson in haute couture.

Isha Ambani: Jewels of a Dynasty, Threads of Tradition

As one of India’s foremost businesswomen and philanthropists, Isha Ambani walked the red carpet with grace in a custom gown by Anamika Khanna. The look included a handwoven Banarasi silk train that took more than 400 hours to make, paired with a modern structured blouse and pantsuit style jacket.

She also sported a vintage Cartier necklace belonging to Maharaja Digvijaysinhji of Nawanagar, which had been passed down through generations within her own family. Her look was an exquisite example of how royal legacy can intersect with contemporary silhouettes in strong, subtle ways.

Manish Malhotra: The Designer Becomes the Muse

Though he has dressed some of India’s biggest fashion names, Manish Malhotra himself stole the spotlight at the 2025 Met Gala. He donned an all black deconstructed sherwani cape hybrid, complete with elaborate embroidery in the shape of paisleys, Mughal jali motifs, and zardozi beads. The figure was deconstructed and bluntly cut, employing fabric sourced from artisans in Lucknow and Kutch.

Manish also wore pieces from his High Jewellery line—including a custom cluster brooch created from ethical diamonds and emeralds. His arrival was a testament that Indian designers are no longer relegated to the background—they are the narrative.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee: Walking His Talk

Renowned for revolutionizing Indian bridal and couture attire, Sabyasachi dressed for the Gala in one of his creations—a quilted ivory overcoat made from Bengal jamdani fabric. He paired this with a sharply cut black structured shirt and pants but took the look to the next level by accessorizing with antique rings, a multi strand gemstone choker, and a velvet feathered hat inspired by the courts of Nawab Lucknow.

Sabyasachi’s personal style mirrored his brand ethos: a balance of Indian tradition and global luxury. His look represented the artisans and weavers whose work is often unseen, making him not just a designer but a walking canvas of Indian heritage.

Mona Patel: Futuristic, Feminine, Fearless

Entrepreneur and art patron Mona Patel defied rules in a bespoke Thom Browne outfit with robotic design features. With Vector, a robotic dog in a tuxedo and 1000 carat diamond leash, Mona erased the boundary between fashion and futurism.

Her gown had mechanical butterfly wings, microchip embroidery, and a corset made of lab-grown diamonds. She used her moment to push for sustainable technology in fashion, and her robot pal has become one of the most mentioned moments of the night.

India’s Met Gala Moment: A Cultural Renaissance in Motion

What was so compelling about the Indian appearance at the 2025 Met Gala was the intersection of heritage storytelling, artisanal craftsmanship, and present day tailoring. Every look—whether a personal history, cultural iconography, or futuristic fantasy—served as a reminder to the world’s fashionistas that India is no longer a supporting actor on the world stage. It is the headline.

Unlike the frequently shorthand “exotic India” tropes that previously owned the fashion narratives, this year’s looks were about authenticity, detail, and smarts. From fields in Punjab to Parsi garas, from emerald dynasties to digital dogs, Indian celebrities and designers showed not only fashion—but identities.

Conclusion: Tailoring a Legacy for the Future

With the curtains dropping on the Met Gala 2025, one thing became clear: Indian celebrities are no longer posing on red carpets—they’re claiming them. Their appearance transcended fashion, offering monologues about motherhood, memory, technology, history, and belonging.

In an era where fashion can sometimes prove to be transitory, the arrival of Indian excellence at the Met Gala was a testament to the enduring might of storytelling on fabric, tailoring, and tradition. Whether it was Kiara’s motherly symbolism or Diljit’s Punjabi map, every stitch narrated a story—and the world heard.