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Isha Ambani is no stranger to the Met Gala. In fact, this year marked her sixth, altogether. However, this may be just her most extraordinary look to date.
Embodying this year’s theme, “Fashion is Art”, the evening was a powerful celebration of sartorial excellence, exploring fashion as an artistic medium and the relationship between clothing and the body across history – something which Isha most certainly embodied.
As an ode to her Indian heritage, the 34-year-old wore a custom couture saree by Gaurav Gupta. But realistically, it was much more than just a saree – it was a work of art.
Styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, this piece was quite literally a wearable museum item, featuring hand-woven pure gold threads, hand-painted border pichwai-inspired motifs, hand-embroidered Zardozi, Aari work, and relief embroidery and much more.
Taking over 1,200 hours to create with more than 50 artisans, the design drew on inspiration from ancient Indian frescoes. The piece was custom-woven with threads of pure gold by master artisans of Swadesh, a movement dedicated to preserving India’s rich craft heritage. Its border features hand-painted pichwai-inspired motifs rendered in soft gold and earthy tones. Then came three layers of embroidery: Zardozi, Aari work, and relief embroidery, each adding depth until the piece became almost architectural.
And let’s not forget the jewels.
Isha wore a necklace from her mother, Nita Ambani’s personal collection – old-cut diamonds assembled over the years, totalling over 200 carats, anchored by a 50-carat emerald at its centre.
The final accessory? A bag – or rather a mango sculpture by Subodh Gupta, which is a literal nod to this year’s theme and to her roots.
From the gold threads woven into the saree to the hand-crafted flowers in her hair, every element of this look was considered, intentional, and steeped in Indian craft and culture, not only answering the Met Gala brief but setting the standard for everyone else.
