- Tuesday, May 06, 2025
By: Vibhuti Pathak
The 2025 Met Gala delivered a spectacular convergence of culture, couture, and commentary under the theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. While the evening celebrated Black dandyism and the evolution of menswear, Indian celebrities brought their own powerful narratives to the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
From heritage-rooted silhouettes to futuristic fusions, stars like Kiara Advani, Shah Rukh Khan, Diljit Dosanjh, Natasha Poonawalla, Mona Patel, and Isha Ambani redefined global fashion by weaving in Indian craftsmanship, symbolism, and storytelling. Here’s a closer look at how each of them interpreted the theme with striking individuality and cultural pride.
Kiara Advani, celebrating her pregnancy
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The 2025 Met Gala delivered unforgettable fashion moments, and Kiara Advani’s debut was undeniably one of the most iconic. Making her first appearance at the prestigious event held at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Bollywood star turned heads — not just with her high-fashion ensemble, but by proudly revealing her baby bump on the global stage.
Dressed in a custom creation by celebrated Indian designer Gaurav Gupta, Kiara brought a blend of emotion, symbolism, and avant-garde elegance to the red carpet. Styled by fashion maven Anaita Shroff Adajania, the black sculptural gown featured a bold metallic breastplate and a contrasting flowing white train. But it was the intimate, thoughtful detail at the center of the ensemble that truly captured hearts: a heart-shaped plaque resting over her belly, symbolizing her baby, delicately connected to the breastplate by a golden thread — a powerful metaphor for the umbilical cord.
Kiara’s Met Gala look wasn’t just a fashion statement; it was a deeply personal moment that fused motherhood with couture, making it a standout highlight in the event’s history.
Shah Rukh Khan, portraying the great Bengal Tiger
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Marking a historic moment in Met Gala history, 2025’s event turned its spotlight exclusively on menswear for the first time in over two decades. With the theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style—inspired by Monica L. Miller’s seminal work Slaves to Fashion—the red carpet saw an infusion of dandyism, cultural depth, and high fashion. Among the night’s most captivating appearances was Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, who embodied the theme with regal grace in a look that was both timeless and meticulously tailored.
Shah Rukh stunned in a floor-length, elongated coat crafted from Tasmanian superfine wool, featuring monogrammed Japanese horn buttons. The single-breasted coat was hand-canvassed with a peak collar and wide lapels—evoking classic sartorial elegance with a modern edge. He paired it with a crepe de chine silk shirt and tailored trousers in the same superfine wool, exuding understated sophistication.
Adding a dramatic touch, the look was finished with a pleated satin kamarbandh, merging Eastern tradition with Western tailoring. But the crown jewel of Shah Rukh’s ensemble was undoubtedly The Bengal Tiger Head Cane—crafted in 18k gold and encrusted with tourmalines, sapphires, old mine cut, and brilliant cut diamonds—a nod to his regal aura and enduring legacy.
With this custom ensemble, Shah Rukh Khan didn’t just wear fashion—he honored the artistry of tailoring and the spirit of cultural celebration that defined this year’s Met Gala.
Diljit Dosanjh, an ode to the Sikh legacy
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Diljit Dosanjh, the genre-defying Punjabi superstar, made his much-anticipated Met Gala debut on Monday, embracing this year’s menswear-focused theme with a look rooted in culture, identity, and dandyism. Known for fusing traditional Punjabi fashion with contemporary flair, Diljit described the gala’s emphasis on personal tailoring as “what I’ve been doing all this time.”
For the event, he walked the iconic Met steps in a regal ivory and gold sherwani, pants, and cape designed by Prabal Gurung. Inspired by archival images of Sir Bhupinder Singh, the opulent Maharaja of Patiala, the outfit paid tribute to Punjab’s royal history. The ensemble featured intricate hand-embroidered lotus and peacock motifs, a belt etched with cultural symbols, and a cape showcasing the state of Punjab alongside Gurmukhi script.
Styled by Abhilasha Devnani, Diljit’s look was completed with jewelry designed by Indian jeweler Golecha’s, including a custom turban brooch reminiscent of the Maharaja’s iconic Cartier collection. While the original 1,000-carat Cartier necklace commissioned by the Maharaja was unavailable, the tribute pieces echoed his lavish aesthetic. With this appearance, Diljit brought Punjabi pride and princely elegance to fashion’s most prestigious global stage.
Isha Ambani, bringing back the Swadeshi artisans
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Business magnate and cultural icon Isha Ambani made a striking appearance at the 2025 Met Gala, turning heads in a bespoke ensemble by renowned designer Anamika Khanna. Styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, Isha’s look perfectly echoed the evening’s theme, where the art of tailoring met the richness of heritage.
Her outfit seamlessly blended Western structure with Indian artistry. A tailored pant-style silhouette anchored the design, featuring a sharply cut waistcoat paired with a dramatic train crafted from handwoven Benarasi fabrics, developed in partnership with Swadeshi artisans. The rich textures and traditional weaves were elevated with 3D embroidery done in classic Zardozi, bringing old-world opulence into the realm of high fashion.
Bowtie-inspired hand-cut motifs adorned the jacket, a playful nod to menswear, while delicate vintage floral patterns added softness and depth. Every inch of the ensemble, crafted over 15,000 hours, radiated refined craftsmanship and thoughtful detail — from pearl tassels to whimsical bird-shaped accessories.
Adding a touch of heirloom grandeur, Isha wore a vintage solitaire necklace from her mother Nita Ambani’s collection, a tribute to the Maharaja of Nawanagar. Her look was both a celebration of Indian legacy and a bold expression of modern global style.
Mona Patel, amalgamation of AI with the event
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Indian-American tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Mona Patel made another unforgettable fashion statement at the 2025 Met Gala, following her dazzling debut last year. Blending futuristic innovation with high fashion, Patel captivated attendees as she arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a robotic dog named “Vector” on a diamond-studded leash—an imaginative nod to Thom Browne’s iconic Hector Bag.
Patel wore a striking custom Thom Browne creation that redefined the Met’s menswear-centric theme. The ensemble featured a sharply tailored black suit with a halter-neck shirt peeking through and a dramatic, beaded corset-style bodice that cinched her waist. A kinetic spine designed by Lisa Jiang and Timothy Bowl added a bold, biomechanical twist to the back, further amplifying the avant-garde energy of her look.
Styled with a 1,000-carat emerald-cut diamond bowl necklace, Patel exuded modern-day royalty. She completed the ensemble with a sculptural hat by Miodrag Gubernic and sparkling Rene Caovilla shoes that added an elegant finish. Once again, Mona Patel pushed the boundaries of fashion and technology, using the Met Gala’s global stage to showcase a visionary blend of style, storytelling, and sci-fi sensibility that left a lasting impression.
Natasha Poonawalla, embroidered the tribal India
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Natasha Poonawalla’s 2025 Met Gala appearance was a regal masterpiece, blending futuristic flair with Indian heritage. Dressed in a custom Manish Malhotra gown in rich indigo and black, the look featured intricate hand-embroidered Gara work and a sculpted corseted bodice with an ornate bustier.
Exaggerated shoulders, a structured peplum, and a dramatic white ruff collar adorned with cascading pearls added imperial grandeur. Her hair was styled in a sleek bun, complemented by ethereal makeup and a bold gaze. A single oversized emerald ring completed the ensemble. Malhotra aptly described her as “The Empress of Indian Fashion,” and rightfully so.
Sabyasachi, brings back the regal Indian flair
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At the 2025 Met Gala themed Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, renowned Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee brought a powerful interpretation of Black Dandyism through an opulent look that paid tribute to India’s own history of resistance, refinement, and royal flair. Drawing inspiration from the noble houses of India, Sabyasachi reimagined dandyism not only as an act of elegance but also as a gesture of empowerment, much like how Jamsetji Tata responded to colonial exclusion by creating the iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel.
His ensemble for the evening featured a hand-quilted, oversized court jacket layered over a regal sherwani, both rendered in hand-dyed Murshidabad silk—a textile steeped in Indian heritage. This was paired with black quilted trousers, a satin shirt, and a traditional kamarbandh that reinforced the tailored sophistication. Completing the look were custom-embroidered shoes from Sabyasachi Accessories and a bold shift from colonial-era neckties to handcrafted Indian necklaces, offering a modern, gender-fluid take on formalwear.
Accented with exquisite pieces from the Bengal Royale collection of Sabyasachi High Jewellery, the ensemble married Indian craftsmanship with contemporary couture. It was a powerful expression of cultural dynamism and dandyism, reminding us that tradition, when made dynamic, remains timeless and relevant.
