2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 5, 2026 04:23 AM IST
Isha Ambani has brought Indian craft to the steps of the Met, looking stunning in a custom Gaurav Gupta sari, reimagined as a living canvas merging “art, craft, and couture”. The design draws from India’s rich textile and artistic heritage, incorporating hand painted and embroidered elements with a sculptural drape to position the dressed body as an artistic medium in a contemporary context.
Custom woven with threads of pure gold by master artisans of Swadesh, the sari featured hand painted pichwai inspired motifs in soft gold and earthy tones. Talking to hosts Ashley Graham and Cara Delevigne, Ambani revealed that the sari is “20 years old” and for her as an Indian, it is the “ultimate symbol of fashion”.
The blouse, adorned with diamonds and metallic zardozi embroidery, was sourced from her mother, Nita Ambani’s personal collection, highlighting a legacy of Indian craftsmanship – including a historic Sarpech piece at the back, which was once part of Nizam’s collection. “It has something — a gift — from when my twins were born, and other things that are sentimental,” Isha added, continuing that her look, “As an Indian, was the ultimate form of art,” she told the hosts.
Ambani’s look was completed with a jasmine inspired hair sculpture — an artistic reinterpretation of the traditional mogra gajra, handcrafted over 150 hours by Brooklyn-based artist Sourabh Gupta using paper, copper, and brass.
In a final gesture aligning with the evening’s theme, Ambani carried a Subodh Gupta mango sculpture, a symbolic nod to her heritage and a literal embodiment of art in hand.
