Coupling the theme “Costume Art” with the dress code “Fashion is Art”, the 2026 Met Gala witnessed Indian celebrities introducing a touch of ethnic culture and tradition to the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York. Adorning herself in a gold saree conceived by Gaurav Gupta and styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, Isha Ambani’s saree fabric was woven using real gold by the artisans of Swadesh collective. This team comprised over 25 artisans dedicated upwards of 1200 hours during the creation of the fabric. This saree’s border shows hand painted pichwai motifs that are symbolic of nature. The border also featured ancient rock-cut murals like those seen in the Ajanta caves. Utilizing zardosi, a Persian embroidery technique, this entails using fine metal wires to create a heavy, opulent look. Additionally, a crochet needle was used to create a sharp and fine chain stitch known as aari. The mural’s finish also creates a 3D sculpted effect on the fabric termed relief embroidery.…