For the last week or two, you must have seen a lot of Met Gala gossip and discussions; about how Indians added their Desi Tadka to this global annual event.
The Met Gala started in 1948 as a subtle event, gaining popularity among elite groups, then slowly became a part of the celebrity circle, and is now a platform for global attention under Anna Wintour. The fashion world looks up to this every year to celebrate new trends, the latest designs and the creative hats of designers across the world. Let’s see what the whole fuss is all about!
Anna Wintour and Gala
They say that Anna is the name behind making the Met Gala a gigantic fashion event. She made it so popular and important among global stars that people today pay thousands of dollars to attend this event. Anna is the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue (since 1988) and Global Editorial Director of Condé Nast.
She has been chairing or co-chairing the Met Gala since 1995. She oversees everything – the guest list, seating arrangements, theme direction, and designers involved.
Theme: Battle of fashion choices
Every year, there is a theme for the Met Gala. You cannot just walk on the carpet with your choices and attire. They need to align with the theme of the Met Gala. These were some of the themes:
| Year | Theme | Exhibit Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Superfine: Tailoring Black Style | Sustainability and fashion history |
| 2024 | The Garden of Time | Temporality and nature in fashion |
| 2023 | Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty | Tribute to designer Karl Lagerfeld |
| 2022 | In America: An Anthology of Fashion | U.S. fashion identity (Part 2) |
| 2021 | In America: A Lexicon of Fashion | U.S. fashion redefined (Part 1) |
| 2020 | (Cancelled due to COVID-19) | About Time: Fashion and Duration |
| 2019 | Camp: Notes on Fashion | Exaggeration, irony, theatrical fashion |
| 2018 | Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination | Catholicism and haute couture |
Superfine: Tailoring Black Style
We all know about the Black Revolution and their sufferings all through the years. This theme was a tribute to their determination and dedicated efforts to fight the odds and live free. There was this movement back in the early times where black people would dress fine and sharp to focus on their identity, esteem, and resistance. Superfine tailoring defines high-quality textiles stitched with crisp and perfect fittings to highlight precision and excellence.
However, every individual was free to interpret this as per their signature, heritage, and roots.
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Celebrities and their looks this year: Who wore what?
This year, we saw a lot of our favourite stars at the Met Gala making a bold statement with their couture and style choices. Let’s take a look at them!
Shah Rukh Khan
Globally, the entry of SRK to the Met Gala was nothing less than a celebration for fans. One of the most popular designers in India, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, styled SRK for his Met Gala debut. The look, however, divided the entire fashion world into two arguing that he looked amazing on his debut while the latter thought he deserved better, as this was the beginning of the entry of Bollywood male actors in the Met Gala.
Well, to be honest, we were not great fans of the chunky K jewellery and the other stack of neck pieces with the new hairstyle, but we do adore SRK for his charisma, cane, and aura. Though he looked nervous, his witty replies kept everyone engaged and impressed. Was it mind-blowing? We wouldn’t say so, but was it to the theme? Definitely yes! Mixed bag for King Khan this season.
Diljith Dosanj
If you’ve been living under a rock, Diljith Dosanj is an Indian actor, singer, and producer who is quite popular for Amar Singh Chamkila and Udta Punjab. He is also very popular among the Western masses with his fun concerts and collaborations with Ed Sheeran! He also appeared on Jim Fallon’s show.
He served with this look. He understood the theme and rightfully added his rooted essence to it. Many mocked him, saying that this is like an Indian groom’s look, but they forgot that the inspiration behind this look was Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala.
He had an amazing ensemble, a cape embroidered with the Mool Mantar in Gurmukhi script and a golden map of Punjab, reflecting spiritual and cultural pride, an ivory Sherwani, a bejewelled turban, and so on. Notably, he became the first turbaned artist to attend the Met Gala, marking a significant moment for Sikh representation on such a prestigious platform.
Cartier Controversy and Colonialism Discussion
What’s a fashion event without some controversy, right? So, this began when Cartier refused to lend Dilijith and his team the very well-known Maharaja’s Patiala Necklace. This rich piece, crafted by Cartier, featured over 2,900 diamonds, including the 234.65-carat De Beers yellow diamond, making it one of the most extravagant necklaces ever created.
This decision sparked controversy, as in 2022, Cartier loaned a revamped version of the same necklace to American YouTuber Emma Chamberlain for her Met Gala appearance. The contrast in Cartier’s responses led to accusations of cultural bias and questions about who gets to define historical artefacts.
In response, Diljit collaborated with Indian jeweller Golecha Jewels to create a bespoke necklace inspired by the original Patiala Necklace. This alternative featured over 2,500 diamonds and emeralds, including an 80-carat emerald centrepiece, allowing Diljit to pay tribute to his heritage while making a powerful statement on cultural representation.
Mona Patel
“Who is she?” Wasn’t that your question? Well, if we are placing her right before any other popular face, then there has to be some sort of exciting factor about this celeb, don’t you agree? Mona Patel is the founder of Couture for Cause, a non-profit organization that leverages fashion to push favourable change and empower women. Her educational background includes degrees from Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, and she has been acknowledged as a Forbes Next 1000 honoree.
In the last Met Gala, she was the mystery woman who allured the entire global fashion world with her unique technology with fashion concept. She was praised as a beauty with brains icon. Her last year’s Met Gala look:
This year, she wore a custom black suit by Thom Browne, featuring a corseted bodice and cape, representing a fusion of classic tailoring with state-of-the-art flair. However, the highlight was her friend: a robotic dog named Vector. Created at MIT and inspired by Browne’s dachshund, Hector, Vector was decorated with a tuxedo and a 1,000-carat emerald-cut diamond leash. The robotic dog was programmed with sensors and customised movement patterns, making it a showstopper on the red carpet.