Who stole the ‘pink carpet’ at the NMACC? 5 fashion experts weigh in

Last week saw a flurry of fashion unveiled in India’s financial capital, Mumbai. What began with the Christian Dior Pre-Fall 2023 show saw a fitting end with the launch of Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). The latter saw politicos, corporate bigwigs and stars from India and around the world celebrate and appreciate India’s rich art and cultural heritage.  

Zendaya and Tom Holland to Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Penelope Cruz, and Priyanka Chopra with Nick Jonas were all in attendance. 

Clochette, contemporary anarkalis and couple goals 

The three-day extravaganza was a masterclass in fashion as celebrities arrived in sartorial splendor in keeping with the dress code. While Karlie Kloss and Sonam Kapoor chose the anarkali suit with a modern interpretation, Zendaya, Emma Chamberlain and Gigi Hadid wore Rahul Mishra. The power couples, Priyanka Chopra-Nick Jonas, Sidharth Malhotra-Kiara Advani, and Shahid-Mira Kapoor were in sync with their ensembles. All eyes were on Radhika Merchant, the to-be Ambani daughter-in-law, as she donned a black saree with a silver chainmail bag with a clochette on Day 1, and a stunning floral jumpsuit on Day 2. 

We got five fashion stylists to weigh in on what they thought about the attires and who their favourite pink carpet dresser was at the ‘Indian MET Gala’.  

ESHA AMIN 

It’s been quite an interesting weekend in terms of the pink carpet looks we saw. Although a few Indian celebrities wore international designers, I was amazed to see international celebrities—from Gigi Hadid to Zendaya—wear Indian Indian labels. We expected a lot of people to wear Rahul Mishra and Sabyasachi, knowing they are internationally recognised, but it was refreshing to see many wear other Indian designers like Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla and Anamika Khanna. 

The fave 

I think Radhika Merchant knocked it out of the park in the floral jumpsuit—she carried it beautifully. I think, it was far away from what one would imagine anyone in the Ambani family to don. The Indian jewellery on the brocade jumpsuit with a cape made an interesting match. Jumpsuits and florals give off a very breezy, summer vibe, but the brocade added luxe to the outfit.   

TANYA GHAVRI 

I thought it was a well-curated event—everyone called it the Indian MET—and I hope we do this every year. It can be an interesting way to showcase the incredible works Indian artists create. The cultural centre is a commendable initiative by the Ambanis to showing India in the brightest light. It was interesting to see so how celebrities interpreted the theme; the silhouettes may have been western, but everyone brought something Indian in their looks. The launch was amazing and gave a lot of importance to Indian art, culture, and fashion.

The fave 

Gigi Hadid. I think she was everybody’s favourite in the white and gold Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla chikankari sari. To carry a sari so elegantly, especially if you are wearing it for the first time, is incredible as it takes a little getting used to. 

MOHIT RAI

It takes immeasurable love of the art and craft to pull off an event of this scale. For me, the research and the curation of Indian textiles that strengthened India’s position in the global fashion space stood out more than the gala and the pink carpet. The origin of some of the pieces can be traced back to remote towns in India, which is amazing for Indian fashion industry. It was a great opportunity for Indian designers to showcase non-commercial, out-of-the-box ideas and interpretations. I love how every designer did a great job. I think, we’ve always had fashion in our blood, with couture as a running theme in our lives, but we never explored the fashion aspect of things. It’s nice to see that though we’ve arrived late, we’ve arrived with a bang!   

The fave

My favourite was Natasha Poonawalla, who wore a mix of Abu Jani Sandeep-Khosla and Schiaparelli. It was an iconic fashion moment. It defined what the event was about–the coming together of Indian craftsmanship and international sensibilities.

Some of my other favourites are Sonam Kapoor’s archival lehenga, Suhana Khan’s classic Sabyasachi golden sheer sari, Aryan Khan’s bandhgala, and Shanaya Kapoor’s Valentino look styled with Amrapali jewellery. 

LOVEDEEP GULYANI 

The fashion at the NMACC was a hit-and-miss. I think, a lot of people didn’t realise it was about ‘India in fashion’ and how they needed to bring to light and celebrate Indian textiles and craftsmanship that have being around for years. 

Many stylists didn’t work with the designers to design and create beautiful interpretations of Indian art. We have abundant heritage and culture and so I wouldn’t say this is the best we could have done. One’s imagination could run wild with a theme like this and so much could have been revived from our past. A lot of the pieces just seem to be picked off the runway. 

Of course, it was a fabulous night for Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla as they breathed life into some beautiful archival pieces like Gigi Hadid’s sari. I also loved what Priyanka Chopra and Kriti Sanon did with their Benarasi brocade saris. 

The fave

My choice for a standout would be Natasha Poonawalla in that gorgeous Schiaparelli cape with a floor-length embellished shirt by Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla; it made for a stunning visual. Second, I’d give a thumbs up to Bhumi Pednekar, who wore an actual costume interpretation of the fashion and textiles of India. I also loved what the Instagram blogger-influencer couple ‘young_emperors’ wore. The rest, I think, played it safe. 

SUKRITI GROVER 

The NMACC event saw all the celebrities put their best fashion foot forward and it was a great amalgamation of the East and the West paying heritage to our culture. There were beautiful creations by very talented designers and extremely well styled by stylists. It was a great platform for the creative maestros to showcase the best they have to offer.

The fave

I had fun styling Kriti Sanon and she was my favourite. Benarasi silk is a beautiful symbol of Indian heritage as it has its roots in India’s rich history. Today, it’s a renowned fabric all over the world. Almost every ceremony has people draping themselves in the traditional silk Benarasi sari. For me, it was apt to make a Western silhouette with this rich Indian weave. I collaborated with Monisha Jaisingh to customise this look for Kriti Sanon, which to me, was the true winner.