Ralph Lauren and the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation unite for a special fundraising gala

On a pleasant winter night last December, the brick-red façade of Jaipur’s City Palace glowed with the light of a thousand candlelights, and the buzz of excited chatter was palpable in the air as the who’s who of fashion gathered for a fundraising gala dinner. The event was organised by Ralph Lauren in collaboration with the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF) and hosted by Princess Gauravi Kumari at the royal residence. The evening came alive with the lilting vocals of singer Anubha Kaul and her band, which was followed by a dinner and then a silent auction.

Some of the experiences on auction included courtside Wimbledon seats with Ralph Lauren, an exciting private portrait session in London by Chris Allerton, a chance to enjoy a private dining experience with your loved ones at the Ralph Lauren Palazzo in Milan, and a two-night stay at the 300-year-old City Palace in Jaipur, with all funds being donated to PDKF.

The delicious five-course meal was served in the private balcony of the royal residence, curated by chef Rahul Gomes Periera, who’s behind Goa’s immensely popular restaurants Jamun and Saz On The Beach. The dinner was followed by an electrifying after-party held in Princess Gauravi Kumari’s personal chamber.

She noted that something of this scale has never been done before in Jaipur, which made the night especially magical and iconic. “We used to always hear about and see photographs of Maharani Gayatri Devi and Maharaja Man Singh at all these fashionable, glamorous parties in Jaipur, and I’d always feel like why doesn’t it happen now? So, we’ve brought them back.”

The star-studded guest list glittered as brightly as the innumerable candlelights illuminating the palace, with celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Manushi Chhillar, among others, along with international content creators like Chiara Ferragni showing up to support both the brand and the cause. Naturally, most chose to don Ralph Lauren for the night—while Kareena was dressed in a shiny golden Ralph Lauren gown from the brand’s Spring 2023 RTW collection, Manushi wore an emerald gown with a plunging neckline and Chiara went for a shimmering off-shoulder silver dress.

 

 

Though this event was the first-of-its-kind, Ralph Lauren’s tryst with India started in 2018, when its casual wear segment Polo Ralph Lauren launched in Delhi in partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion Retail. Last year, it opened a store at Phoenix Palladium, Mumbai and has three stores in Delhi too. The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, founded in 2001, has long been championing a better life for underserved communities around the world, something that is PDKF’s motto as well, making for the perfect collaboration.

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