11 fabulously fashionable moments by Indian celebrities in the history of the Met Gala

The Met Gala is undeniably fashion's biggest night of the year. Celebrities from all corners of the world gather to showcase their favourite couture. The likes of Frieda Pinto, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Mindy Kaling, and Simone Ashley are some of the previous Indian-origin celebrities to walk the Met Gala carpet. While Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren have been their designers of choice in the past, Indian celebrities are opting to be dressed by Indian-origin fashion designers. Think Alia Bhatt in Sabyasachi or Mindy Kailing in Gaurav Gupta.

Scroll below for 11 unforgettable fashion moments created by Indian celebrities on the Met red carpet: 

1. Alia Bhatt (2024)

It was a 10/10 for Alia Bhatt and Sabyasachi's partnership at the 2024 Met Gala. Dressed in a delicate pastel green saree with a 23-foot-long train, the actor was on point with 'The Garden of Time' theme, looking like a woodland nymph in delicate jewellery that included a headpiece and earrings, complete with pastel makeup to match the mood. You know you nailed the Met Gala theme if you match the carpet.

2. Mona Patel (2024)

One of the most talked-about looks from the 2024 Met Gala did not belong to Ariana, Blake or Gigi; rather, it went to Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist Mona Patel. Deemed to be the best-dressed mystery girl of the Met, everyone knew who she was by the end of the week. Her Iris Van Herpen dress had everyone captivated because of the mechanical butterflies on her arm that flapped their wings as she walked down the carpet, making her look as regal and hypnotic as a butterfly in real time.

3. Isha Ambani (2024)

The fashion world loves nothing more than a good conscious-couture moment, just like the one Isha Ambani served at the 2024 Met Gala. The billionaire heiress dazzled in a custom Rahul Mishra gown called 'River of Life' that personified 'The Garden of Time' theme. Various Indian fashion techniques went into creating this eco-conscious gown that reused items from the designer's past collections - the dress was sewn with a trail full of flowers, dragonflies, and butterflies that were part of Mishra's archival pieces.

4. Alia Bhatt (2023)

For her Met Gala debut in 2023, Alia Bhatt wore a Prabal Gurung gown made by sewing on 1,00,000 pearls. The Bollywood actor made her very first Met appearance in 2023 for the 'Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty' themed gala. Most wore monochromatic ensembles honouring the designer's Chanel run. The actor credited Chanel brides as the inspiration for her look on Instagram, attributing the gown's idea to her fascination with being a Chanel bride. She walked the carpet alongside Prabal Gurung, the Nepalese-American fashion designer who envisioned the gown.

5. Natasha Poonawala (2022)

The dress code for the 2022 Met Gala was 'Gilded Glamour', and that's what Natasha Poonawalla delivered in her Sabyasachi meets Schiaparelli creation that blended the unique characteristics of each designer, leaving behind a sleek masterpiece. A Schiaparelli bustier sat atop the bespoke golden embroidered saree by Sabyasachi for Poonwalla's head-turning look. Her masterfully draped saree, slicked-back hair and golden hour makeup made her look like a character that may have escaped the pages of Dune. 

6. Priyanka Chopra (2019)

Ever since her move to the USA, Priyanka Chopra has made several Met Gala appearances and most of them have been alongside her beau, Nick Jonas. Since her Miss World days, Mrs. Chopra has been an authority on fashion that barely ever misses the mark. At the 2019 Met Gala, she continued stunning the fashion critics in a whimsical appearance wearing silver Dior couture. Her extravagant appearance was fit for the theme 'Camp: Notes on Fashion'. Her bold makeup featured silver frosted brows and lashes complementing her outfit. But it was her hairstyling that made her truly unrecognisable and completed her offbeat look. 

7. Deepika Padukone (2019)

Zac Posen and Deepika Padukone created magic for her 2019 Met Gala look, pulling off goth Barbie before it was even a thing. Padukone made an extravagant statement in a custom bubblepink gown by Posen for the 'Camp: Notes on Fashion'-themed Met Gala. The hair and makeup that accompanied added sprinkles of goth to her otherwise Barbie pink get-up, complete with dark eye and lip makeup. A voluminous ponytail sat above a pink diamond headband, adding to the Barbie-esque look. 

8. Natasha Poonwala (2019)

Every time the socialite appears at the Met, she is sure to make a statement. For the 2019 'Camp: Notes on Fashion'-themed gala, there were plenty of notes that we could take from Natasha Poonawalla's get-up. She walked the carpet in a crystal-embellished mini dress with a detachable blue skirt draped over it. Her ensemble was designed by the Norwegian fashion designer Peter Dundas. 

9. Lily Singh (2019)

Indian-origin Canadian comedian and YouTuber Lilly Singh attended the 'Camp: Notes on Fashion'-themed edition. Her outfit was designed by then-creative director of Moschino, Jeremy Scott, who was inspired by lillies (no pun intended). The ensemble was of a serene lilac shade, turning deep purple near the waist and featuring different shades of purple at the hem. She wore the dress with long black gloves and purple lilies in her hair.

10. Priyanka Chopra (2018)

The 2018 Met Gala remains one of the most magical years for the event, 'The Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination'-themed gala left us with some of the most otherworldly looks. From Zendaya and Ariana Grande to Priyanka Chopra, everyone came with their A-game that night. The latter looked captivating in her Ralph Lauren deep ruby red velvet gown, but it was the bejewelled hood that added an ethereal touch. 

11. Deepika Padukone (2017)

For her debut at the Met in 2017, Deepika's look could be summarised as simply stunning. Back in 2017, Padukone made her first appearance at the fashion ball dressed in a simple yet elegant Tommy Hilfiger dress for the Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between-themed gala. She opted for a satin white gown that featured cascading crystal embroidery at the bottom. Her crystal headgear and diamond drop earrings added the right amount of shine to her look.