06 May,2026 10:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonali Velinker Kamat
Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Palak Tiwari owned the moment as she arrived at JW Marriott in Juhu on Tuesday. Spotted during a promotional run for her upcoming OTT series, the actress seems to have the spotlight - and the cameras - right in the palm of her hand.
They came. They wore. They conquered. And while plenty has already been said about the Indian contingent at the 2026 Met Gala, we're too moved to stay mum. Inspiring this deep dive are princess Gauravi Kumari, heiress Isha Ambani Piramal, and designer Manish Malhotra - all of whom wore sentimentality on their sartorial sleeves.
Isha Ambani Piramal, Gauravi Kumari and Manish Malhotra
Let's start with Jaipur's own, the gorgeous Gauravi. If there's one thing her Met debut proved, it's that âshopping your closet' hits differently when your wardrobe belongs to a dynasty. She stepped out in a Prabal Gurung creation crafted from a saree that originally belonged to her step-great-grandmother - not just your average, adorable âpardadi-sa,' but the legendary Maharani Gayatri Devi. "Reimagined into a gown that retains the essence, the drape, and the sentiment it holds," the ensemble allowed Gauravi to carry a literal piece of home onto the world's most scrutinised carpet. It wasn't just vintage - it was a masterclass in royal legacy.
More âhand-me-downs' made it to the Met carpet, sewn into Isha Ambani's beautiful blouse - including an heirloom sarpech once owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad. The new royal also wore other diamonds - almost 2,000 carats of sheer sparkle - owned by mother Nita Ambani, but they weren't just about bling. Some of the repurposed pieces were gifts received when Isha's twin babies were born, sharing the same profoundly personal sentiment as Gauravi's saree-gown.
Then came Manish Malhotra, who turned his architectural cape into a touching tribute by embroidering the names of his artisans onto the fabric. Honestly? We love a man who gives credit where it's due. It was a stylish reminder that behind every stunning stitch is a kaarigar whose tireless craftsmanship and loving labour brought the vision to life. Fashion, it seems, isn't just art. It is sentiment wrapped in a sartorial embrace - a living tribute not just to elegance, but to emotion.
Yours truly bumped into Arjun Kapoor last week, and I must say - he made an impression. Dressed to the nines in a quiet, subtle-chic way (no loud flex, just confidence), the Ishaqzaade actor had an unmistakable glow about him. Turns out, that easy, assured energy wasn't just good genes (though he clearly has those too) - it came with a little help, courtesy of a high-end medical reset.
Arjun and Anshula Kapoor
In the world of wellness, where everyone is selling a different flavour of âdetox tea,' siblings Anshula and Arjun opted for the gold standard of gut health, checking in to Vivamayr Maria Wörth for a restful retreat in late April.
With seven visits under her belt, Anshula is a Vivamayr veteran, and credits the Austrian clinic's data-backed approach for cutting through the noise of overwhelming wellness advice. "I know that if I come here feeling overwhelmed, bloated, low on energy - I'm going to leave feeling lighter, clearer, and more in control of my body," she confesses.
But beyond the broth and the bio-hacking, it's the camaraderie that truly glitters. Arjun's candid admission - that he wouldn't have pulled off a week at Vivamayr without Anshula - is particularly poignant. In an industry where everyone is constantly on the move, seeing the siblings intentionally pause to recalibrate together is a refreshing change of pace. Taking a moment for your own well-being is vital, but managing to do it side-by-side? That's the real flex.
More meritorious mentions from the Met - kudos to gala debs Karan Johar and Ananya Birla for shining a spotlight on Indian art. Karan led the charge with a silhouette that functioned as a living canvas - an homage to the romantic realism of Raja Ravi Varma's paintings, translated into a wearable monument by his close collaborator (read: âbestie') Manish Malhotra.
Ananya Birla and Karan Johar
Birla beauty Ananya went one step further, making her debut a high-concept collision of couture and contemporary art. Her intricate, metallic mask by celebrated artist Subodh Gupta was a masquerade masterpiece. Featuring Gupta's signature use of found objects and stainless steel, it transformed Ananya's look into a provocative piece of performance art. "When you wear the work, you don't disappear, you become part of it," the artist explained in an exclusive interview to The Word magazine, adding that Ananya "really embraced" the idea.
Though Ananya's outfit wasn't made in India - she chose the avant-garde structures of Robert Wun - the collaboration proved that the most potent fashion statements are often those that carry a heavy dose of cultural soul. By centring Indian artistic titans on a global stage, these debuts ensured that while the theme was âFashion is Art,' the execution was pure, unfiltered genius.
