Designer Sandeep Khosla responds to Urvashi Rautela's 'gandi copy' of Gigi Hadid saree from 2023 NMACC opening in Mumbai

Plagiarism or flattery? Sandeep Khosla slams Urvashi Rautela's Cannes 2026 copy of Gigi Hadid's Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla saree: 'Make a better version', he says.

The line between homage and imitation in luxury fashion is famously thin, but veteran Indian fashion designer Sandeep Khosla didn't mince words when addressing actor Urvashi Rautela’s ‘copied’ red carpet ensemble.

The deja vu on the red carpet

In an August 29 interview with NDTV, he shared his candid take on plagiarised couture after Urvashi faced online backlash for wearing a design strikingly similar to the iconic Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla saree, made famous by supermodel Gigi Hadid.

The fashion drama unfolded at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where Urvashi stepped out in an ivory chikankari-style saree paired with an intricate, heavy, gold-jewelled blouse. Fashion enthusiasts immediately recognised the design as a near-identical replica of the bespoke Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla creation Gigi Hadid wore in March 2023 during the grand opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai.

Gigi’s hand-embroidered original took about a year to craft, whereas Urvashi’s 2026 look—created by a different label (Mihir Designer Studio) — drew sharp criticism online and was dubbed a 'gandi copy' by fashion watchdogs.

‘Urvashi is wearing an exact copy of our garment’

When asked about the rising prevalence of low-cost replicas in Indian luxury fashion, Sandeep addressed the incident directly during the NDTV interview: "If you want to plagiarise and you want to copy, make a better version of what we are doing."

Recalling his reaction to seeing Urvashi's copied look online, he shared his surprise: "Just the other day I was seeing, there's a lady called Urvashi Rautela, I think, who wore a copy of ours, of Gigi Hadid... and there was an influencer doing a whole post on how you can get an original Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla outfit made where Urvashi got it made."

Beyond the replica itself, he expressed disappointment over how such knockoffs were normalised on social media: "Firstly, Urvashi is wearing an exact copy of our garment without a thought. Either she has no exposure, or she has too much exposure. And then, the person (influencer) is actually encouraging the copies to happen, which I find really... there has to be at least some difference, or do some... it should be a take of an artist themselves to do something else. Also, that's called very easy fashion."

Sandeep's critique underscored a broader debate within the fashion industry regarding intellectual property, fast-fashion knockoffs, and red carpet authenticity. While celebrities often attempt to recreate viral sartorial moments, his statement served as a reminder that true craftsmanship cannot be easily duplicated.