Isha Ambani champions Indian craftsmanship in a beautiful embroidered dress for Vogue Met Gala pre-party | PICS

At the Met Gala pre-party, Isha Ambani showcased Indian craftsmanship in an embroidered dress by Manish Malhotra, styled by Anaita Shroff Adjania.

Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's eldest daughter, Isha Ambani, attended Vogue's Met Gala pre-party in New York City on May 1. For the occasion, she looked chic in an embroidered dress that brings together the artistry of Indian craftsmanship.

Met Gala fashion has officially taken over NYC as celebrities strutted into the Madame Tussauds in Times Square on Friday for a Met Gala pre-party ahead of fashion’s biggest night. Outside, the scene was complete chaos as hundreds of fans and tourists filled 42nd Street, while celebrities pushed through a sea of people to get inside. Let's decode Isha's look for this star-studded occasion:

What did Isha Ambani wear?

Isha was seen in an intricately embroidered ensemble designed by Indian designer Manish Malhotra in collaboration with Swadesh, a label owned by Reliance Retail and launched by Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani. Celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adjania styled Isha in the dress, which reimagines the bandage dress through an Indian lens.

Anaita shared Isha's pictures on Instagram on May 2, with the caption, “Bringing together the artistry of Indian craftsmanship in one dress.” As per the stylist, the statement jewellery Isha wore is from Outhouse Jewellery.

Decoding the dress

The Manish Malhotra X Swadesh-designed ensemble features a plunging U-neckline, a strapless design, a figure-hugging silhouette, a back slit, and a midi hemline. The midi dress is constructed from several fabrics, highlighting Indian craftsmanship that took over 450 hours to complete.

The ensemble is made with 26 diverse borders, each representing a different region of India, incorporating techniques spanning zari work from Uttar Pradesh, Parsi gara embroidery, Maheshwari weaves, karchobi, aari bharat, tilla, kantha, Kanjeevaram silk, Paithani, and Banarasi brocade, drawing from north, south, east, and west to form a living tapestry. Each border carries its own history, together creating a unified expression of culture, craftsmanship, and modernity.

Isha paired the ensemble with striking yet minimal additions, including bright red pumps, precious diamond jewels, such as flower-shaped earrings decked with unique lavender and yellow crystals, and a statement floral ring, accentuated with shimmering stones.

For her hair, Isha and her hairstylist, Gonn Kinoshita, chose to tie her locks in a slicked-back braided hairdo, adorned with poola jada – a modern version inspired by the traditional temple jewellery.

Lastly, for the glam, the entrepreneur chose darkened brows, winged eyeliner, smoky eye shadow, a hint of brown kajal, mascara-coated lashes, a glossy caramel-brown lip shade, rouge-tinted cheeks, soft contouring, and a generous amount of bronzer to highlight the cheekbones.

About Isha Ambani

Isha Ambani is the eldest daughter of India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, and his wife, Nita Ambani. She also has two brothers, Akash Ambani and Anant Ambani. In December 2018, Isha married her husband, Anand Piramal, the son of billionaire Ajay Piramal.

Isha and Anand's pre-wedding celebrations featured a performance by Beyoncé and a star-studded guest list, including Nick and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Hillary Clinton, and more. Four years later, Isha gave birth to twins Krishna and Aadiya in November 2022.