Natasha Poonawalla serves a heritage luxury look in custom silk saree with kantha embroidery in New York

Natasha Poonawalla’s ivory sari look puts Bengal’s centuries-old Kantha craft in focus, spotlighting local craftsmanship during an event in New York.

Natasha Poonawalla, the executive director of Serum Institute of India, is a fierce fashionista. Thinking outside the box is one of her core principles, and she constantly pushes boundaries as a true trailblazer.

The socialite is well-versed in experimental couture, leaning into unconventional silhouettes and head-turning designs that defiantly blur the line between art and fashion.

In another stunning look, Natasha delivered a sartorial, artistic moment as she wore a silk saree with intricate Kantha embroidery, a centuries-old handiwork from Bengal. The ensemble offers a fresh spin on heritage textiles, giving it a high-fashion lens where craft, culture, and couture find common ground.

Let's take a closer look at the details:

What did Natasha Poonawalla wear?

Rhea Kapoor, her stylist, shared pictures of Natasha on April 30, detailing the outfit she wore in New York. Natasha wore a custom warm ivory muga silk saree by Arpita Mehta. The standout feature is the hand-embroidered Kantha work, lending the ensemble its intricate, artisanal depth.

The silhouette feels sharply defined, despite the sublime artistic embroidery. The voluminous, floor-sweeping saree is paired with a halter neck blouse, finding the middle ground between structure and fluidity.

The accessories elevate the ensemble's grandeur, with large teardrop earrings featuring a bird motif that matches the embroidery on the saree.

To add a pop of colour to the otherwise monochrome palette, she opted for a heavy emerald choker. The rest of the styling remains equally rich in traditional luxury, including a bajubandh, a polki and ruby ring, a tiger kada, and a peacock kada, each adding gasp-worthy layers of heritage to the high-fashion, couture look.

With her distinctive, avant-garde style, Natasha has always seamlessly adapted to all shades of offbeat looks. Whether it is her rare Issey Miyake acrylic bustier (a vintage gem from the 1980/81 collection) for Jeff Bezos' fiancée's party, or a surrealistic, structural gown for a gala in Paris, resembling a paint palette. This new look is another example.

Significance of Kantha

Rhea wrote about the custom hand-embroidered kantha and explained its significance. She mentioned, “Kantha, an ancient, eco-conscious embroidery tradition from Bengal, where old sarees and dhotis were repurposed into layered textiles."

"In this ensemble, that philosophy is preserved, bringing together fragments of lived histories with a fresh, contemporary perspective,” she added.

The traditional craftsmanship gets a high-fashion lens with this look. The modern expression incorporates contemporary styles alongside the age-old craft. It is a noteworthy moment to represent local heritage work on a global platform, ushering traditional artistry into contemporary fashion conversations.