How many hours did it take to make Priyanka Chopra's Diwali gown?

According to designer Karan Torani, the custom gown took more than 2,200 hours to create, with intricate embroidery and embellishment.

What inspired Priyanka Chopra's Diwali gown?

The design drew inspiration from Indian architecture, including jharokhas, forts and arches. It also incorporated references to Goddess Lakshmi and the designer's Sindhi heritage.

What embroidery techniques featured on Priyanka Chopra's gown?

The gown featured Kashmiri aari, zardozi, dori and marodi work, along with mirror work, pearls and cowrie shells.

Who designed Priyanka Chopra's Diwali outfit?

Priyanka wore a custom outfit by Indian designer Karan Torani, known for incorporating traditional Indian textiles and craft references into contemporary silhouettes.

Priyanka Chopra's Diwali gown took 2,200 hours: Torani's craft decoded

Priyanka Chopra wore a custom Karan Torani gown for Diwali. Explore its 2,200-hour craftsmanship, Kashmiri aari, zardozi and traditional Indian inspirations.

Published on: Nov 11, 2026, 14:00:38 IST

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Priyanka Chopra's Diwali outfit was more than a festive red-carpet moment. The actor celebrated the festival in a custom maroon-and-gold silk gown by designer Karan Torani, and its craftsmanship is what makes the ensemble particularly interesting. According to the designer, the creation involved more than 2,200 hours of work.

Priyanka Chopra's Diwali gown took 2,200 hours: Torani's craft decoded (Instagram)

By Samarpita Yashaswini

Samarpita Yashaswini is a Content Producer for Fashion (HT Shop Now) at Hindustan Times Digital. She has five years of experience in lifestyle writing, specialising in fashion, beauty, and trend-led commerce content. She covers everything from seasonal must-haves and wardrobe essentials to brand reviews and styling edits that make everyday dressing easier and more exciting.

She began her writing journey in 2020, but her love for fashion started long before that. Over the years, she has interned with Times Internet and Desi Martini, and worked with Pinkvilla and Schbang, building a strong foundation in digital storytelling and audience-first content. At HT Digital, she writes and creates fashion affiliate content for both the website and social media, blending trend awareness with shopping practicality. Her work sits at the intersection of style and strategy combined with equal parts aesthetic and analytics.

A self-confessed fashion enthusiast, Samarpita has a sharp eye for colours, prints, silhouettes, and textures. She notices the fall of a fabric, the mood of a palette, and the difference a good cut can make. Her expertise lies in translating trends into wearable, relatable style and helping readers shop smarter, not louder.

She studied at Delhi Public School and graduated from Miranda House, University of Delhi in 2019, where she also wrote for the college magazine. She later completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Advertising and PR from MICA, Ahmedabad.

Samarpita believes fashion content doesn’t need to be complicated or overly eloquent. It should be simple, fun, and genuinely helpful, guiding readers through daily style decisions with confidence and joy.

A 2,200-hour creation featuring Kashmiri aari and zardozi

The deep sindoori-coloured silk gown featured an elaborate combination of Kashmiri aari, zardozi, dori and marodi work. Mirror work, pearls and cowrie shells added further texture and detail to the ensemble.

Each technique contributed to the layered appearance of the outfit. The cowrie shells, in particular, had a personal connection: Torani said they were a nod to his Sindhi roots.

The amount of work involved also puts the focus on the time and craftsmanship behind elaborate occasionwear. With more than 2,200 hours dedicated to the gown, its embellishment was not simply decorative; it formed a central part of the design.

The Indian architecture behind Priyanka's gown

Torani drew inspiration from India's architectural heritage, particularly jharokhas, old forts and arches that frame traditional courtyards.

This influence can be seen in the way the gown combines a structured silhouette with intricate embroidered detailing. The designer described the surface as an embroidered garden featuring birds, flowers and elements inspired by the sky.

The result was a look that brought architectural references into contemporary festive dressing rather than reproducing a traditional outfit literally.

An angiya-inspired bodice and a reimagined odhni

Another interesting detail was the gown's construction. Its sculpted, off-shoulder bodice drew inspiration from the traditional angiya, while the flowing element at the back reinterpreted the odhni.

The latter finished in cascading tassels and ghungroos, adding movement to the otherwise structured silhouette. Torani also connected these details to the symbolism of Diwali, describing them as an invocation of Goddess Lakshmi's arrival.

This combination of traditional references and modern construction gave the gown its distinctive identity.

Priyanka Chopra celebrates Diwali with Nick Jonas and Malti

Priyanka also shared photographs from her Diwali celebrations with husband Nick Jonas and daughter Malti Marie. Nick complemented the festive mood in a kurta paired with an embroidered jacket.

The family photographs offered a closer glimpse of the occasion, while Priyanka's outfit pictures highlighted the gown's detailed embroidery and flowing back.

The takeaway: Indian craftsmanship beyond traditional silhouettes

What makes Priyanka's Diwali look interesting is how it brings together different craft traditions without limiting them to a conventional lehenga or saree. Kashmiri embroidery, Sindhi references, traditional garment construction and architectural inspiration all find space in a contemporary silk gown.

It is also a reminder that festive fashion can draw from India's craft heritage in unexpected ways. Sometimes, the most memorable part of an outfit isn't its silhouette or label, but the hours of skilled work and the stories stitched into it.