By GRAZIA

Met Gala 2024: The Compelling Tale Behind Isha Ambani’s Sustainable and Community-Conscious Gown

The hand-crafted, eco-conscious gown took over 10,000 hours to create.
 Met Gala 2024
Photo: Anaita Shroff Adajania/Instagram

A regular attendee at the biggest night in fashion, Isha Ambani attended the Met Gala 2024 in a spectacular design by Rahul Mishra.

As the sister of groom-to-be Anant Ambani and daughter of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, Isha epitomised the event’s “The Garden Of Time” theme in a bespoke, floral creation by the Indian couturier.

Titled ‘River of Life’, the gown incorporated sustainable elements – an ode to the Ambani family’s environmental conservation efforts – by re-using items from Rahul’s past collections.

Photo: Anaita Shroff Adajania/Instagram

Exquisite samples of dragonflies, flowers, and butterflies from the archives were re-sewn and re-envisioned for the eco-conscious gown, using specialised techniques such as Fareesha, Zardozi, and Nakshi applique and embroidery.

According to stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania, the dress took over 10,000 hours to complete and was hand-embroidered by hundreds of local craftspeople and weavers across a number of Indian villages.

Photo: Anaita Shroff Adajania/Instagram

“For this year’s Met Gala 2024 theme of “The Garden of Time”, Rahul and I set out to depict nature’s glorious and bountiful lifecycle in this custom look for Isha,” wrote the stylist on Instagram. Through the creation of the dress, the team aimed to support the artisanal endeavours of impoverished communities.

Isha completed the look with a hand-crafted clutch handbag by Indian luxury goods producer, Swadesh. The bag was painted by artisan Hari Narain Marotia, using centuries-old art forms of Nakashi and Miniature Painting, and featured a detailed depiction of India’s national bird, the Mayura.

This story originally appeared on GRAZIA Singapore.