Filmmaker Karan Johar brought royal opulence through Indian art and craftsmanship to his MET Gala grand debut. Styled by Eka Lakhani, who also made her debut as a stylist at fashion’s biggest night, Karan graced
the iconic stairs in an ensemble celebrating the brilliance of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings through Manish Malhotra’s creative vision.
Karan not only looked magnificent in the craft-led ensemble featuring a voluminous embroidered cape, bandhgala and a pair of trousers. At its core, the outfit celebrates Indian art and craftsmanship by blending hand painting, 3D sculpting, quilting, and traditional zardozi embroidery. It brought together multiple art forms to create a look that feels both majestic and deeply rooted in heritage.
The Art And The Artist
Taking to Instagram, Karan Johar shared a heartfelt message for Raja Ravi Varma and his dear friend Manish Malhotra. He wrote: “Framed In Eternity, Inspired by the art of Raja Ravi Varma. Raja Ravi Varma felt right because his work does something I’ve always tried to do in cinema. He painted feelings.”
He further wrote: “And who better than my oldest partner in crime & fashion to help me bring this to life other than Manish Malhotra. To bring our Indian culture to the global stage with the vision of couture and gratitude woven together, is an art form in itself which he has mastered. You made me feel like a canvas for your art, thank you!”
Styling Art At The Met Gala
Designed by Manish Malhotra, the outfit is an ode to Raja Ravi Varma, the pioneer of modern Indian art. According to Eka Lakhani, the idea of drawing from Raja Ravi Varma’s work came from Karan himself, but it also felt deeply personal to her. He was the first artist Eka ever studied when she began her journey in costume design.
With Manish’s craftsmanship and Karan’s instinctive love for art, Eka brought together inspirations from some of Varma’s most celebrated works including Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, and Arjuna and Subhadra, among others.
Speaking about the inspiration and the creation, Eka Lakhani says, “At its core, the outfit celebrates Indian art through the lens of Raja Ravi Varma’s celebrated paintings. We brought together multiple works of his through sculptural details, quilting, and intricate zardozi embroidery. Karan brought the idea of drawing from the artist, but it felt deeply personal to me, as I had studied his work in my early days as a costume designer.”
Karan Johar completed his MET Gala 2026 debut look with statement jewellery pieces from Tyaani Jewellery and tinted glasses from R. Kumar Opticians.
