Natasha Poonawalla attends Met Gala 2022 in Sabyasachi sari

Newyork: Entrepreneur-philanthropist Natasha Poonawalla made an appearance at the Met Gala 2022 wearing a gold handcrafted printed tulle sari and trail by celebrity designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Poonawalla, executive director of the Serum Institute of India (SII), was the sole Indian presence at the gala, organised by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on Monday evening.

The theme of the Met Gala was ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’, the second part of the Costume Institute’s exhibition, which opened on September 18. The first part of the exhibition was reflected in last year’s theme, ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’, which was in celebration of all things American Fashion.

The official Instagram page of Sabyasachi shared a series of pictures of Poonawalla wearing his creation teamed up with a Sciaparelli hand-forged metal bustier. The design was part of the Indian label’s association with Maison Schiaparelli, an Italian brand known for its surrealist work.

Sabyasachi said his wish to see the sari at international fashion events has come true this year.

”For me the sari is a truly unique and versatile garment that owns its identity even as it transcends boundaries and geographies. Back when I was a young fashion student, I often wondered when I would see the sari at big global events like the Met Gala,” the designer said in a statement shared on Instagram.

According to the label, Poonawalla’s vision was to interpret the dress code ‘gilded glamour’ with ”an Indian gaze that revels in its multi-culturalism and authenticity”.

Poonawalla, 40, wore a gold handcrafted printed tulle sari and trail embroidered with silk floss thread and embellished with bevel beads, semi-precious stones, crystals, sequins and appliqued printed velvet.

The jewellery was a curation of custom pieces from Sabyasachi Fine Jewellery and limited edition collectibles from Sabyasachi’s Curiosity Art & Antiquity Project — crafted using traditional techniques with precious and semi-precious stones, the label further added. Poonawalla previously attended the Met in 2019 for its ‘Camp’ theme when she wore a custom-made Dundas dress.