If the Oscars are the biggest night in Hollywood, and the Grammys are the most important event in the music industry, then the Met Gala, is the most prestigious event in the fashion world. Celebrities from all over the world are seen in attendance, and the highly sought after invitation is extended only to the biggest names in popular culture. From the stalwarts of the entertainment industry to famous tiktokers and influencers, the guest list includes eminent personalities from the business, politics and social worlds.
One such name was, Natasha Poonawalla, an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Poonawalla is the executive director of the Serum Insitute of India and one of India’s most famous socialites. She has been an attendee for a couple of years, and this time around, she was the only desi girl to walk the Met steps. Despite being the sole Indian presence at the gala, Poonawalla more than made up for it, by making an appearance wearing a custom couture saree and trail by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, along with Maison Schiaparelli’s metal bustier.
Styled by Anaita Shroff Adjania, the gold printed tulle saree was ravishing as it is, while the hand-forged bustier made Poonawalla look like a goddess. The anonymous Instagram page, Diet Sabya even went on to say, that it was ‘giving Birth of Venus’ aesthetic, referring to the Boticelli painting of the famed Italian Renaissance.
However, Poonawalla’s Met’22 look is iconic and historic equal parts for more reasons than the fact that she was looking surreal.
Six Yards Of Pure Grace
To begin with, the Met steps were finally graced with a saree, a desire that many Indians, including me, were yearning to see fulfilled, because why not? It is grace personified, and there’s little that a saree cannot accomplish. In fact, on many occasions, one can argue that it has the ability to reach far greater and more eccentric heights than a gown ever can, given its structural restrictions. Saree, however, is merely a fabric that can be transformed into whatever, the vision might be, and that’s precisely what Anaita along with Sabyasachi has done for Poonawalla.
In fact, Nupur Amarnath, a sareetorialist and lifestyle journalist, tells us, ‘Since the outing, the #sareegram has been abuzz with activity. Everyone’s excited to see the saree at the Met…Finally! Which also begs the question, why did it take so long? As someone who wears a saree almost on a daily basis, one knows the potential of this unstitched garment that can be moulded into any theme (at the Met or otherwise) and to suit any look."
However, the sentiment to see a saree adorn the Met Steps finally wasn’t one that was felt by a few and was in fact shared by the man behind the iconic gold handcrafted saree himself. The ace Indian designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who made his debut on the Met this year, was quick to write under his label’s Instagram post of Poonawalla, that “For me, the saree 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 saree at big global fashion events like the Met Gala.”
All that said, this ethereal appearance is sure to have sent ripples across the fashion and entertainment world, given the monumental moment it has given us, as Indians and even more so to the rest of the world, that was yet to see all the drama that a saree could bring, because as Amarnath says, ‘So many Indian celebs have walked the Met and other global red carpets and yet not a stellar saree look has been noticed till now.’ and there’s a bitter truth to her words.
After all, from Deepika Padukone to Priyanka Chopra, to Isha Ambani, to Aishwariya Rai and Sonam Kapoor, there have been several Indians who’ve walked the global red carpets, like Met or Cannes, but the severe dearth of saree looks remains. Moreover, whenever sarees have been worn on Western red carpets, mainly Cannes, and they have been on several occasions, the appearances have either simply been banal like that of Aishwariya Rai in Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla at 2012 Cannes, or at the very best, elegant and beautiful like that of Vidya Balan at 2013 Cannes or even Nandita Das every time she walks the Cannes carpet in a simple, silk saree. However, even these gorgeous looks become forgettable when put in comparison to the other boisterous, opulent, and high-on effort outfits.
The Natasha Poonawalla appearance at this year’s Met proves that a saree can be as eventful as any gown and that while it is the very definition of grace and poise, it is also an untapped reservoir of potential when it comes to flamboyance.
Amarnath giving her final words on the whole saree outing says, “Now that Anaita and Natasha along with Sabyasachi and Schiaparelli have shown the way on how saree can be red carpet ready and can heighten the drama as much as a custom gown can, I am hoping we would see even more such outings that can indeed make the saree as ubiquitous as the gown on global red carpets. Simply speaking, it was a pleasure to see the saree at the Met. And one that was done so well was just a cherry on the top”
Gilded Glamour?
This year’s Met Gala theme was ‘Gilded Glamour’, a reference to the Gilded Age, a term coined by Mark Twain that refers to America from 1870 to 1900, a time after the civil war, that saw massive industrialisation, economic growth, great opulence and unparalleled building of fortunes and wealth. The term coined by Mark Twain first found origin in his book, The Gilded Age: A Tale Of Today, which shed light on how all that glitters is not gold. It was a satire, that dwelled into the discourse of how beneath the golden exterior of America, hid unprecedented corruption and manipulation. Amarnath explains that “It was a time of abundance and excess. However, it was not all golden but “gilded” – which refers to the practice of gilding that is covering some other material with gold leaf or paint to give an impression of gold. Alas, it was a dichotomous time”
Now coming to Natasha’s look, it is more than obvious that she understood the assignment, and fit right in with the theme, which makes more sense when provided context to the unversed. Amarnath says while commenting on the year’s theme and Poonawalla’s appearance that, “Met themes are usually so interpretative, and you see so many variations of a theme on the same night and they all come with a rather ponderous explanation from the star’s PR machinery that you’d think they can connect even a toothpick to the theme. Kidding aside, when I saw Poonawalla’s pics, I just got the theme. It looked so fitted to the ‘Gilded Age’ As the Met puts it, ‘In that period, art-infused everything—furniture, lighting, ceramics, metalwork, jewellery, even dress—and manifested itself in artistic interiors.’ It was a time to show off and a time for fashion. Adajania commits to the ornate yet whimsical look of the times with a focus on the waist.”
As Amarnath states, one must laud Adjania for giving a lot of thought to the look, and what it would mean for the theme, which in many ways celebrates the idea of period dressing while adding contemporary touches to the same. Poonawalla’s Schiaparelli metal bustier was the thing that Amarnath thinks ‘brought the look home’ given that during that time, there was a lot of focus on the waists, and using corsets to slim them down as much as possible. The imagery of the clinched waists during that time is brought to life magnificently through Poonawalla’s golden corset that accentuates the tiny waistlines and provides a slender silhouette. While further talking about the details of the look, the sareetorialist says, “It has all the elements of the dressing from that era, while reimagining it in the modern context with an Indian twist. The saree with its pick of era-appropriate fabric (tulle) and embellishments (velvet, sequins, stones) was on point, giving an end result that is a look, that’s fresh, golden, and full of drama, just the way the Met carpet demands”
Tulle was a fabric that was preferred in any formal event for the women during that era, and since the Gala’s theme said, Gilded Glamour & White Tie, the tulle saree was more than a perfect match. Importantly, a significant event of the era that represented the fashion of the time, was the Vanderbilt Ball, in which Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt attended her sister-in-law’s party wearing Charles Frederick Worth’s haute couture gown adorned with metallic beads, tassels, diamond embellishments, all of which are also a part of Poonawalla’s look.
Last but not the least, as per celebrity stylist, Mickey Freeman, “the one thing that is synonymous with the Gilded Age is ornately designed headpieces” a cue that Poonawalla and crew seem to have gotten splendidly.
Understood The Assignment
In parting words, Natasha Poonawalla has truly and rightfully caught the eye of the world with her over-the-top, golden, and magical look that just keeps on giving. In the words of Nupur Amarnath who has helped me summarise this shimmering and exquisite appearance, “It’s fabulous. She brings it: be it in the theme, the styling, the drama or the fashion. I felt she ticked all the boxes. If you follow Natasha Poonawalla’s fashion and her experiments you know that she’s one to follow the mantra ‘go big or go home.’ Having said that such a successful look at this stage obviously takes an army and Poonawalla picked a great General to lead the ranks. Anaita Shroff Adajania, to me, is hands down the most exciting stylist and even after decades in the industry, she’s on top of her game and this outing proves exactly why. If there ever was an embodiment of “understood the assignment” this was IT.
Takshi Mehta is a freelance journalist and writer. She firmly believes that we are what we stand up for, and thus you'll always find her wielding a pen.
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/vMaUxlB
0 Comments