Met Gala 2026 just wrapped up and the internet is still debating on the best dressed celebrities of the evening. With the who's who of Hollywood, fashion and world celebrities in attendance, the star-studded event had the theme 'Costume Art', where invitees were encouraged to interpret fashion as an embodied art form, in line with the dress code, "Fashion Is Art."
Among many noted celebrities, director-producer Karan Johar made his Met Gala debut dressed in a black and gold jacket, layered with a hand-painted cape filled with Raja Ravi Varma paintings. He accessorised it with custom neckpiece, rings and an eyewear. Designed by Manish Malhotra, Karan's attire, which was called by him as 'Framed In Eternity', was created over 85 days by a team of more than 80 artisans.
Following his debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Karan penned an emotional post on his "life coming a full circle". "From loving cinema and costume as a wide-eyed dreamer to standing on the steps of THE Met Gala…life really does come full circle in the most unexpected ways. This moment wasn’t just about fashion for me. It was about storytelling," he wrote.
He said he wanted to take the legacy of Raja Ravi Varma, not on canvas "but in motion" to represent Indian culture, art and storytelling on the "global steps." Karan also revealed why he chose Ravi Varma Raja. "Ravi Varma felt right because his work does something I’ve always tried to do in cinema. He painted feelings," he said.
He further thanked the noted designer for giving him a "core memory". His outfit was styled by popular stylist Eka Lakhani.
Sharing his feelings on making it to the Met Gala for the first time, he said, "I didn’t want to arrive here trying to explain India. I wanted to arrive feeling like myself, and that automatically brings everything I come from with it."
He further described the look as an expression of personal inheritance, and said, "This is my way of wearing that inheritance. It felt like the most honest thing I could have done for my first Met – to arrive not with a concept, but with a feeling I’ve carried my whole life and finally found the right form for."
The Met Gala was co-chaired by Beyonce, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour with Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos serving as Honorary Chairs.
