Met Gala Debutants Karan Johar And Ananya Birla Repped Two Distinct Indian Art Eras At NYC

It was only a matter of time before Bollywood's most fashion-forward auteur, Karan Johar, claimed his spot on the steps at The Met Gala.

At 2026 Costume is Art themed fundraiser gala in New York where the opening of the Costume Institute's spring 2026 exhibition centered around the dressed body, Johar was amongst the handful of Indian names that got to show Indian design on world stage.

For his debut, Johar turned to longtime collaborator and designer Manish Malhotra, with styling by Eka Lakhani that resulted in an ensemble inspired by Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma. But he isn't the only Indian to bring class, couture and art to this year's Met Gala. Debutant Ananya Birla styled by Rhea Kapoor was one of the best looks of The Met 2026.

Carrying the artist's most iconic imagery across the hand-painted canvas of couture, motifs drawn from Varma's celebrated works, the jacket worn by Karan Johar featured zardozi borders, three-dimensional pillars, lotuses, swans and traditional Indian woman in her garb forming a richly textured visual narrative.

"Raja Ravi Varma felt right because his work does something I’ve always tried to do in cinema. He painted feelings,” Johar says. “And who better than my oldest partner in crime & fashion to help me bring this to life other than Manish Malhotra," shared Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani director.

He added that it was his way to bring the Indian culture to the global stage with the vision of couture and gratitude woven together as an art form in itself.

While Ananya Birla's dramatic masked look in a Robert Wun gown turned heads. At the centre of the ensemble is the sharply tailored, blazer-style bodice that cinched tightly at the waist before flaring into a sculptural peplum while the crisp bule shirt peeking through the collar and cuffs introduced an androgynous edge. But the cherry on top, was the steel mask created by contemporary artist Subodh Gupta using everyday utensils found in Indian households.

Both, used couture as a language to articulate a distinct vision of Indian art that perfectly fit the theme of 2026 Met Gala. While Johar's look was rooted in the legacy of Raja Ravi Varma's artistic work and symbolised the romantic, mythological imagery and keeping it classic, Birla approached the Met through a contemporary art lens (though a second look off the red carpet alludes to the ancient sculptures aged over centuries).

Her loom spoke to modernity that goes beyond the clear lines into conceptual detailing, and offers a visual language that engages with present-day art practices.

Together, they offered a compelling duality: Johar anchoring his look in the opulence and storytelling of classical Indian art, and Birla projecting a forward-facing, contemporary aesthetic. One delves in myth and classical imagination and the other in modern and social reality. Though starkly different in style and artistic expression, the two perfectly complement the expressions of Indian artistry—one reverent, the other progressive.

Besides Karan Johar and Ananya Birla , India personalities such as, Jaipur royal siblings Princess Gauravi Kumari and Sawai Padmanabh Singh, Manish Malhotra, the designer himself, as well as entrepreneurs Sudha Reddy and Ananya Birla made their presence felt at the Met Gala 2026.