India at the Met Gala 2023

– An article by Shivani Gadre

The Met Gala is an annual fundraising gala benefiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. Held on the first Monday in May, the event features a themed red carpet where celebrities and attendees showcase their fashion and style.

On May 1, 2023, the fashion extravaganza ‘The Met Gala 2023’ took place in New York City. This year’s event celebrated the opening of the Costume Institute exhibition ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.’ The dress code for the event was ‘in honor of Karl Lagerfeld,’ as it showcased the full scope of his life and work. Throughout his lifetime (1933-2019), Lagerfeld worked at prominent fashion houses like Balmain, Chloé, Fendi, and Chanel. The exhibition featured over 150 pieces, along with Lagerfeld’s sketches, all on display for attendees to admire.

The hosts for the Met Gala 2023 were revealed by Vogue to be Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Anna Wintour, who is also the editor-in-chief of Vogue. Since 1995, Anna Wintour has been in charge of organizing the Met Gala, transforming it into the highly anticipated fashion extravaganza it is today. As we continue to reflect on the unforgettable fashion statements made during the biggest night in fashion, the Indians Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Isha Ambani, Natasha Poonawalla and Divya Mehta Jatia graced their presence at the fashion extravaganza, Met Gala.

In the previous year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute made a significant decision to replace the traditional red carpet with a sustainable alternative. For this purpose, they collaborated with Neytt by Extraweave, a company headquartered in Alleppey, Kerala. Interestingly, they have continued their partnership with Neytt by Extraweave this year as well, a fact that may have surprised even the organizers themselves.

The Met Gala’s carpet, which graced the iconic steps, has become a hot topic on the internet. As it turns out, the Indian brand Neytt by Extraweave had a significant role in creating the beige-toned carpet with mesmerizing red and blue swirls that was walked on by the most prominent celebrities of the moment. The brand proudly states that the carpet was “made with love” and woven in India and hand-painted by local artists from New York City.

Neytt is a luxury rug brand co-founded by Sivan and his wife, Nimisha. The brand has a rich heritage that dates back to the 20th century, with Sivan’s grandfather founding the parent company in 1917 and Sivan’s father establishing Extraweave in 2000. Neytt is based in Alleppey, Kerala and Extraweave boasts a vertically integrated unit that manages everything from fiber production to the final carpet creation in-house. Crafting the carpet from sisal fibers which is derived from the Agave plant, was a meticulous process that took approximately 60 days to complete. The fibers used in the carpet were white in color, measuring 100 cm in length, and boasted impressive strength and durability. Sisal is a versatile material commonly used to create wall and floor coverings as well as designer carpets.

Before the Met Gala made headlines in 2016, a Neytt rug was already attracting attention at the White House during a special event for a head of state’s visit. The brand has collaborated with notable names in the industry, including Pottery Barn and Ralph Lauren Homes, and has been a supplier to IKEA for seven years.

Although the state-of-the-art carpet was only utilized for a single day, it is entirely sustainable and biodegradable. It was an honor moment for India at the prestigious MET Gala 2023.