Karan Johar made a significant impact at the Met Gala 2026 in New York, donning a stunning 30 kilo, Ravi Raja Varma-themed costume designed by Manish Malhotra.
Key Points
- Karan Johar’s Met Gala 2026 costume weighed a remarkable 30 kilos, making it a challenging wear for the filmmaker.
- The Ravi Raja Varma-themed outfit was designed by Manish Malhotra and crafted by 50 artisans and developed over 5,600 hours.
- Karan’s artistic costume received compliments from Anna Wintour, the eminence grise behind the Met Gala and Condé Nast global chief content officer and artist director.
Did you know Karan Johar’s much talked-about costume at the Met Gala 2026 weighed 30 kilos?
The Craftsmanship Behind the Costume
The Ravi Raja Varma-themed costume was designed by Manish Malhotra and was crafted by over 50 artisans, and developed over 5,600 hours.
‘Inspired by the legacy of legendary painter Raja Ravi Varma, the piece begins as a hand-painted artwork developed over 5,600 hours before being constructed into a monumental six-foot garment,’ Manish Malhotra’s team posts on social media, describing the outfit.
‘Our founder and creative director Manish Malhotra translates Varma’s painterly language into couture through entirely freehand techniques from inside his very own atelier by his lead artisans, merging painting, sculpture, and textile without digital intervention.
‘A structured, power-shouldered jacket anchors the silhouette, layered with dori embroidery, oil and acrylic finishes, and varnishing to achieve the depth of a painting, while iconic works are reinterpreted across its surface.
‘Zardozi embroidery, velvet drapes, and saree constructions add dimension, while sculptural elements — pillars, lotuses, and swans-extend the piece into an architectural form.
”Crafted by over 50 artisans, the look collapses disciplinary boundaries, positioning couture as a fully realised artistic medium.’
The hard work and effort seems to be worth it. Karan Johar was apparently complimented by Anna Wintour — the eminence grise behind the Met Gala and Condé Nast global chief content officer and artist director — for his artistic costume.
Manish Malhotra’s Ecstasy
Manish Malhotra relives the heady experience and tells Subhash K Jha, “We were received with tremendous warmth. I am so happy that we could represent India on such a venerated platform. It felt surreal.”
This web site may embed third-party content from YouTube/Instagram/social media for news and informational purposes under fair use provisions for reporting. All rights remain with the original creators. We do not host or own such content. Any concerns may be reported to us for review and removal in good faith.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
