Met Gala 2026 Was Big for Indian Craftsmanship and Upcycled Fashion

The Met Gala 2026 was many things, celebrity moments, fashion politics, luxury spectacle, and of course internet debates. But somewhere between all the headlines, there were also beautiful moments of Indian craftsmanship and thoughtful upcycled fashion that genuinely deserve attention.

To be honest, some of the most interesting looks this year were the looks that carried history, craftsmanship, labour and actual artistic thought behind them.

Let’s start with the Indian craftsmanship.

Karan Johar made his Met Gala debut in a custom Manish Malhotra creation inspired by the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. What made the look even more special was the fact that each motif was painted entirely by hand instead of being digitally printed.

The outfit reportedly took around 5,600 artisan hours across 86 days of work by Indian artisans - that is patience and art coming together in one garment. The final result looked like a moving painting on the red carpet and not just another luxury outfit.

Manish Malhotra himself also proudly wore and highlighted his artisans work on one of fashion’s biggest global stages. His dress was an ode to Mumbai, the city of dreams, and to its brilliant artisans. Manish said fashion is about people, hands, and stories, so he honoured the artisans by including their names on the dress. Sculptures inspired by them were also added to the outfit, and he proudly spoke about their work and contribution.

The look was brought to life by 50 artisans across Mumbai and Delhi, with dori, zardozi, chikankari, and kasab embroidery woven together into a story of craft.

Princess Gauravi Kumari brought the royal look to the 2026 Met Gala in Atelier Prabal Gurung. Her pink outfit was made from a vintage chiffon saree that once belonged to her grandmother, Maharani Gayatri Devi. The look mixed family history with grace and a connection to Indian heritage.

Another beautiful part of this year's Met Gala was the presence of upcycled and reconstructed fashion.

One of the most interesting examples came from Paloma Elsesser. For the 2026 Met Gala, she wore a custom gown designed by Francesco Risso for Bureau of Imagination that was patchworked from more than 30 vintage dresses sourced from eBay.

Rihanna was seen in a Maison Margiela by Glenn Martens gown that used recycled metal wires from computer wiring, along with antique jewellery, creating a dramatic look from discarded materials.

It’s eBay again! SZA’s Met Gala 2026 outfit by Emily Adams Bode Aujla used nearly 100 yards of fabric sourced on eBay, and also included floral appliqués cut from old sarees inspired by her love for India and its craftsmanship. Nothing about the look treated old textiles like waste.

Fashion often moves so fast that we forget clothing can actually hold stories. The Met Gala 2026 reminded people that craftsmanship still matters, artisans still matter and must matter, and old materials do not become worthless just because trends move on.