You can spot a Manish Malhotra creation almost instantly; it speaks in more ways than one, through the intentional cut-outs, through the shimmer of zardozi and sequins that are never subtle, through a silhouette that catches the light right, and through layers of surface detailing that come together to tell a story. That’s an MM creation for you, where everything performs.
For more than three decades, the celebrated designer has created a visual language the fashion industry continues to borrow from, return to, and revere. While we continue to linger on his past signatures, he moves forward, still at the helm, shaping the dream, and being the benchmark many chase.
With our digital covers at Robb Report India, we aim to spotlight stories that deserve celebration, but once in a while, a story arrives already luminous. Also, this one carries a different kind of magic as it unfolds straight from the Met Gala 2026.
This year, Malhotra didn’t just grace the red carpet; he owned it and arrived with a deeply personal look, one that traced his journey in Mumbai and in cinema, and honoured the backbone of his craft: his work family, his atelier. Malhotra stepped onto the Met Gala carpet in a black bandhgala with a cape that carried the names of the artisans who brought it to life. It is in moments like these that his legacy feels most present, and you realise why the world should never cease to celebrate him.
Beyond his own appearance, he extended his vision to some of the industry’s most prominent names, dressing the likes of Karan Johar, Dwayne Johnson, Camila Mendes, and Sudha Reddy in his creations, each look echoing his signature.
We speak with the ace designer about the Met Gala, designing for it, experiencing it, and everything that comes with its world.
Manish Malhotra (MM): Designing for the Met feels quite different from anything else I do. Usually, you are creating for a person, for a celebration, for a moment in their life. But here, it becomes a little more layered. You are still dressing someone, of course, but at the same time, you are also expressing an idea. It becomes about what the garment represents -- where it comes from, what it carries within it. There is a deeper sense of storytelling. For me, it was about bringing something very personal into a global space, and that changes the way you approach the design.
MM: The scale of the Met is something you really feel. It’s very visible, very global, and there’s a certain expectation that comes with it. But for me, the real challenge is not to get carried away by that. It’s easy to focus only on impact, but I feel the piece has to remain honest. It has to stay connected to craft, the process, and to the people who make it. So it’s really about finding that balance– between something that feels strong visually, but also has depth and meaning when you look closer.
MM: I think for me, it has always come down to storytelling. That’s something I’ve carried from cinema into couture. There is always a focus on craft, on detail, on a certain sense of glamour, but I don’t consciously think of it as a signature that needs to be repeated. It’s more a way of seeing things. Every look is different, but there is always a certain emotion, a certain layering, that ties it back to how I approach design. It is not about repeating a signature, but about carrying a philosophy into each piece. You have to allow it to adapt to the moment, while still feeling true to its roots.
MM: It all began quite simply, with conversations, whether with Camila [Mendes], Karan [Johar], or Sudha [Reddy]. I like to understand the person first– how they feel, what they are comfortable with, what they connect to. From there, we start building the look together. With the Met, there is also a theme, so it becomes a shared process between the wearer, the atelier, and the idea we are trying to express. It’s always important for me that the final look feels natural to the person wearing it, rather than something that feels external or imposed.
MM: For me, the narrative always begins before the theme. The theme gives direction, but the story comes from a more personal space- from memory, the journey, and the people I’ve worked with over the years. With this [MM’s own Met Gala] look, the idea of Mumbai, cinema, and of the atelier was already there. Fashion, for me, has always been inseparable from the artisan. Art cannot exist without the hand. More than 960 hours of work, involving over 50 artisans across Mumbai and Delhi, came together to create my cape. It reflects not just time, but continuity and a shared journey shaped over the years. The theme allowed the narrative to take a certain form, but the foundation was always rooted in that connection– to the city, and to the artisans who are such an integral part of my work and everything the brand stands for.
MM: I think it comes very naturally when you stay true to the craft. India has such a rich language of textiles and techniques, and for me, it was important not to overcomplicate that. Just to let it come through honestly. The focus was always on the artisans, the techniques, and the process.When that is real, the identity comes through on its own. It doesn’t feel forced; it just feels like a part of the piece.
MM: Today, it feels like a space where fashion is really seen and experienced as art. For me, it’s also quite a personal moment. It’s a chance to bring together different parts of my journey – cinema, couture, the atelier -- and present them in one place. It’s less about the event itself and more about what you choose to bring to it and what that represents.
MM: For me, success is not really about how much attention a look gets. It’s more about whether it feels complete. Whether the story is clear, whether the craft is felt, whether the intention behind it comes through. If all of that is in place, then I feel the look has done what it was meant to do.
MM: I don’t really think about it while designing. Of course, there is always a lot of attention around the Met, and people respond in different ways, but I feel that shouldn’t drive the process. The focus has to remain on creating something meaningful. If that connects, it connects in its own way.
MM: As a designer, it’s a very unique platform. You can express an idea in a way that goes beyond regular fashion– it becomes more about art, about storytelling, about scale. And as someone who has been on the carpet, there is also a certain emotion to it. The energy, the anticipation, the coming together of so many creative people, you feel all of that. But at the end of it, for me, it always comes back to the work – to what you are presenting, and what it stands for.