Chanel’s archival dresses, Schiaparelli’s robot babies, or even a cotton salwar kameez for a casual day out— Isha Ambani has become one of the most stylish billionaire heiresses. She has always done something different — even her wedding reception lehenga was a creation by Valentino. It marked the Italian luxury house's first-ever lehenga.
Isha’s fashion stylist, Anaita Shroff Adajania, shared photographs of the businesswoman’s appearance at the Fashion Trust Arabia gala in Marrakesh. Isha looked gorgeous in a custom couture gown created from a reclaimed Banarasi saree by designer Amit Aggarwal. Given the influence Isha has developed in the world of fashion, with her style being talked about globally, a gown made from a Banarasi saree effectively showcases India's rich heritage.
The designer is known for his particular fondness for Banarasi fabric and regularly incorporates it into his designs. In September, the actor Kareena Kapoor Khan wore a gown crafted from a pre-loved vintage Banarasi saree, reimagined with Aggarwal’s signature structured drape. The original fabric was left unaltered; instead, knife-cut pleats were joined together using meticulous restoration techniques, replacing the expected free-flowing pallu of a saree with a more structured silhouette.
The Banrasi saree has found its mention in texts from Vedic ages that referred to it as hiranya vastra' or golden cloth, worn by the Gods. It's a speciality of Varanasi (Banaras), the oldest living city.