May 23, 2025: After turning heads in a regal white Manish Malhotra saree, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returned to the Cannes 2025 red carpet with yet another show-stopping look — this time in a custom Gaurav Gupta Couture gown that redefined galactic elegance.
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Created exclusively for Aishwarya, the sculptural gown was a reinterpretation of Gupta’s “Heiress of Clam” silhouette from his Paris Couture Collection: Across the Flame. Hand-embroidered with cosmic motifs in silver, gold, charcoal, and black, the gown shimmered with micro glass crystals, capturing light and depth in a dazzling celestial display.
Adding a layer of cultural richness to the ensemble was a silver Banarasi brocade cape, handwoven in Varanasi. Embroidered on its back was a Sanskrit shloka from the Bhagavad Gita:
“कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥”
Translation: “You have a right to perform your actions, but not to the fruits of those actions…” — an ode to grace in effort over outcome.
Designer Gaurav Gupta described the look as elemental, saying: “Aishwarya defines the kind of woman we design for — timeless, intentional, and radiant. She doesn’t need to perform in a garment; she transforms it.” Styled by Allia Al Rufai, the ensemble fused old Hollywood glamour with Indian craftsmanship, handcrafted by over 15 artisans, with placement efforts led by Maison Bose.
This marked Aishwarya’s second striking look at the French Riviera. On her first day, she wore a stunning ivory and gold saree by Manish Malhotra, layered with a sheer tissue dupatta featuring real gold and silver zardozi embroidery. She completed the look with a diamond and ruby necklace and a bold vermilion streak (sindoor) — a subtle yet powerful accessory that many online interpreted as a quiet rebuttal to swirling divorce rumors.
Manish Malhotra revealed that the saree was a handwoven Kadwa Banarasi creation, intricately embroidered in real chandi (silver), while her 500-carat Mozambique rubies and uncut diamonds were set in 18k gold — a testament to traditional Indian opulence.
With both looks, Aishwarya not only upheld her legacy as a Cannes icon but also delivered a poetic blend of cultural symbolism and avant-garde fashion.