Khan, known as SRK to fans, made his Met debut in an understated style, donning a floor-length black wool coat designed by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. The look was complemented with several bold accessories, including a large sparkling “K” dangling from a chain and a gem-encrusted tiger head cane.
To combat his nerves, perhaps — Khan told Vogue livestream hosts Ego Nwodim and Teyana Taylor that he’s “very shy” and typically skips red carpets — he asked Mukherjee to stick to his style staples.
“I told Sabya I only wear black and white, but what we designed for me is what I’m most comfortable in,” he said. “That’s how I think it should be.”
The star of more than 100 movies, Khan’s arrival on the Met Gala carpet has been a long time coming. But Mukherjee said that it was fitting that Khan debuts the same year the event celebrates Black designers and the legacy of Black dandyism, a fashion movement as steeped in politics as it is in impeccable style.
“When you get a man like this on the red carpet, especially when it’s ‘Black dandy,’ representation is the most important thing,” Mukherjee said. “We wanted to represent Shah Rukh Khan as Shah Rukh Khan, and nobody else.”
Mukherjee, too, is a global superstar: His label Sabyasachi’s glamorous gowns and saris regularly appear on Bollywood stars, and earlier this year he said he wants to make Sabyasachi “India’s first global luxury brand.” He recently celebrated his label’s 25th anniversary, complete with a massive runway show with over 150 looks influenced by his West Bengal upbringing.
Joining Khan as a first-time Met attendee was another star of Indian cinema: Diljit Dosanjh, a musician and actor revered for his work in Punjabi music and film. Like several celebrities this year, the performer wore a long cape, but his was embroidered with a map of Punjab. Nepali-American designer Prabal Gurung created his bejeweled maharaja-inspired ensemble, the New York Times reported.
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