In a year that has produced some groundbreaking fashion moments, few looks has captivated
the mind of the public and fashion critics like Ananya Panday’s sculpted-pearl couture moment.
The young starlet, who has already positioned herself as a Gen-Z style influencer, hit the red
carpet in an ensemble that was less of a dress and more like a work of art you could wear. It
was an excellent example of modern red carpet magic, combining classic luxury with
avant-garde construct.
An Architectural Marvel
The gorgeous ensemble, created by the famous designers Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla,
completely redefined the idea of a red carpet gown. It was architectural – with a structured
form-fitting shape against Ananya’s body and then flaring out with what almost appeared to be
futuristic elements just at the hips.The dress was embellished with thousands of pearls of
various sizes, and it was sculpted and draped that gave a flowing and cascading effect. It was a
beautifully classic elegance, but strikingly modern; as pearls are often deemed to have a sober
and classic association, they were shown in an unabashed and borderline edgy manner. The
pearls were a marriage of exacting old-world craftsmanship and a modern high-fashion
sensibility – it set the look apart from anything else on the red-carpet.
The Art of Understated Glamour
It is quite possibly the styling that has heightened this outfit. Ananya and her team curated the
styling around a “less is more” mentality, which gave the dress the platform to be the star of the
moment. Her hair was in a clean, slicked back bun with a wet-look aspect, which created a
clean slate, highlighting the high neck and sculptural aspects of the gown detail. Her makeup
had the same sophistication with a dewy and highlighted base and some subtle bronzed cheeks
that glowed. With such a fancy and detailed dress, there is no doubt she could have added
more jewellery, but she decided to go minimal, and only wore a pair of dangling earrings. This
choice was methodical and brilliant, as it was apparent that the only accessories one needs, are
confidence and a substantial outfit.
A New Chapter for Pearls
This look was the start of a revolution of pearls in fashion. Traditionally, pearls had a formal
place in fashion, and a lot of the time a pretty conservative one, but Ananya’s gown showed how
pearls could shift from traditional conservative embellishments to a modern sculptural medium
used in fashion. She has demonstrated the use of pearls in striking avant-garde silhouettes that
are not only glamorous and timelessgestural mediums, but still count as art. The look provoked
a deluge of designers and fashion fans alike to rethink how they engage with a traditional
material. The sculptural-pearl moment of Ananya Panday foretold the array of which her style
was evolving, and her inclination to take risks, which make her a true fashion trailblazer for her
generation.