Mayyur Girotra makes his Met Gala debut

Fashion consultant and stylist, Diya Mehta Jatia is back on the Met carpet. Her debut appearance saw her “covered in crystals… and chaos” in a Bloni ensemble. This year, with ‘Fashion is Art’ as the dress code and with Costume Art coming out of the basement and into the galleries, guests have in turn been challenged to put their fashion where their art is. And Jatia returns championing a chaotic art-craft hybrid in the most aesthetic way. A completely handcrafted and custom-made statement by designer Mayyur Girotra.

The last time these two got together, we saw the launch of The Kadai Chronicles with zardozi on denim stealing the show and becoming a trousseau-staple. So, it’s no surprise the duo have once again channelled her edge and eclecticism with his impeccable craftsmanship and singular design language to create another masterpiece. This time, they’ve brought together the east and south. Of course, showcasing both crafts in the designer’s own unique way.

The fine filigree-like detailing along the bodice and panel is inspired and made by Sholapith master craftspeople from Bengal. Shola is an endangered craft you will recognise from the Bengali bride and grooms' crowns called the topor and mukut, and the Daker-saaj on Durga idols. Ofcourse, the spongy cork-like core of the plant usually used for this craft was substituted with a very malleable and delicate rubber-like material (usually used to make baby shoes and accessories). Made from industrial waste and completely sustainable, it remains in keeping with the eco-friendly spirit of shola. While the metallic peeking through the ivory sculptural sheath is a classic Kanjeevaram, woven at a cluster in Kanchipuram that Girotra has collaborated and worked with over the years.

Girotra is no stranger to dressing India’s who’s who for everything from weddings to red-carpets. But this one was truly special, the designer, tells us how it all came together:

Your first met gala look, congratulations! How did this all come about?

“It all started with an Insta story. I posted one on the Met theme as it was announced because it really excited me. I loved the idea—for me art was at the core of it. Diya saw my story and DM’d. She agreed that she thought the theme very interesting too and added that she was going again this year. Next thing I know she says, ‘Let’s do it!’ I thought she was kidding, she obviously wasn’t. I obviously said yes, and we were on immediately.”

Bengal’s Sholapith work forms the core inspiration and craft behind the look—how and why did your mind go there?

“After our chat, I was lost in thought for the next few days. I realised I was sure of a few things: I wanted to work with a strong artform, I wanted to do something uniquely Indian, and I wanted to work with a cluster. So, in my head I was very clear. And so was she. We both knew that if we were doing this together, we would return to grassroots. I love shola, as an art form. I have a lot of flowers and home decor made with shola at home. I knew it was elegant and beautiful, I just didn't know how successful I'd be with it. That’s when I decided I had to go to Kolkata and meet the master craftspeople. We went, we explored and we recorded the whole process. We got the finest of artisans to work on the craft. They recommended the substitute materials to use, and it was a truly collaborative effort. They travelled back to Delhi with us, and we worked on this at my atelier over nine weeks.”

Shola with a Kanjeevaram base. Tell us about how the two crafts came together?

“We started our sampling process, once we were back from Kolkata with the shola master artisans. I was sure that the base fabric had to be a strong handloom weave and nothing else. And one thing led to the next. I was inspired by baroque and French architecture—that's the aesthetic that embodies the outfit. So, I wanted a nice metallic gold and silver mix. And I knew it had to be silk. I already work very closely with weavers in Kanchipuram, I knew whom to contact and how to get this done. We have a lovely understanding and working relationship. The next thing we knew, we were bringing Bengal and South India together and creating a strong Indian art and craft story in this.”

There’s a lot of talk on how massive the Met Gala is now, and how it’s changing. What does it mean for a designer like you?

“The Met Gala has always been the most iconic platform to showcase fashion. It’s bespoke, theme-based, and every designer goes out of the box creating archival- and museum-worthy pieces. Me becoming a part of it and showcasing what I can create on that platform is just a dream come true. It’s not just Diya walking down that Met carpet, it’s the craft and craftsmanship that that walked the red carpet with her. It’s just the most beautiful platform one can think of, I’m super excited.”