Celebrating India At The Cannes Film Festival

“Immersed in absolute grandeur, wrapped with the glory of a profound legacy;

Celebrating the evolution of arts, narrating the saga of signature luxury.”

A red-carpet promenade may be the greatest desire for millions; for us, it is an artisanal victory.

We are officially in the era of Indian wear leading the show at international events. The season had a glorious beginning with Isha Ambani striding in a 26-border dress to the Met Gala to honor the textile diversity of India and Manish Malhotra wearing the names of all artisans with their three-dimensional motifs crafted onto his statement Bandhgala suit.

Joining the momentum, 91Threads took its first step on the global stage with Bhumika Shajwani, Mrs. India Elite UMB 2025 gracing the Cannes Film Festival this year in an ivory silk gown paired with a deep red Maharani cape, crafted meticulously at our in-house studio.

The creation, weighing over 16 kilograms, is not just another luxury garment. It’s a modern tale of heritage, envisioned by Ms. Sandhya Singh- the founder of 91Threads, mentored by Ms. Jyotsna Sharma (Chief Operating Officer), conceptualized by our creative designers and executed by a team of over 40 artisans beyond the 1000-hour timeline. Let’s take a look at the spectacular intricacies of this masterpiece that stole the spotlight at Cannes while multiplying patrons of Indian arts across the world.

Recreating The Classic Gown

The core of the garment is a finely woven ivory silk gown, an snazzy fit designed to quietly flatter the wearer’s frame. With a subtle bodycon silhouette and soft drapes cascading into a daring slit, the gown is embedded with regional arts such as Kutchi work in vivid colors. Intricate beads and mirror embroidery create a zestful blend over the silken canvas, transforming the classic western-style maxi gown into a glamorous, fusion outfit.

The Maharani Cape

The ivory gown is complemented with a long, deep red cape inspired by an era that unapologetically distinguished the royals with maximalism. The cape, crafted with detachable layers, embodies the cultural essence of Gujarat with a myriad of arts & crafts from across the state.

Navgrah- a concept derived from ancient Vedic astrology dictates the colorful formation over the 56-meter cape, put together with double ikkat Patola motifs, Saudagiri prints, and an assortment of shells, mirrors, beads, and thread embroidery.

Each Patola motif on the cape is handwoven with pure mulberry silk yarns shaded in deep tones of blue, white, and red before weaving, in tune with the meticulous process of the fabric. The GI-tagged art, executed flawlessly by a national-award winning weaver from Rajkot, Gujarat, records this garment as one of the first to showcase the royal Patola weave at the prestigious Cannes event.

Saudagiri, a rare 300-year-old hand block printing technique is another GI tagged art from Gujarat that has lent a hint of zest to the cape. Elevating the white panels with Indo-Siam motifs, the print is not just an aesthetic detail but a heart-filled attempt by the Saudagiri artisans to revive this vanishing art and bring it back into the mainstream.

These handwoven motifs and block-printed panels have been put together by our dedicated team of karigars, who have not only infused these two indigenous arts but have also elevated the Navgrah composition with hundreds of shells, thread-work edged mirrors, intricate beaded art and several other regional embroideries. Their excellent craftsmanship adds a final touch of finesse to the garment, defining it as a new benchmark for 91Threads. The three-month journey has been collection of beautiful moments for the 91Threads Team, and witnessing the garment metamorphose from yarns to the final masterpiece has been a one-of-a-kind experience.

By showcasing the Maharani cape gown at Cannes, 91Threads has placed the spotlight on multiple heritage crafts and the faces dedicatedly keeping the legacy of Indian textiles alive. 91Threads also humbly shares this glory with Ms. Shilpa Patel, Chairperson of the Craft Council of Gujarat, who has supported the team throughout the crafting process.

This is just a step that furthers our vision. We look forward to weaving the most gorgeous stories inspired by Indian heritage and restore them for the modern era.