For the Gold House Gala in New York City, marking 25 years of Priyanka Chopra Jonas on the global stage, Amit Aggarwal envisioned a custom couture look that honoured heritage through a contemporary lens. Created in collaboration with stylist Ami Patel, the ensemble was born from a shared vision to create something deeply connected to Priyanka’s roots while reflecting the evolution of Indian craftsmanship on an international platform.
Being from Uttar Pradesh, India, it held special meaning for Priyanka Chopra Jonas to spotlight a craft closely tied to her origins. The foundation of the concept became Chikankari, the historic embroidery tradition native to Lucknow, known for its delicacy, translucence, and quiet strength. The way light filters through Chikankari symbolised Priyanka herself, someone constantly evolving, transcending boundaries, and carrying Indian identity onto the global stage.
At the centre of the couture creation was a two-decade-old sari, transformed and reimagined into a contemporary silhouette through months of meticulous craftsmanship. Working with a textile already rich in memory and history added emotional depth to the garment, making it feel deeply personal and generational.
Over one and a half months, women artisans across generations came together to hand-embroider the textile in its entirety. The creation pays tribute to the women who continue to preserve and evolve India’s textile legacy. Every detail of the garment reflected the dedication, precision, and lived craftsmanship of the artisans who brought it to life.
The inspiration merged heritage, biomimicry, and contemporary design through the intricate geometry of Mughal jalis, reinterpreted alongside parametric architecture. Inspired by the spiralling structure of the human DNA helix, the narrative explored how historical ornamentation and modern forms emerge from the same natural intelligence embedded within life itself.
At the heart of each embroidered ogee motif, radiant forms expanded outward like sunrays, creating movement, luminosity, and energy throughout the garment. Structural embroidery layered over the soft translucency of Chikankari created a compelling dialogue between delicacy and strength. Sculptural corsetry, rubber cord detailing, glass beadwork, and industrial materials transformed the textile into a creation that felt both ethereal and architectural.
The ivory colour palette and radiating embroidery evoked a luminous sense of grace, resilience, and rarity. The contrast between the fragile textile and strong architectural silhouettes created a powerful balance between softness and strength, echoing the spirit of both the craft and the women who brought it to life.
The couture ensemble ultimately became a celebration of craftsmanship and heritage, where tradition was reinterpreted through a modern global lens. Through this creation, Amit Aggarwal brought together memory and innovation, softness and structure, and tradition and modernity in a singular artistic expression.
Quote:
“Designing for Priyanka Chopra Jonas on the occasion of Gold Gala, her being honoured for 25 years in cinema was a reflection of creation that has unfolded with purpose and translates it into craft, form and emotion. Her journey is not defined by milestones alone, but the way she has continuously expanded her traditional roots and takes the world over. I felt compelled to translate that spirit into something tactile, where craft becomes language and textile becomes memory. Working with the artisans, every thread of Chikankari carried the weight of tradition, while every materiality and form integrated into a contemporary dialogue. For Priyanka, the translucency of the textile juxtaposed with the strength of structure embodies a dichotomy that exists within all of us, softness and resilience coexisting simultaneously and ultimately creating a truly remarkable ensemble that reflects both her journey and spirit.”
