Met Gala 2026: Ananya Birla Slays in Robert Wun and a Steel Face Mask From Subodh Gupta

Ananya Birla took a moment for herself as she made her debut at Met Gala 2026 in not one but two outfits, and took the internet by storm. Fashion critics are applauding her style chops and rightly so.  

Embracing the evening’s ‘Fashion is Art’ dress code, Ananya went all out with her ensemble. Styled by ace Rhea Kapoor, Ananya dressed in a high-octane all-black fit by Robert Wun. The look focused on a tailored, blazer-style bodice that wrapped around Ananya’s waist tightly before flaring into sculptural peplum.

The top, structured, flowed into a floor-length, voluminous, pleated skirt that was crafted in a high-shine fabric that caught and reflected light. The silhouette felt every bit cinematic in its design and structure, with strong shoulders and a presence that commands attention when on the red carpet. However, the ensemble didn’t just end there. If you focus on the details, you can see a crisp light blue shirt detail hidden behind the collar and cuffs. The little detail brought a rather androgynous energy to the fit, taking the edge for the monochrome palette to look perfectly in sync with the theme whilst also keeping the look intriguing.

What gave a rather elevated look to the concept of the fit was a Subodh Gupta addition to the ensemble. Known for transforming Indian objects of daily use into artful pieces, Subodh added a layer of metallic glam to Ananya’s structured fit as he introduced stainless steel elements translated as wearable sculpture to complete the look.

The high-end mask was detailed to mirror an armour, reflecting light and creating a sense of strength and softness co-existing in her outfit. Rhea Kapoor later took to her social media, sharing her thoughts on the outfit she created for Ananya for the event. She said that she created a piece that functions as both a disguise, obscuring the wearer’s identity, and a visage of foreboding strength. “The work sends mixed signals: the wearer who dons this piece becomes a superhero yet one who comes out of the humble beginnings of the common household. Extending this idea, Robert Wun reinterprets the codes of everyday workwear, pushing the ordinary further into the realm of the extraordinary. What we pass by without notice are reimagined to their maximum impact,” her post read.

Completing the look, accessories were kept minimal with a statement choker from Mehta and Sons that did not take attention away from the ensemble, rather fitting like a missing piece of a puzzle. Her makeup ensured it complemented the fit.

For her second look, she wore an Ashi Studio couture creation. The outfit featured custom jewels, including yellow diamonds and cognac diamonds embedded in the bodice, giving the ensemble a molten sculptural look. The detailing of the fit and the metallic tones gave her the look of a bronze statue, and was hence titled, “The Bronze Woman – The Aftermath I.”