From the red carpet to social media, Indian talent made a resounding impact at the Met Gala 2025. Dressed in exquisitely crafted ensembles by India’s finest artisans, Indian celebrities made a big splash at the Met Gala 2025, securing three spots in the top 15 most influential list.
Indian actress Kiara Advani topped the global ranking, as the most influential celebrity at the Met Gala on social media, surpassing American influencer Kylie Jenner and even Korean pop stars, generating $17.8 million in EMV (earned media value). On the 10th spot was globally renowned Punjabi artist Diljit Dosanjh, followed by Shah Rukh Khan at number 12, as per Lefty, a social media analytics platform.
But the spotlight didn’t stop with the celebrities. Behind the scenes, Indian craftsmanship also took centre stage.
Among the Indian designers represented at the Met Gala, a standout was Jaipur-based Golecha Jewels, who created Diljit Dosanjh’s necklace, a homage to the iconic Cartier Patiala necklace. It earned Golecha the 6th spot among the most influential jewellery and watch brands at the Met Gala 2025. Golecha outperformed globally established jewellery brands such as Boucheron, Pasquale Bruni, and Jacob & Co. According to Launchmetrics, a leading media analytics platform, Golecha generated $2.8 million in Media Impact Value (MIV)—trailing closely behind Chopard, which clocked in at $3.1 million.
In an exclusive interview with Shilpa Dhamija, Manav Golecha of Golecha Jewels reflects on his Met Gala experience and why opportunities like these are crucial for establishing India’s culture and commerce, globally.
How did the collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh come about?
We were approached by Abhilasha, Diljit’s stylist, to create a necklace that paid homage to the iconic Cartier necklace from the early 1900s, made for the Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh. We didn’t make the necklace exactly like the original one but reimagined what it may have possibly looked like in the early stages of its design. It had to complement the ivory sherwani and turban made by designer Prabal Gurung. We also had to ensure that the necklace with its many layers stayed intact and did not swing about. From designing to making the final piece, it took about three months to bring Diljit’s jewellery to life—just in time for the Met Gala.
How did you reimagine the iconic Cartier Patiala necklace?
For Diljit’s look, we designed a vintage iteration of the Patiala necklace with layers of strings that fell like a curtain. The Patiala style necklace is already a popular design among jewellers in India.
The original Patiala necklace by Cartier was primarily made with nearly 2,900 white diamonds and the 234.65-carat De Beers’ yellow diamond at the centre of the pendant. In our version, we decided to add more colour with a Colombian emerald of about 130 carats at the centre and about 55 to 60 carats of Burmese rubies along the centre lines. We also used rose cuts on the diamonds to bring a royal, vintage look to the piece.
We have stores in Jaipur and Mumbai. The jewellery for Diljit’s Met Gala ensemble was created in our Jaipur atelier where we employ about 100 skilled artisans. Our expert artisans worked for nearly 2,000 hours to craft the perfect vintage iteration of the original Patiala necklace. We had to work very discreetly on this project because of the event’s exclusivity.
Could you tell us more about Golecha Jewels as a brand and its design philosophy? What are some of the most notable jewellery pieces you’ve created over the years?
My father, Vijay Golecha, and his brother, Sandeep, started the brand in Jaipur in 1996. We do not come from a background of jewellers and have strategically carved a niche for ourselves in a market that is already quite crowded.
We have done wedding jewellery for Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Nick Jonas, and many more celebrities. We also pioneered fine jewellery designs for Bollywood movies starting with Umrao Jaan. Since then, we have made jewellery for nearly 80 Indian movies.
What has been your biggest learning from these experiences?
I feel that for Indian brands to succeed and be respected globally, it is essential that our own people begin to view and appreciate us as much as they do international names. My other learning is that when an opportunity like the Met Gala comes to one’s doorstep, one should do everything possible to make the most of it.
When one is part of such projects, it is important to trust the stylist’s vision. It is crucial to remember that such opportunities often demand team effort, and they are not all about one single brand or person.
How has the Met Gala appearance enhanced your brand visibility?
We have received congratulatory messages and media features from around the world, including The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue. We did not expect to receive so much publicity. We are proud to take Jaipur to the Met Gala. When my father and uncle started the Golecha brand, their tagline was ‘Born to Create History,’ and I hope we continue to live by that message.