6 best-dressed stars at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s pre-wedding bash, from Rihanna’s ‘royal’ outfit and Mark Zuckerberg’s Alexander McQueen suit, to Ivanka Trump’s Manish Malhotra styles
Jamnagar, in western India, played host to billionaires, celebrities, Bollywood stars and politicians from across the globe as pre-wedding celebrations for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant (whose wedding is scheduled for July 12) got under way.
Anant is the son of Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries conglomerate, who has an estimated net worth of US$117.8 billion, according to Forbes magazine.
Being one of the richest men in the world means hanging out with the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. It also means you can get superstar Rihanna to give her first full performance in years and have elephants, lavish decor and designer everything in what some media have estimated to be a US$153 million celebration.
Of course, when there are billionaires around, then you can be sure that plenty of custom-made designer outfits will be spotted too. It has been widely reported that guests were given a nine-page document detailing dress code requirements over the three-day celebration.
The Ambani family ensured guests were catered for in terms of grooming services, providing hair stylists and make-up artists for everyone. Some of the themes in the dress code for the celebratory extravaganza included “jungle fever” and “dazzling” Indian outfits, The Times reported.
Here are just six of the unmissable fashion moments from the weekend.
Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s lavish pre-wedding extravaganza
1. Mark Zuckerberg
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan may be known for their conservative fashion choices, but that certainly changed at the lavish Ambani pre-wedding celebration.
The multi-day event saw the Zuckerbergs embracing loud luxury. On Friday, they wore Alexander McQueen ensembles that set them back US$22,000 in total. Per Vogue India, Chan’s floor-length black gown with gold floral accents cost US$15,000 while Zuck’s McQueen firefly-themed jacket is US$7,000.
The next day, Zuckerberg opted for another bold look, wearing a tiger-themed shirt by Delhi-based designer Rahul Mishra. Business Insider reported that the price of this shirt is only available on request.
Later that day, the couple wore outfits designed by Mishra. Chan selected a two-piece outfit with nature-themed accessories, including two gold birds. Zuck matched his wife’s outfit, with his look including wildlife and flower designs. Although the exact set is not available on Mishra’s website, a two-piece lehenga set for women can cost up to US$12,799.
2. Ivanka Trump
Per Vogue India, Ivanka Trump chose designer Manish Malhotra to style her for the entire three-day event. For Ambani and Merchant’s hastakshar (“signing”) ceremony, she wore a lime green outfit that turned heads at the luxe event. The Kashmiri lehenga showed off Trump’s physique to perfection.
She also stunned in a white outfit and a metallic look.
In an Instagram Story, she thanked the designer, saying, “Your designs didn’t just dress me: they told a story and celebrated the rich, vibrant and warm culture of India.”
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3. Rihanna
New images of Rihanna’s performance in Jamnagar for the Ambani pre-wedding festivities continue to spread across the internet. Hindustan Times commented that her green and pink look made her look like Indian royalty.
An Ambani fan social media account released images of Rihanna wearing a pink embroidered jacket, jazzed up with several necklaces. The outfit was embellished with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, creating a flawless traditional Indian look.
4. Alia Bhatt
One of the dress codes for the pre-wedding celebrations was “more is more”, and British-Indian actress Alia Bhatt stunned in a figure-hugging Andrea Brocca dress. The strapless gown had a thigh-high slit and beaded embroidery.
On day two, the actress wore a embellished gold lehenga. Per Hindustan Times, the outfit was designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, with her styling done by Rhea Kapoor. She complimented the outfit with traditional Indian jewellery including a gold maang tikka at her forehead, and statement earrings.
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5. Isha Ambani
Sister to the groom, businesswoman, mum to twins, heiress … and she had Beyoncé perform at her own wedding celebrations back in 2018. Isha Ambani, fashionista extraordinaire, was certainly not going to attend her sibling’s wedding festivities without making a splash.
According to Vogue India, Isha wore a minimum of 10 outfits during the three-day celebration – from Miss Sohee, to Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
6. Nita Ambani
If you know the Ambani family, you’ll know that Nita, the family matriarch, loves emeralds. So when her youngest son Anant, with whom she shares a particularly close relationship, was celebrating his impending marriage, there was zero doubt that she’d bring out her best gemstones.
Still, nothing prepared the internet for the astounding size and quantity of the emeralds. The mother of the groom wore a neutral toned Manish Malhotra sari complemented with a behemoth of an emerald necklace.
