Natasha Poonawalla wears a Sabyasachi sari to attend 2022 Met Gala

'I often wondered when I would see the sari at big global fashion events like the Met Gala,' designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee reflected of the sartorial moment

Natasha Poonawalla in a Sabyasachi sari paired with an ornate Schiaparelli Couture corset. EPA

India businesswoman Natasha Poonawalla arrives at the In America: An Anthology of Fashion-themed Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, on Monday, May 2, 2022. Reuters

Poonawalla is the executive director of the Serum Institute of India and chairperson of Villoo Poonawalla Foundation. AFP

Poonawalla attends the 2022 Prince's Trust Gala at Cipriani 25 Broadway on April 28, 2022 in New York City. AFP

Poonawalla married Adar Poonawalla, chief executive of the Serum Institute of India, in 2006. EPA

From left: Dua Lipa, Marcus Piggott, Kristen McMenamy, Mert Alas and Poonawalla attend a cocktail reception ahead of The Fashion Awards 2021 at London's Royal Albert Hall on November 29, 2021. Getty Images

Editor-in-chief of British 'Vogue', Edward Enninful, and Poonawalla attend an exclusive party hosted by Frieze and Versace to celebrate London's creative community at Toklas on October 15, 2021. Getty Images for Frieze

Poonawalla attends the British Vogue x Tiffany & Co. Fashion and Film party at The Londoner Hotel in London on September 20, 2021. Getty Images

Poonawalla attends the LuisaViaRoma for Unicef event at La Certosa di San Giacomo on July 31, 2021 in Capri, Italy. Getty Images for Luisaviaroma

Indian actress, model and singer Priyanka Chopra and Poonawalla on day 12 of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 10, 2021. Getty Images

Poonawalla at the Exhibition Opening of L'Exibition[niste] by Christian Louboutin as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2020/2021 on February 24, 2020. Getty Images For Christian Louboutin

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, meet American musician Katy Perry and Poonawalla as they arrive at a reception for supporters of the British Asian Trust in London on February 4, 2020. Getty Images

Kristina O'Neill, Poonawalla, Imran Amed and Nikhil Mansata at an intimate presentation and cocktail event in celebration of BoF China Prize 2018 winner, Caroline Hu. This was held at Hotel Ritz in Paris. Getty Images for The Business of Fashion

Evangelo Bousis, Natasha Poonawalla and Peter Dundas at the 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2019 in New York City. AFP

Poonawalla at Michael Muller's HEAVEN, presented by The Art of Elysium, on January 5, 2019 in Los Angeles. AFP

Serum Institute of India's Executive Director Adar Poonawalla and his wife Natasha launch the country's first nasal H1N1 vaccine, 'Nasovac', at a news conference in Mumbai on July 14, 2010. AFP

Indian businesswoman Natasha Poonawalla is a Met Gala regular, and this year she pulled out all the stops wearing a golden sari on The Metropolitan Museum of Art's red carpet.

Poonawalla's striking look was created by Sabyasachi, worn with an ornate Schiaparelli Couture corset that curves over her head.

According to the label's Instagram, the sari "celebrates Indian craftsmanship", the gold handcrafted piece is "embroidered with silk floss thread and embellished with bevel beads, semi-precious stones, crystals, sequins and appliqued printed velvet".

The look was accessorised with custom Sabyasachi Fine Jewellery pieces.

Designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee wrote of his design: “For me the sari is a truly unique and versatile garment that owns its identity even as it transcends boundaries and geographies. Back when I was a young fashion student, I often wondered when I would see the sari at big global fashion events like the Met Gala.”

Celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania styled Poonawalla for the event, and her sari was draped by Dolly Jain.

On Instagram, Jain said she was "in awe of this Indian take on Gilded Glamour".

"To be able to witness such an iconic fashion-meets-art moment in New York, and be a small part of it feels truly surreal. Between the flowing drape of her bespoke embroidered gold Sabyasachi sari and the architectural lines of her armour-esque gold metallic Schiaparelli couture bustier, Natasha strikes a note that is both feminine yet strong, bold yet beautiful," Jain wrote.

This year, the Met Gala's Gilded Glamour theme honoured New York's 19th century golden age between 1870 and 1890, with full Regency-style dresses expected on the red carpet. Like Poonawalla, a host of the A-list names in attendance took the gilded theme literally, dressing in head-to-toe gold.

Moschino seemed to be the fashion house behind many of the golden looks — the label dressed Khloe Kardashian, Megan Thee Stallion, Michaela Jae Rodriguez and Ariana DeBose, who was co-ordinated with designer Jeremy Scott in a black and gold design.

See all the looks from the 2022 Met Gala:

Event co-hosts Blake Lively, wearing Atelier Versace, and Ryan Reynolds arrive at the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2. EPA

Kim Kardashian, in Marilyn Monroe's 'Happy Birthday, Mr President' dress, and Pete Davidson. AFP

Kylie Jenner wears an off-white wedding dress-style gown. AFP

Billie Eilish, wearing Gucci. Reuters

Gigi Hadid, wearing a Versace jumpsuit and puffer. AP Photo

Kendall Jenner, in a full black gown. AFP

Bella Hadid, wearing a black lace design. AFP

Daniel Roseberry and Carey Mulligan, wearing a gown with a gold bodice and train by Schiaparelli. AFP

Megan Thee Stallion, wearing in a gold two-piece Moschino design. Reuters

Lizzo, wearing black and gold Thom Browne. AP Photo

Khloe Kardashian, wearing a gold column Moschino gown. AFP

Emma Stone, wearing Louis Vuitton. EPA

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, both wearing Thom Browne. Reuters

Cynthia Erivo, wearing Louis Vuitton. EPA

Camila Cabello, wearing all-white Prabal Gurung. Reuters

Camila Mendes, wearing a gold Ami dress. AFP

Shawn Mendes, wearing Tommy Hilfiger. EPA

Dakota Johnson, wearing Gucci. AP

Austin Butler and Priscilla Presley, wearing Prada. AP Photo

Kate Moss, wearing a black velvet Burberry gown. AFP

Vanessa Hudgens, wearing a sheer black gown by Moschino. EPA

Kacey Musgraves, wearing Moschino. EPA

YouTuber Emma Chamberlain, wearing Louis Vuitton. AFP

Anna Wintour, wearing a multi-coloured sequin gown. EPA

Kris Jenner, wearing a yellow kaftan-style dress. AFP

Co-chair of the 2022 Met Gala Lin-Manuel Miranda and his wife Vanessa Nadal. AFP

Gemma Chan, wearing Louis Vuitton. AP Photo

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, wearing Louis Vuitton. AFP

Phoebe Dynevor, wearing Louis Vuitton. AP

Maude Apatow, wearing a sheer black Miu Miu dress. EPA

Amber Valletta, wearing a gold gown. EPA

Kaia Gerber, wearing shimmering Alexander McQueen. AFP

Dove Cameron, in a sheer gown with wing detail. AFP

Miranda Kerr, wearing white Oscar de la Renta. EPA

Jared Leto, matching Gucci's Alessandro Michele, both wearing Gucci. AP Photo

Addison Rae, wearing a shimmering gown. AFP

Awkwafina, wearing a peach to red ombre gown. AP Photo

Emily Ratajkowski, wearing vintage Versace. AFP

Lily James, in a beaded gown. AFP

Lily Allen, wearing a feathered Chanel gown, with husband David Harbour. AFP

Lily Aldridge, in a crystal Khaite gown. AFP

Simone Ashley, in a black skirt with a gold crop top by Moschino. AFP

Chloe Bailey, in a full gold gown. AP Photo

Naomi Campbell, in a black Burberry gown with sequinned detail. AP Photo

Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy. AP Photo

Cara Delevingne, wearing a red suit. AFP

Elon Musk, wearing white tie, with his mother, Maye Musk. AFP

Emma Corrin, wearing oversized Miu Miu. AP Photo

Gwen Stefani, wearing neon yellow Vera Wang. EPA

Kerry Washington, wearing black sheer Tory Burch. EPA

Jessica Chastain, wearing oxblood sequinned Gucci. AFP

Amy Schumer, Venus Williams, Gabriela Hearst and Xiye Bastida in head-to-toe black on the red carpet. EPA

Tessa Thompson, wearing pink tulle Carolina Herrera. AFP

Ariana DeBose, wearing black and gold Moschino. EPA

Sarah Jessica Parker, wearing monochrome Christopher John Rogers. EPA

Michaela Jae Rodriguez, wearing ombre gold and silver Moschino. AFP

Anitta, wearing purple peplum Moschino. AP Photo

Lila Grace Moss, wearing a nude sheer Burberry gown. AFP

Nicki Minaj, wearing a full black Burberry gown. EPA

Bad Bunny, wearing Burberry. AFP

Karlie Kloss, wearing lace Givenchy. AFP

Cardi B, in a gold gown. EPA

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz in a pink Givenchy dress. EPA

Glenn Close, in a pink caped dress, and Italian designer Pier Paolo Pasolini. AFP

Katy Perry, in a black dress with a full train. AFP

Winnie Harlow, in a white tulle design. AFP

Nicola Coughlan, wearing a black and pink gown. AFP