The Met Gala is a highly anticipated event each year. With many watching to see how each designer has interpreted the theme. This year’s theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.
Diljit Dosanjh is an Indian singer and actor who debuted in Hollywood on the Met Gala red carpet. His outfit was particularly loved by getting voted Best Dressed on Vogue. Diljit’s outfit (styled by Prabal Gurung) was a powerful tribute to Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. The outfit is rich with Indian craftsmanship, blending traditional and contemporary. Being a significant cultural statement, highlights his Punjabi roots and Sikh heritage, displaying his identity with pride.
The 2025 Met Gala witnessed a striking cultural clash centred around the iconic Patiala Necklace, a historic jewel originally owned by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala in 1928. Bollywood star Diljit Dosanjh, making a regal debut at the event in traditional Punjabi attire, sought to wear the original necklace as a tribute to his heritage. However, Cartier, the French luxury brand that who commissioned the company in 1928 with the vast collection of gems to create the necklace and later after the necklace was lost, restored it and currently controls the necklace, denied his request, citing that the piece is sealed in a museum.
This piece holds a special position in Indian tradition as a representation of wealth, , regal authority, and a nuanced heritage. It symbolises the great wealth of royal India as well as the extravagant lifestyle of the Maharaja. The necklace’s exquisite diamonds and elaborate design are a monument to the era’s high standards for jewellery craftsmanship and artistic traditions.
Therefore, their refusal sparked widespread outrage and accusations of cultural insensitivity and racial bias, especially since American influencer Emma Chamberlain had worn part of the same necklace at the 2022 Met Gala without issue. Chamberlain, a Cartier brand ambassador, donned the necklace as a symbol of European craftsmanship and restoration, which critics argue framed the jewel as a Western possession rather than an Indian cultural heirloom.
The controversy highlights a deeper narrative about cultural ownership and colonial legacy. When Emma Chamberlain wore the necklace, it was presented as Cartier’s resurrection of a lost European treasure, emphasising brand prestige rather than Indian heritage. In contrast, Diljit’s attempt to wear it would have shifted the narrative to one of reclamation and post-colonial justice, raising uncomfortable questions about the necklace’s colonial past and the looting of Indian royal treasures. For Cartier, allowing Diljit to wear the necklace might have meant acknowledging this fraught history and surrendering control over the narrative. Instead, they chose to preserve a curated image of luxury and European custodianship, effectively gatekeeping a piece of Indian cultural jewellery from its rightful lineage.
The incident sparked a broader conversation on social media about double standards in fashion and cultural representation. Fans and commentators criticised the luxury brand for what they saw as a blatant example of cultural appropriation and racism, questioning why a Western influencer could wear a colonially looted Indian royal heirloom for aesthetics, while an Indian artist was denied access to his own cultural legacy.
In the end, the Patiala Necklace controversy is a reminder that the stories behind iconic pieces of art and jewellery are not just about beauty or craftsmanship, but about the people and cultures they represent. Cartier’s decision may have preserved its own narrative, but it also highlighted the lingering shadows of history that luxury brands cannot simply curate away. As the world watches, it becomes clear that true respect for heritage means more than displaying treasures-it means honoring their origins and the voices that have long been left out of the conversation.
Research Links
- https://economictimes.com/magazines/panache/a-tale-of-two-met-galas-why-cartier-denied-diljit-dosanjh-but-let-emma-chamberlain-wear-the-maharaja-of-patialas-legacy/articleshow/120937717.cms
- https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/fashion/story/diljit-dosanjh-emma-chamberlain-and-the-cartier-controversy-about-patiala-necklace-2721185-2025-05-07
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/diljit-dosanjhs-fans-call-out-racism-over-met-gala-look-fume-over-punjabi-star-being-denied-permission-to-wear-patiala-necklace/articleshow/120952908.cms
- https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/cartier-under-fire-for-letting-emma-chamberlain-wear-1928-s-patiala-necklace-but-denying-diljit-dosanjh-at-met-gala-2025-article-13017081.html
- https://www.indulgexpress.com/fashion/2025/May/07/met-gala-2025-why-did-cartier-deny-diljit-dosanjh-but-let-emma-chamberlain-wear-the-maharaja-of-patialas-necklace
- https://www.reddit.com/r/BollyBlindsNGossip/comments/1kfyj4o/apparently_diljit_was_unable_to_obtain_the/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCgMho0NOfI
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJXKboBuFeR/
