Under the golden sun of the French Riviera, where the world’s most iconic red carpet meets the flash of haute couture, Indian designer Sanjukta Dutta delivered a masterclass in cultural couture that left fashion insiders breathless. At the 78th Cannes Film Festival, amidst a constellation of global style, Sanjukta’s signature silks shimmered with stories — draping elegance, power, and heritage into every handcrafted thread.
This year, three international divas stepped onto the scarlet steps of the Palais des Festivals, not just wearing fashion — but wearing legacy:
This year, three international divas stepped onto the scarlet steps of the Palais des Festivals, not just wearing fashion — but wearing legacy:
- Valeriya Hjertenaes, Mrs. World Congeniality, floated in a dream of intricate weaves — an ethereal ensemble adorned with motifs drawn from ancient Assamese folklore. Timeless, regal, magnetic.
- Mirka Howard, Ms. Italy Globe Supermodel, stunned in a sculpted silhouette that married the drama of European couture with the soul of Indian silk — a look that whispered elegance and roared innovation.
- Jasleen Soni, Mrs. NoveCosmo, reigned like modern royalty in a bold, jewel-toned drape. It was a statement of strength, femininity, and unapologetic cultural pride.
Every ensemble was a symphony in silk, a visual sonnet spun on looms soaked in Assamese history — elevated into modernity by Sanjukta’s fearless imagination and globally-savvy design language. These weren’t just outfits. They were moving murals, poetry stitched into couture, commanding the carpet with narrative grace.
From Assam to the Croisette: The Designer Who Redefined Red Carpet Couture
For the fifth year in a row, Sanjukta Dutta has proven that Indian handloom isn’t a quiet whisper at the fashion table — it’s a showstopper. Her presence at Cannes has become a moment of annual reverence, where silk speaks louder than sequins and heritage walks taller than trends.
A force across the globe — from Lakmé Fashion Week to New York, Milan, and Paris Fashion Week — Sanjukta’s artistry is stitched not just in thread but in emotion, in intention, in identity. Her vision: to decolonize couture, to put Indian weaves not behind, but at the front of fashion’s biggest moments.
This Is What Fashion With a Soul Looks Like
At a time when fashion is shifting — toward the sustainable, the authentic, the story-rich — Sanjukta Dutta leads the charge with garments that honor their origins. Her creations are odes to the artisans of Assam, love letters to Indian craft, and battle cries for global recognition.
Her work is slow fashion with star power, couture that doesn’t just flatter the body — it awakens the soul. She doesn’t just dress celebrities; she drapes them in heritage. And Cannes 2025 was her canvas — bold, brilliant, breathtaking.
Her Vision Is Crystal Clear
Sanjukta Dutta’s mission is nothing short of revolutionary: to elevate Indian handloom from the sidelines of souvenir stalls to the center of high fashion, where it belongs. Not as an accessory. Not as a novelty. But as the main event.
A Legacy That Walked the Red Carpet
As the camera flashes painted the Riviera in starlight and the fashion press took note, one truth sparkled brighter than any jewel: Sanjukta Dutta is not just designing clothes — she’s weaving a legacy. A legacy of women. Of artistry. Of India’s soul.
And this year at Cannes, that legacy didn’t just walk the red carpet. It owned it.
