MUMBAI — About 14,000 guests gathered for the wedding reception of industrialist and business tycoon Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son, Anant, 29, bringing to a close more than four months of celebrations on Sunday night.
The bride, Radhika Merchant, is the daughter of Shaila Merchant and Viren Merchant.
Anant Ambani and his mother Nita Ambani arriving at the wedding. (Photo by Sujit Jaiswal/Getty Images)
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Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man with a net worth estimated at about $120 billion, and his wife Nita spearheaded a celebration that would surpass the huge, extravagant ceremonies they held for their daughter Isha in 2018 and son Akash in 2019. Retail and fashion industry analysts said although it was a private ceremony, it would change the course of India’s estimated $75 billion wedding market, already a driver for the country’s fashion designers.
The level of attraction was explosive.
India’s top designers were clearly focused on working with thousands of weavers and artisans on adrenaline and creating unique looks for thousands of guests. The wedding, which took place on Friday night at the Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, included global and Indian celebrities, and the focus on designer clothing was clear when you look at the guest list. Priyanka Chopra Jonas wore Tarun Tahiliani, Kim and Khloe Kardashian in saris looked like Manish Malhotra designs, and Bollywood’s biggest stars also wore the brands, along with Anamika Khanna, Falguni, Shane Peacock, Arpita Mehta and Karan Tolani.
Kim and Khloe Kardashian in sarees by Manish Malhotra.
The Ambanis themselves also visited longtime designer duo Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.
For the first time, the focus was not just on who was coming to the event, but also who designed their outfits. “Ten years ago, it was more about buying what was available,” says Parthip Thiyagarajan, CEO and co-founder of digital media platform and aggregator Wedding Sutra. “But now it’s all about personalization, customization and high-end designer clothing.”
Bollywood actress Manushi Chhillar wore a design by Falguni and Shane Peacock.
The design team agreed, saying that more than 80 percent of the styles were custom made for the event, while around 20 percent were purchased from retailers.
While there have been complaints at various levels over the level of ostentatious designs, Thiyagarajan said the wedding is “a very good thing for the industry. We will soon see a lot more inspirational material and it will also help generate jobs economically. I see this as a very positive thing because they did this for their son’s wedding. This is a changing trend in cities, where instead of the bride’s family organising everything, people in big cities are sharing the expenses.”
The focus of the wedding itself was on traditional attire, with everyone from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to top athletes and even the Kardashian sisters donning maang tikkas to complete their Indian look.
But there was plenty of opportunity to diversify.
The celebrations began in March with a three-day pre-wedding event at Ambani’s Jamnagar residence, where Radhika Merchant’s custom-made pink Versace gown drew attention and was later compared to the blue Versace gown she wore for a three-day cruise celebration in Europe in May. On both occasions, many celebrities were in attendance, including Ivanka Trump, Bill Gates and Hillary Clinton.
These special performances included a concert by Rihanna at the March event (for which she was reportedly paid an estimated $6 million), and appearances by Katy Perry, the Backstreet Boys and Pitbull during a European cruise. Justin Bieber (for an estimated $10 million) performed at last week’s sangeet ceremony, and this week Rema, Luis Fonsi and top Indian singers AR Rahman, Shreya Ghoshal and Sukhbir have all appeared.
Industry estimates of the cost of the wedding ranged from $350 million to $600 million.
All three of his children have taken over the family business, with his daughter Isha now the managing director of Reliance Retail and Anant, the youngest of the three siblings, heading the energy division.
Reliance Retail is a leading fashion retailer, and its subsidiary Reliance Brands has similarly brought leading brands such as Armani Exchange, Burberry, Canali, Diesel, Emporio Armani, Gas, Giorgio Armani, Hamleys, Hugo Boss and Jimmy Choo to India and has worked closely with many designers who are heavily involved in weddings. Reliance Brands also has stakes in designer-led companies in India, including acquiring a 40% stake in Manish Malhotra’s label in 2021 and a 51% stake in Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla (AJSK) in 2022.
Here, we take a look at some of the key designers the Ambanis chose for their wedding and beyond.
Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla: They have been Ambani’s favourite designers for a long time.
“We’ve had a wonderful and much-cherished relationship with the Ambani family that spans 30 years,” designer Sandeep Khosla told WWD. The duo designed the bride and groom outfits for Isha and Anand Piramal in 2018 and Shloka and Akash in 2019, as well as other weddings. The designers told WWD that their designs “reimagined and reinvented classic couture” and that they drew on “unparalleled craftsmanship” in creating their wedding designs.
“Anant Ambani is a connoisseur of crafts and couture. His outfits had to be spectacular. The engagement gala (high-necked jacket) was made of real silver dipped in gold. We focused on the Persian midnight garden and the gold wedding sherwani – museum-worthy pieces. His outfits also feature animal and bird motifs in abundance, paying tribute to his passionate love for animals, especially elephants.
Nita Ambani in a design by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.
“Radhika’s outfits, too, were imagined long, hard and deep,” they said of the lengthy process of creating a unique story. “For her sangeet, she wore a Swarovski crystal masterpiece lehenga and a pure ivory, red and gold zardozi bridal ghagra inspired by traditional Gujarati bridal wear.
“Radhika’s first outfit after her wedding is an incredible piece of wearable art, created in collaboration with master artist Jayasri Burman, who has painted a masterpiece-like lehenga. The embroidery was done by us and conceived by the incredible style icon and film producer Rhea Kapoor. It’s high art with Frida Kahlo-esque kitsch.”
“For Nita Ambani and Isha Ambani Piramal, we created the Rankat Ghagra, paying tribute to the magnificent textile traditions of Banarasi. Embroidered with zardozi, zari and sequins, it is an iconic piece of exceptional elegance and beauty.”
“Yes, it was a dream to design this unique wedding and we poured our heart and soul and creative imagination into it, as well as the blood, sweat and tears that were required.
“It was an unforgettable experience,” Khosla said.
Manish Malhotra has long been one of India’s top-selling designers and a favourite with Bollywood stars. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, he’s known for his glamour and weddings.
He created a number of designs for guests and the Ambani family, focusing on traditional Indian craftsmanship, Banarasi fabrics and style. Standouts at the event included Kim Kardashian’s ivory lehenga with an off-the-shoulder silk blouse embroidered with floral motifs and pale gold detailing, Khloe Kardashian’s custom gold lehenga made of handwoven brocade and paisley motifs, with shimmering pearl threads and gold beadwork cascading down the back and handwoven tissue draping, and Kim Kardashian’s eye-catching crimson sari.
Nita Ambani wore a look by Manish Malhotra.
Tarun Tahiliani is known for his draping with form and fluidity: for Chopra Jonas’ wedding, he designed a yellow saffron lehenga adorned with fluttering 3D embroidered flowers and petals, and he has also designed for Isha and Radhika Ambani, as well as a host of Bollywood celebrities.
Kolkata-based Anamika Khanna has quickly become one of the top designers in the country. She was one of the first Indian designers to show at Paris Fashion Week and is known for her chic silhouettes. She designed a number of outfits for the event, but it was her eye-catching floral stoles for the Haldi ceremony and her outfit for Radhika Merchant for Sunday’s event that really caught people’s attention.
“Radhika’s outfit for her reception on Sunday was a collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana and was the perfect blend of Indian culture and international elements,” she told WWD. “Keeping in mind that it was an Indian wedding reception, we fused the two together. The gold satin saree drape was paired with a fully hand embroidered stole which was two-tiered with a mix of hand embroidery techniques (zardosi and aari). Rhea Kapoor and I worked closely to bring this look together, from the silhouette to the colour palette to the pieces. Every element was very thoughtfully curated and once the reception outfit was decided, the corset was chosen and flown in.”
