It was a good night for Arab and Indian fashion designers at the Bafta Awards in London on Sunday night, with three high-profile actresses opting to wear looks from India, Lebanon and Morocco.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, who presented the award for Best Film Not in the English Language to Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest, looked ethereal in a champagne-coloured, beaded sari by Indian designer Sabyasachi.
Updated with a simple strap across the back, rather than a traditional blouse, the sari swept over her left shoulder to the floor. Entirely covered in tone-on-tone beading, the effect was highly sophisticated and stylish.
Elsewhere on the red carpet were looks from the Mena region, with actress Emily Blunt wearing a beaded, cut-out look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab.
Blunt also opted a shade of nude for her beaded gown, which featured a high neck, bishop sleeves and a fitted skirt that flowed behind into a short train. The outfit was embellished with putty-coloured beads and featured a diamond cut-out detailing around the waist.
Fantasia Barrino-Taylor, meanwhile, who was nominated for her role in The Color Purple wore a dazzling red look, featuring folds of bright fabric around the shoulders and hip, custom-made by Moroccan-Dutch designer Mohamed Benchellal.
The designer was born to Moroccan parents, but raised in the Netherlands, and his brand, which won the Vogue Arabia Fashion Prize in 2020, is now becoming a go-to for celebrities looking to create a “moment” on the red carpet.
