The two-year masterpiece: Nita Ambani honours Bengal’s Jamdani in New York

While the typical global red carpet is marked by fads and flamboyant designs, Nita Ambani leveraged her recent appearance at a New York event to promote a different kind of luxury—one that takes time to develop. As the chairperson of Reliance Foundation, she appeared on the red carpet wearing a Jamdani saree that took Indian weavers two years to weave.

All you need to know about Nita Ambani’s Jamdani that took two years to weave

The ‘tribal lore’ saree by Swadesh had been handmade in Phulia, West Bengal by the Padma Shri awardee Biren Kumar Basak. The entire white saree was steeped in Indian history and heritage, having meenakari Jamdani work on it with figurative depictions along with tribal designs. The saree border featured fish designs, which traditionally represent prosperity, while the pallu included scenes of animals, nature and even humans.

The Jamdani weaving technique is so intricate that it has earned a place on the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This style involves the extra-weft method, where motifs are woven in manually using denser threads, which are added to the already fine warp. This technique requires a great deal of time and patience, and this particular piece took a staggering 24 months to complete.

In an interview at the event, Nita explained that India was now wielding soft power. Indeed, there is nothing more appropriate for such a diplomatic gesture than her outfit, which she paired with a three-stranded pearl necklace and a striking emerald ring, along with a soft glam makeup look, complete with green bindi and glossy pink lips.

Nita Ambani opted for silks for the evening gala

For the Gala, Nita Ambani wore a handwoven Banarasi saree from Swadesh, paired with a handcrafted Manish Malhotra blouse. Woven in Katan silk using the intricate Kadwa technique by master artisans Raheem and Gulzar, the saree took five months to complete. She styled her look with a singular antique marvel, a 101-carat pinkish brown old mine rose-cut pear from a storied Nizami lineage from her personal collection.

The blouse a confluence of contemporary expression and heritage detail, the geometric tweed inspired texture was reinterpreted through detailed Indian handcraft, telling the story of how traditions evolve beautifully across generations. Finished with delicate black floral embroidery along the edges, the look carried a softness and quiet elegance throughout.

Not only did Nita represent her nation with her clothing choice, but she also endorsed the wave of Indian craftsmanship sweeping across the world.

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