Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur made his Met Gala debut.a Phulghar coat

His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur made his Met Gala debut in a look developed with @prabalgurung and realised entirely in Jaipur a Phulghar coat constructed in deep velvet, quilted with cotton, and completed in more than 600 hours with aari and zardozi embroidery, finished with dabka and resham work by Yash and Ashima Tholia and their team.

The Phulghar is not a new form. It is a garment with a long history in the royal wardrobe of the Jaipur court; a quilted overcoat worn at durbars and ceremonial occasions, most notably by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II, one of Jaipur's most visionary rulers. His refinement of dress and his patronage of craft left an enduring mark on the royal wardrobe of this city. Examples from this tradition have been part of the collection @citypalacemuseumjaipur, and they speak to an unbroken lineage of craft at the Jaipur court.

The most specific point of connection is at the back of the Phulghar - a mirror sun motif drawn from the Sri Niwas @jaipurcitypalace. The Sri Niwas, with its distinctive mirrored interiors, is one of the most significant spaces within the Palace complex. For @pachojaipur, the motif is not decorative. It is a declaration of origin, placed where it appears only when he turns, and recedes when he faces forward.

From Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh IIs sartorial influence to the mirrored interiors of Sri Niwas - the references are here, in this city, in this museum, as they have always been.