3 min readNew DelhiJul 17, 2026 05:01 PM IST
Nita Ambani recently attended the TIME100 Summit 2026 in New York City in a handwoven Banarasi sari from Swadesh, paired with a handcrafted blouse designed by Manish Malhotra. Woven in Katan silk using the intricate Kadwa technique by master artisans Raheem and Gulzar, the sari took five months to complete.
“Working with her is always a pleasure, where every creation is not just designed, but deeply felt, carrying forward a legacy of Indian craftsmanship,” Malhotra mentioned in the caption of his Instagram post, further describing the blouse as 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,” he further added.
Ambani also styled her look with a singular antique marvel, a 101-carat pinkish-brown old mine rose-cut pear diamond from a storied Nizami lineage from her personal collection. Its warm, earthy hue evokes antique grandeur, while the rare scale of a rose cut to such a size makes it extremely rare.
“Unlike traditional stones, its remarkable transparency reveals a quiet inner depth and an almost soulful presence. Entirely one of a kind, it stands at the intersection of history and rarity, a collector’s treasure that cannot be replicated, only admired for its enduring character and refined individuality. The stone is set in six rows of Basra pearls,” a post on Swadesh’s Instagram page read
Complementing this was an elegant pink pear solitaire diamond ring, refined in its simplicity and presence, bringing a sense of balance and quiet brilliance to the overall composition.
The stone is set in six rows of Basra pearls. (Source: Instagram/@swadesh_online)
Look #2
The Ambani matriarch also slipped into another look during the event, looking elegant in a “tribal lore” Jamdani sari from West Bengal from Swadesh, a Reliance Foundation initiative that empowers Indian artisans and spotlights heritage.
The five yards were woven over 24 months by Padma Shri awardee Biren Kumar Basak in Phulia, West Bengal, who rendered intricate meenakari and tribal motifs, figurative storytelling, and auspicious fish borders with remarkable precision and depth.
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Describing the ensemble as a “rare heirloom, where craftsmanship, storytelling and tradition come together in an iconic weave,” the initiave elaborated on details in the caption of their social media post.
The pallu doubled as a narrative tapestry, alive with ceremonial scenes, human forms, animals, and foliage, each detail outlined with jewel-like intricacy. Across the body, a rhythm of soft pastel stripes is interspersed with richly detailed compositions, creating a balanced interplay of colour and form. The borders, adorned with fish motifs symbolising prosperity and good fortune, anchor the drape in cultural meaning.
