As highlighted by Chopra Jonas, the importance of pausing to acknowledge the victory of good over evil is more crucial than ever. Adorned in a shimmering Zuhair Murad two-piece embellished with beads, crystals, and mirrors, she praised Acharia for her relentless efforts in promoting South Asian talent globally. After all, she is the mastermind behind the JaiHo remix, as pointed out by publicist Anita Chatterjee.
Kal Penn, the actor who played a pivotal role in organizing the inaugural official U.S. Diwali celebration in 2009 during Barack Obamaâs presidency, expressed his astonishment at the growth of representation within the industry.
âEveryone here is at the pinnacle of their careers,â shared Jessel Taank, a cast member from Real Housewives of New York and the founder of OUSHQ, in an interview with Vogue. âWe haven’t always received the recognition we deserve. To have a platform and an evening like this in New York City is phenomenal.â The couture enthusiast, who seizes every chance to spotlight Indian designers, chose Sawan Gandhi for her look reflecting her Bravo royal status.
Saturday night, surrounded by candlelit gazebos, guests enjoyed whiskey cocktails made with The Glenlivet’s 12-year-old Chai variant and Pista Halwa margaritas. Given the high demand for reservations at Indian-American celebrity chef Vikas Khanna’s Bungalow, which earned recognition among New York’s top 100 restaurants, guests were ecstatic to indulge in a delightful spread of traditional dishes from the restaurant.
At 11 p.m., Acharia took to the stage and invited everyone indoors, where more surprises awaited. For this special evening, the Britain native donned an extravagant outfit crafted by design duo Falguni Shane Peacock, a choice echoed by several notable figures, including standout actress Avantika from the Mean Girls musical, Bozoma Saint John, Bollywood star Bhumi Pednekar, Divya Mathur, the chief merchant officer at Revolve, and Priya Shukla, Danielle Frankel’s new head of VIP. Model Madhulika Sharma sported a standout Gaurav Gupta creation, while Pritika Swarup, founder of Pratki Beauty, complemented her striking green beaded outfit with vibrant emerald jewelry. âCheers to the glitterati,â the stylish group toasted over glasses of Champagne.
The gala, benefiting His Majesty King Charles’ British Asian Trust, continued into the early hours of the morning, with Indo WareHouse providing music and energizing the crowd. âI’ll be dancing all night,â proclaimed designer Prabal Gurung to Vogue. âThis event is incredibly meaningful to me; itâs one of my favorite times to gather with friends and celebrate.â
After enjoying late-night bites courtesy of Bungalow, guests departed with sets of mini highlighters from Live Tinted, the innovative beauty brand that sprang from founder Deepica Mutyala’s viral YouTube video, where she expertly masked her under-eye circles with red lipstick due to a lack of products suited for her Indian skin tone. Each gift-wrapped box, adorned with ribbon, bore the message: âHappy Diwali. Wishing you a year filled with joy and brightness.â
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images
Nick Jonas in Anita Dongre and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Zuhair Murad
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Prabal Gurung and Anjula Acharia