- Aishwarya Rai's yellow saree at Cannes 2002 was designed by Neeta Lulla
- Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted a look that reflected Indian ethos, not Western
- The saree used Banarasi net fabric with antique zardozi embroidery on borders
One of the most iconic looks seen at Cannes remains Aishwarya Rai's yellow saree for her debut on the red carpet in 2002. Designed by Neeta Lulla, it remains the actor's most memorable outfit at the Cannes Film Festival, where she was accompanied by co-actor Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Even Alia Bhatt, on her second outing at the film festival, praised Aishwarya's debut look and called it "iconic". "A Cannes look that actually goes down in my memory as absolutely iconic would have to be Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the Devdas premiere. The beautiful saree that she wore and just her face-it was so iconic," she added.
Taking to Instagram, designer Neeta Lulla shared details about how she designed the saree, the fabric she used, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's brief.
How Aishwarya Rai's Iconic Devdas Cannes Saree Was Created
"This was the saree that I had made for the premiere of Devdas at Cannes. The first time an actor or a production house had taken a movie to the Cannes Film Festival," Neeta Lulla shared in her video.
Sharing the brief that the director gave her for Aishwarya's look, she confessed, "Sanjay Leela Bhansali was very sure that it had to exude Paro. It had to exude something that did not look Western yet had the Indian ethos to it."
"Taking my inspiration from the fabrics I had used in Devdas, which was the Dhakai net, it is a Banarasi net that felt like a Dhakai cotton," she further shared, adding, "I used Canary yellow as my colour of choice, which was embroidered in antique zardozi just at borders to team it with a beautiful gold choker and earrings."
The designer added little bootis (gold dots) on the Banarasi net, adding a grandiose effect to the saree. Reflecting on her work, she said, "Even I looked at it and felt, 'My God! What did this colour do to the saree, and how did the impact of the embroidery come about on something so simple.'"
"From the red carpet to becoming one of the most iconic Cannes fashion moments, the look continues to live on, with even Alia Bhatt calling it one of her favourite Cannes looks," the designer concluded in her Instagram post.
When it comes to Indians at Cannes, designers and influencers often talk about Aishwarya Rai's debut. It truly deserves to be called "iconic".
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