- Sudha Reddy wore a USD 15 million necklace at the Met Gala in New York
- The necklace features a 550-carat violet-blue tanzanite pendant called Queen of Merelani
- Her outfit was designed by Manish Malhotra with themes from South Indian textile traditions
On the biggest fashion night, celebrities and television personalities showcase their finest couture. However, Sudha Reddy, a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur, took the theme, Costume Art, of the annual fundraising event and gave shutterbugs a look they will remember for years to come.
It wasn't just the Manish Malhotra ensemble that drew attention, but also her million-dollar necklace that truly stole the spotlight at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. According to People, the necklace was from her private collection and was valued at USD 15 million (approximately Rs 142.8 crore).
Sudha Reddy's Rs 142 Crore Necklace At The Met Gala
Stylist Mariel Haenn told the publication that the necklace belonged to Sudha Reddy and features a Victorian-finish chain of large pear- and triangular-shaped rose-cut diamonds. The gems, set in floral clusters, elevate the centre of the necklace - a 550-carat deep violet-blue tanzanite pendant that originates from Tanzania's Merelani Hills.
The pendant is referred to as the 'Queen of Merelani'.
The entire look was completed with a 30-carat rose-cut polki diamond ring and a 40-carat Asscher-cut Colombian emerald with a diamond halo set in 18-carat yellow gold.
Sudha Reddy's Met Gala Outfit
Taking to her Instagram, Sudha Reddy shared, "Hyderabad is not just my origin; it is a language, a rhythm, a way of being. Through this look, I aspired to translate that sensibility into a form that could exist effortlessly on a global stage while remaining deeply rooted in the South Indian imagination."
"The Tree of Life, envisioned by Manish Malhotra in collaboration with Mariel Haenn, becomes the central metaphor for an unfolding of time, memory and continuity. Drawing from the storytelling traditions of Kalamkari, it is reinterpreted here as something sculptural and alive, where every thread holds a fragment of history," she added, highlighting the craft.
"This ensemble is not about nostalgia, it is about evolution," the businesswoman said, adding that the 3000-year-old textile tradition was recontextualised through form, texture, and movement. It featured sculpted velvet, antique gold zari, and intricate zardozi, creating an archival piece.
The motifs of Palapitta, Jammi Chettu, Kalpavriksha, Tangedu, Surya, Chandra, and Kalpa further elevated the outfit.
"What moves me most is the human touch behind it all. Thousands of hours, countless hands, generations of knowledge woven, embroidered and shaped into a single moment," added Sudha Reddy.
"For me, this is what costume art can be: not just adornment, but a living archive. A way of carrying heritage forward not as something fixed, but as something that continues to grow, transform, and speak," she concluded.
Sudha Reddy debuted at the Met Gala red carpet in 2021 in a Falguni Shane Peacock ensemble.