Inside 2025’s Most-Worn Aisha Rao Looks: Celebrity Edition (Pt. 1)
2025 gave us a front-row seat to what happens when craftsmanship meets instinct, and our silhouettes found their way onto celebrities who understood both.
Every year brings its own rhythm, but 2025 stood out for confidence. Instead of leaning on excess, our celebrities gravitated towards pieces that carried intention: fabrics that held their own shape, embroidery placed exactly where it needed to be, and colours that shifted with movement rather than demanding attention.
Across red carpets, screenings, festivals, and private celebrations, our garments travelled more than we expected and told stories we didn’t script… but recognised instantly. Some reached for our softest organzas, others chose the strength of Banarasi tissue, and some trusted silhouettes that moved with deliberate fluidity.
Part 1 brings together twelve of the year’s most memorable celebrity sightings where the garment, the craft, and the wearer aligned seamlessly. Not the loudest sightings, but the most considered ones.
Alfia Jafri | Shinora Saree, Matilda
Alfia opened the year in a palette that felt almost weightless. The Shinora saree’s ivory–olive pairing sits in that space between soft and sculptural, the kind of crease-resistant fluidity that reads like ease but is anything but simple.
On her, the mulberry crepe behaved exactly as intended: clean lines, uninterrupted movement, and just enough surface interest to let the appliqué speak without overpowering the silhouette. It set the tone for the year; pieces that didn’t need to “perform,” only to be worn with intention.
Rakul Preet | Dreamlight Lehenga, Wild at Heart
Rakul’s appearance in Dreamlight reminded us why this lehenga has become a bride-favourite without ever relying on volume for drama. The piece plays with light almost like a collaborator: catching it softly, letting it slip through, never holding it hostage.
On her, the entire look settled into that rare balance: movement without noise, shimmer without demand, and a silhouette that carried emotion instead of spectacle. It was an early hint that 2025 would lean toward pieces that breathe.
Allu Arjun | Teakberry Gunmetal Organza Kurta
Menswear found its own rhythm this year, and Allu Arjun wearing Cherrycloud’s Teakberry–Gunmetal kurta was a moment that shifted the tone. The organza’s transparency worked as a structure rather than delicacy, a deliberate softening of a classic silhouette without reducing its authority.
The restrained palette, the sheen that appeared only when he moved, the understated tailoring proved that menswear can be expressive without ever tipping into excess. A subtle pivot, but a significant one at that.
Rashmika Mandanna | Lovestone, Wild at Heart
Rashmika’s Lovestone look was where craft and light entered a slow, deliberate conversation. The Banarasi tissue brocade laid the foundation—firm enough to hold its shape, yet soft enough to appear weightless—while the tulle overlay added a kind of suspended shimmer.
The appliqué and beadwork didn’t sparkle on command; they surfaced gradually, the way handcrafted details should. On her, the ensemble became a study in restraint: all structure up close, all softness from afar.
Allu Sneha Reddy | Custom Wild at Heart
While Reddy’s look was custom, what she wore reflected the Wild at Heart ethos perfectly: silhouettes that lead with emotion, not embellishment. The collection has always been about pieces that reveal themselves layer by layer, never at first glance, and Sneha’s appearance continued that story.
A reminder that custom doesn’t mean extravagant; it means tailored to a person’s rhythm, not to passing trends.
Sanya Malhotra | Sunflair Gown, Wild at Heart
Sanya's choosing Sunflair in black was a moment that altered the gown’s identity completely. Originally imagined in luminous gold, the silhouette turns sculptural in black. The Banarasi tissue bodice let each appliqué sit like a shadow until caught by movement, while the taffeta satin skirt brought volume without heaviness.
On Sanya, Sunflair didn’t dominate the room; it anchored it. A masterclass in how drama and subtlety can coexist without competing.
Ayushmann Khurrana | Bailora Black Organza Kurta
Ayushmann’s Bailora kurta was another strong chapter in the evolution of menswear this year. Black organza can easily tip into the theatrical, but on him it held its ground. Structured, matte in parts, reflective where needed.
The look balanced softness with precision, letting the fabric do the expressive work while the silhouette stayed sharply tailored. A clean, confident reminder that minimalism can be just as striking as maximalism when crafted well.
Ritu Varma | Édelise Saree, Matilda
Ritu wore the Édelise saree with exactly the kind of ease the Matilda collection was built for. The melon georgette offered movement without collapse, and the appliqué detailing added dimension that never fought the drape.
On her, the saree felt like an extension of the body: unfussy, contemporary, and intricate. It was one of those rare sightings where the craft didn’t sit on top of the garment; it lived inside it.
Emily Shah | Pantsuit & Jacquard Gown
Emily gave us two distinct moods this year: both intentional, both unmistakably hers. In the multicoloured sequin pantsuit, she leaned into controlled playfulness: structured tulle, sharp lines, and surface texture that caught the eye without overwhelming it.
In the jacquard gown, on the other hand, she shifted completely with a softer palette, sculpted bodice, and fluid skirt. Two contrasting looks, yet the same through-line: a preference for pieces that carry personality without drowning it.
Huma Qureshi | Coastal Cadence, Starboard & Port
Huma’s double-breasted blazer and pants from Starboard & Port brought tailoring back into the conversation. Coastal Cadence has always been about movement within structure, and on Huma, the look held shape while still feeling effortless.
Clean lines, thoughtful embellishment, and a silhouette that grounded rather than exaggerated, this was a refreshing reminder that suiting can be as expressive as couture when treated with intention.
Soha Ali Khan | Gracielle Dress, Matilda
Soha in the Gracielle babydoll dress was a study in contrast: black tulle softened by intricate appliqué, volume tempered by transparency. The silhouette felt young without feeling whimsical, detailed without tipping into ornate.
Matilda’s signature handwriting—that balance of delicacy and discipline—came through quietly but clearly. On Soha, the dress moved exactly the way it was meant to: deliberately, with confidence.
Kajal Aggarwal | Lunavia Gown, Matilda
Kajal closed the year in a burst of controlled colour with the Lunavia gown. Multicoloured sequin georgette can easily overpower a frame, but here the print distribution and embellishment were engineered to follow movement instead of competing with it.
On her, the gown felt vibrant yet grounded, a reminder that maximalism, when done with precision, can feel surprisingly refined.
Together, these moments shaped a year in which our garments traveled far beyond their sketches. Each celebrity brought their own rhythm to the silhouette they chose, allowing the craft to settle differently on every body, in every light, across every occasion.
If there was a common thread in 2025, it was this: intention over excess, movement over spectacle, and detail that revealed itself only when invited. Part 1 captures a fraction of that journey. And the year had so much more to say.
For a closer look at the collections behind these moments, explore the full range of Aisha Rao here.