She might as well have had her own runway at the event. The Gaurav Gupta couture she put on was hard to miss. It was more than just red-carpet fare; it was made for a place like this, where they have a thing for both glamour and getting the details right. For our Google Discover readers, put a pin in this one.
We’re talking about a one-off from the Divine Androgyne, a part of Gaurav Gupta’s Spring/Summer 2026 output. The collection is all about the in-between of masculine and feminine, and on Panday it came off as a very fitting mix for the occasion at Piaget.
The look that stole the spotlight
First thing you notice is the tone: a molten blend of champagne and bronze that is as regal as it is cinematic. When the light hit the material, it was like liquid metal, and every time she moved, it followed. There’s a train and a thigh-high slit to keep things from being too staid, so you get the drama with the polish.
But the neckline is what does it. It’s done up in an off-kilter way, with a drape over the collarbone on one side and some beading on the other. The metallic strands run down the back like you’ve put on a piece of jewellery, which gives the whole figure a bit of an elongated, in-motion feel.
Sharp corsetry, fluid draping
Get in close and you’ll see how the gown is put together. The bodice has some sheer illusion work and boning in the style of a corset, with lines drawn in for good measure. It shapes you up but doesn’t look like it, which is a hard balance to strike.
After that, it’s all about let-up. The skirt is made of a satin-like cloth that clings and then lets go with a high slit. It’s the kind of thing that feels current, not something you’d put under glass in a museum.
Styled for maximum impact, minimum clutter
Panday had the sense to let the dress do the talking. A simple centre-parted bun left the neckline alone. Her makeup was no-fuss: good skin, a hint of definition around the eyes, and a nude lip. She finished it with some pointed, crystal-encrusted pumps and a watch you can’t ignore.
It was a smart way to put the focus where it belongs. The watch has a certain power to it, in keeping with the androgynous vibe of the line. And the slit showing off the shoes? That adds a little edge to the whole affair.
Some of the finer points of the outfit:
– An embellished shoulder that draws the eye
– Beads that have a life of their own
– A high slit to offset the train
– A watch with some heft to it, in lieu of bling
Why Monaco, why now
You can’t put this in a vacuum. Monaco is for the ones who like a show with some order to it, and this was it. The gold is as electric in the dark as it is by day, and the draping has an old-world quality to it that chimes with what Piaget is about.
There’s more to it than that, though. You see more of our designers out there these days, and Gupta’s brand of glamour is made for these kinds of rooms. As for Ananya, since she started in front of the camera in 2019, she’s been building a fashion sense that is unafraid of a bold design.
The takeaway
This is what you want from a couturier: a story, not just a shape. With the audacious shoulder and the way the fabric falls, and a watch in place of a heavy necklace, Ananya gave us something that is of the moment and yet will hold up.
The Divine Androgyne is a good argument for contrast. Out in Monaco, it was the one that carried the day.
