By May 20, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan still hadn’t arrived on the Croisette. The wait, as always, was part of the show. Her Amit Aggarwal ‘Luminara’ couture gown had already broken the internet on day one, and then she did it again, the same day. This time, she brought company.
A Mother-Daughter Moment At Cannes
Aishwarya attended Lights on Women’s Worth, the annual L’Oreal Paris event that shines a spotlight on emerging women in filmmaking, with her 14-year-old daughter Aaradhya by her side. The two walked in as a unit and dressed like one too.
Aishwarya wore a blush pink couture gown by Sophie Couture, an Azerbaijan-based luxury fashion house. The dress, which is listed on the brand’s website at roughly Rs 3,54,163, was nothing short of extraordinary. A strapless corseted bodice sat at the top, with Fortuny pleating running through the fabric and Swarovski-crystal floral embellishments in rose gold, copper and deep mauve scattered across it. The florals didn’t stop at the chest either, they travelled down toward the hips, giving the gown a layered, dimensional quality that kept drawing the eye.
The skirt itself was structured in satin-silk crepe, with asymmetric ruching pulled tight around the waist before loosening into a floor-sweeping silhouette. A sheer chiffon cape and an extended train finished the look, adding just enough drama without tipping into excess.
A Shift In Aishwarya’s Cannes Playbook
Those who follow Aishwarya’s red carpet history at Cannes will notice she took a slightly different direction this year. Rather than going for maximum volume, she leaned into structure and body-consciousness, letting the tailoring do the talking. It felt sharper and more elegant, a matured take on the theatrical glamour she has always brought to the festival.
Celebrity stylist Mohit Rai was responsible for putting the look together.
The Finishing Details
Aishwarya also switched things up in the beauty department. Gone was her usual centre parting. Instead, she went with a deep side part, voluminous Hollywood waves, and a new burgundy tint running through her hair. The auburn warmth in her hair played well against the blush tones of the gown. For makeup, she kept things harmonious with the palette. A matte base, winged eyeliner, shimmery eyeshadow, mascara-heavy lashes, feathered brows and a muted rose-pink lip came together effortlessly without overshadowing the dress. A generous sweep of highlighter and rouge-tinted cheeks rounded it all out.
For jewellery, she kept things minimal. With the cape and the Swarovski-crystal floral embellishments already adding visual weight to the look, she chose delicate drop earrings peeking through her waves and statement rings on both hands.
Aaradhya Holds Her Own
Aaradhya, dressed in a deep ruby-red satin gown with a shimmering matching cape, looked every bit her mother’s daughter. Her hair fell in loose curls with a side part, giving her an effortlessly elegant finish. The contrast between her rich crimson and her mother’s soft blush made for a striking visual pairing that felt intentional rather than accidental.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Electric Blue Look
The actress looked like an electrifying vision in a custom Amit Aggarwal-designed ‘Luminara’ couture gown. Centred around the idea of light in motion, the abyss blue ensemble looked luminous with crystal vein embroidery on the former Miss World, who has been gracing Cannes for 24 years as a global ambassador for L’Oreal Paris.
The look was brought to life by influential celebrity stylist Mohit Rai. He is among India’s most influential celebrity stylists turned fashion designers. The NIFT graduate has spent over 15 years shaping the public image of stars, including Paris Hilton, Sonam Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Disha Patani, and Vaani Kapoor, before co-founding his craft-first fashion label, ITRH, in 2019 with his college friend Ridhi Bansal.
