From Cherthala To The Met Gala 2025: How 500 Artisans From Kerala Wove Magic Into This Year’s Met Gala Red Carpet

As fashion’s elite glided across the midnight blue carpet at the 2025 Met Gala, few may have paused to wonder where it came from. Even fewer would imagine that it started in the quiet town of Cherthala, which is located in the Alleppey region of Kerala. However, for Sivan Santhosh and the 500 artisans of Neytt by Extraweave, the day symbolised the pinnacle of precision, fervour, and heritage.

After creating an abstract, swirling design in 2023 as a nod to Karl Lagerfeld and a red-and-blue striped design in 2022, Neytt created the carpet for the Met Gala for the third time. The 2025 edition, which was hand-painted by New York artist Cy Gavin and featured a beautiful blue field adorned with narcissus blossoms, was motivated by ideas of identity and self-recognition for the Costume Institute’s exhibit Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

The artisans, however, had already worked their magic before the artist could even pick up a brush.

 

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“It took us close to 90 days”, shares Sivan Santhosh, founder and CEO of Neytt by Extraweave. “Around 500 people worked on different stages of the carpet’s production.” Crafted from 6,840 sq m of sisal fibre—sourced from Madagascar and known for its strength and texture—the material was meticulously processed in-house. “The fibre is first sorted by hand, then spun into yarn, sheared, converted into bobbins, and finally woven on our looms,” he explains. “Even a single impurity in the fibre could create a visible streak once laid out wall-to-wall, so we maintain strict quality checks at every stage.” 

Each of the 57 rolls, measuring 4×30 m, was obsessively checked. “Zero margin for error”, Santhosh says. And yet, despite the high stakes, the team has come to embrace the challenge. “The first year was harder,” he admits. “It was new, and we had to prototype multiple times to get the weave, materials, and finish just right. But with every year, the learning curve has made us stronger”. 

The opportunity to supply carpets for the Met Gala originally came through Fiberworks, a long-time buyer of Extraweave based in Kentucky. At first, the team didn’t even realise the end destination. “We were told it was a big event,” says Santhosh with a laugh. “Only after the initial prototypes were approved did they tell us it was for the Met. We were ecstatic—but also cautious. We didn’t claim any credit that first year. Only in the second year did we announce it publicly.” 

For 2025, Neytt was again entrusted with the base canvas. While the theme details are always closely guarded under strict NDAs, the Neytt team was informed early about the general aesthetic direction. “We make the base carpet, and it is later painted by artists in the US. This year, Cy Gavin transformed it into something poetic—a daffodil field that tied beautifully with the Gala’s theme,” Santhosh says.

Founded in 2021, Neytt has always had a dual mission—push sustainability and spotlight South Indian craftsmanship on the global stage. “Most people associate luxury rugs with North India. I wanted to change that narrative and show what the South has to offer,” Santhosh says. 

 

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This ethos is personal. Santhosh’s family has been in the coir and natural fibre business since 1917. His grandfather made doormats. Today, his team crafts carpets for one of fashion’s most iconic nights. But for him, the spotlight is best shared.

“This recognition is not just for the brand. It’s for our artisans, our workers, and everyone who’s been a part of this journey,” he says. “And I hope it motivates more Indian brands to dream big. The world is watching.”