Swirl domination: How Gaurav Gupta’s gowns took over global fashion

It’s Gupta’s year. His gowns have shown up at the Oscars, Grammys and Paris Couture Week. How to run a global empire from Noida? Burst out of your own seams

“When you wear Gaurav Gupta’s clothes, you get sex!” Gupta, 44, knows exactly what his designs do for chic international celebrities and picky Indian brides. “Our clothes are made on scientific principles and are very flattering – everybody looks taller, leaner and sexier. They play up the fantasy angle. They make people want to give you love bites,” he says.

Gupta launched his eponymous label in 2005. His work, over the years has become bolder, freer, more distinctive. (Rubina A. Khan)

Cardi B has been photographed in custom Gaurav Gupta designs multiple times, most memorably at the Grammys red carpet this year, in an electric-blue gown that swept around her waist to suspend delicately around her shoulders and head like a gauzy hood. (Getty Images)

Beyoncé, who rarely repeats designers within a short span, wore his designs three times on her ongoing Renaissance World Tour.

Gaurav Gupta showed his signature gravity-defying waves, curlicues and cinched designs at Paris Couture Week in January this year.

Gupta opines, “At fittings, Brides will ask me if they look nice in that shade of yellow, and I won’t hesitate to tell them that they don’t!” (Porus Vimadalal)

Gupta’s gown, worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Cannes last year, took 20 days and 100 craftspeople to create.

Jenna Ortega, Jennifer Hudson, Lizzo, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra have all been showing off Gupta’s creations. Gupta first showed the fluid looks that were to become his signature style, in 2010. (Getty Images)