Kerala firm weaves its magic at Met Gala

Extraweave from Cherthala crafts stunning red carpet for Met Gala, showcasing Kerala's legacy on a global stage.

As the world turned its gaze to the grand steps of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday night (Tuesday in India), a wave of pride quietly swept through Cherthala in Alappuzha. Global icons Shah Rukh Khan, Kim Kardashian, Zendaya, Bad Bunny, Lewis Hamilton, among others, glided up a striking blue carpet sprinkled with yellow and white daffodils, setting the tone for this year’s Met Gala, fashion’s most dazzling night.

What most did not know was that this eye-catching carpet had its origins at Cherthala. Woven with care and craftsmanship by artisans of Neytt Homes by Extraweave, the carpet carried a piece of Kerala’s legacy into one of the world’s most-exclusive events.

It is the third time Extraweave is supplying red carpets for the Met Gala. Previously, it provided the red carpet for the event in 2022 and 2023. “We manufactured the base carpet (white in colour) in Alappuzha. It was later hand-painted by artists in New York. It was made using the finest and the best quality natural sisal fibre hand-sorted from Madagascar in boucle weave,” said Neytt Homes in a statement.

The company sent 57 rolls of 4x30 m (6,840 sqm) for the event. Around 480 people across different departments worked on the carpet for nearly 90 days to perfect the weave and finish as per Met Gala standards.

“Having manufactured the carpet for the Met Gala for the third time, it feels like more than just a fabric. We are absolutely thrilled and immensely proud to once again contribute to this extraordinary event, a testament to our commitment to quality and passion for making every entrance a moment,” says Sivan Santhosh, founder and chief executive officer of Neytt Homes.

Extraweave has a rich heritage in carpeting and had supplied rugs to the White House, the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, for an event in 2012.

Industries Minister P. Rajeeve congratulated the management and workers of Extraweave for manufacturing the carpet for the Met Gala.