Billionaire Philanthropist Sudha Reddy Wore 180 Carat Diamond Necklace Worth $10 Million to Met Gala 2024
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Fashion's biggest night got even bigger yesterday.
Sudha Reddy—an Indian philanthropist and self-described "avid connoisseur of art, fashion, and the finer things in life"—showed up at the 2024 Met Gala wearing a 180 carat diamond necklace from her personal jewelry collection. The jaw-dropping piece, which is said to be worth a whopping $10 million, is adorned with four large, heart-shaped diamonds and connected by 21 luminescent round diamonds. Additionally, she wore two rings—one with a 23 carat yellow diamond and another with 20 carat heart-shaped diamond—also both from her personal collection.
"The Amore Eterno was a 25th anniversary present from my husband [Megha Krishna Reddy] to me," Reddy tells Town & Country. "I designed it along with Farah Khan Ali. The largest of the four heart-shaped diamonds represents my husband, Krishna, while the next one is myself, and the other two adjacent ones represent our sons, Pranav and Manas. The necklace, for me, stands for an everlasting bond of love and connection. I think it matches my heart-shaped ring well and I’m always about the passion and positivity so it’s natural for the hearts to be my favorite designs."
Reddy paired the scene-stealing jewels with a custom ivory silk gown designed by Indian couturier Tarun Tahiliani. The intricate dress was handcrafted, taking more than 4,500 to complete, and perfectly embodies this year's dress code of "The Garden of Time."
"It was quite an exhilarating experience," says Reddy. "There were over 80 artisans working on putting this ensemble together which for me is a true testament to the spirit of collaboration."
Her dress featured a corseted bodice with a miniature self-portrait of Reddy herself holding a delicate rose, symbolizing the promise of hope and peace, as well as a crystal shoulder accessory created by Miodrag Guberinić, a New York-based designer who has frequently worked with Lady Gaga and Madonna.
Most notably, the bodice was detailed with thousands of French knots, Indian couching embroidery, shimmering silk threads, hand-carved mother-of-pearl flowers to symbolize luminosity and permanence, and 3D butterflies for the cycle of life. Topping off her look, Reddy wore a voluminous cape made of panels of embroidered tulle.
According to Reddy, the entire look was meant to serve as a metaphor for India's artistic revival, "mirroring the nation's current creative and cultural boom and showcasing the beauty and depth of Indian craftsmanship and design."
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"The outfit conjures imagery of a blossoming garden, inviting the viewer to embrace authenticity in an ever-changing world," she adds. "A metaphor for India as a sleeping beauty that is reawakening, the outfit celebrates the timelessness of heritage workmanship, transcendence of temporal boundaries and the eternal cycle of renewal and regeneration."
This was Reddy's second time attending the Met Gala. The businesswoman, who has long been a proud supporter of the Met Costume Institute and the museum's South Asian arts programming, previously attended the 2021 event celebrating the In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion exhibit. That night, she wore a Falguni Shane Peacock creation.
"I love the gala's theme and went all out on it," Reddy says of this year's Sleeping Beauties event. "[I was] truly a walking garden, inspired by the Greek Goddess Artemis!"
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