Latest news with #PatialaNecklace
News18
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Raja Kumari On Diljit Dosanjh Being Denied Patiala Necklace For Met Gala
Last Updated: Raja Kumari revealed that French luxury brand Cartier allegedly refused a request to loan the original Patiala Necklace for his Met Gala appearance. Diljit Dosanjh turned heads with an iconic and culturally rich debut at fashion's most iconic night, the Met Gala 2025. With ornate jewellery modelled after the fabled Patiala necklace, his outfit honoured Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. Now, American rapper and singer Svetha Yallapragada Rao, aka Raja Kumari, expressed her fury on why French luxury brand Cartier turned down a request to lend the original Patiala Necklace for Dosanjh's Met Gala appearance. In an interview with Mid-Day, Raja revealed that the 'West still exoticises us', saying, 'Sure, the West still exoticises us. But we're pushing back and saying that we're more than their stereotype. For instance, why didn't Cartier give Diljit the legendary Patiala necklace for his Met Gala appearance? Instead, they gave it to a YouTuber (Emma Chamberlain) two years ago." 'That kind of erasure is infuriating. It's performative inclusion. Yet, we're pushing — that's the shift. They (a US music label) couldn't understand why I insisted on wearing a bindi. That inspired my song, Bindis and bangles," she added. The rapper also recalled when her songs were referred to as 'India or Yogi'. 'Earlier, when I was writing songs for top talents, I used to be the only Indian in the room. They'd call me India or Yogi, and I'd play into it too, with lyrics about mangoes and curry. But we've evolved. Now there are more South Asian stories being told — not just by musicians, but also actors, writers, and directors," she said. In an interview with The New York Times, Diljit's stylist Abhilasha Devnani revealed, 'We tried to borrow that iconic Cartier necklace for the night, but were told it sits sealed in a museum." The choker necklace, a legendary relic of colonial-era luxury, was made by Cartier in 1928 for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. The jewellery, which was designed with 2,930 diamonds and featured the De Beers, the seventh-largest diamond in the world, was lost in 1948 but was eventually found, albeit without the majority of its valuable stones. Shedding light on Diljit's much-appreciated Met Gala appearance, he combined traditional pride with high fashion to draw attention to his origins worldwide by wearing an ivory sherwani embroidered with the Punjabi Gurmukhi alphabet and the map of Punjab. First Published:
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Raja Kumari criticizes Cartier for denying the Patiala necklace to Diljit Dosanjh for the Met Gala
Rapper and songwriter Raja Kumari has voiced her strong disapproval of Cartier 's reported decision to deny the iconic Patiala necklace for his Met Gala appearance. In an interview with Mid-Day, Raja Kumari pointed out the discrepancy, noting that the same necklace, or a part of it, was reportedly given to a YouTuber, Emma Chamberlain, two years prior. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She argued that while the "West still exoticizes us," South Asian artists are "pushing back, saying that we're more than their stereotype." Raja Kumari's take on the representation of South Asian artists in the West The rapper discussed the evolving representation of South Asian artists in Western media. She recalled her earlier experiences as a songwriter, where she was often referred to as "India or Yogi" and sometimes played into stereotypical themes in her lyrics. However, she emphasized the significant progress, stating, "Now there are more South Asian stories being told — not just by musicians, but also actors, writers, and directors." Raja Kumari's Voices against Cartier's decision Addressing the situation with Diljit Dosanjh and the Cartier necklace, Raja Kumari expressed her frustration. "For instance, why didn't Cartier give Diljit the legendary Patiala necklace for his Met Gala appearance? Instead, they gave it to a YouTuber (Emma Chamberlain) two years ago. That kind of erasure is infuriating. It's performative inclusion." She further highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by South Asian artists in maintaining their cultural identity, referencing her own experience: "They (US music label) couldn't understand why I insisted on wearing a bindi. That inspired my song, Bindis and Bangles." Diljit Dosanjh's Met Gala look and the Patiala Necklace For his Met Gala appearance, Diljit Dosanjh embraced a regal Maharaja aesthetic in a custom Prabal Gurung ensemble, featuring a turban, kurta, and tehmat, complemented by a sword. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now His team reportedly attempted to secure the Patiala necklace for the event but were unsuccessful. The Patiala necklace, commissioned by the Maharaja of Patiala from Cartier in 1928, was an extraordinary piece weighing 1,000 carats and containing 2,900 diamonds, valued at ₹10 crore at the time (equivalent to approximately $2.5 billion or ₹21,000 crore today). Contradictory reports on the necklace's availability According to a report in the New York Times, Diljit's stylist, Abhilasha Devnani, "tried to borrow that iconic Cartier necklace for the night" but was informed that "it sits sealed in a museum." However, Raja Kumari's statement references Emma Chamberlain wearing a Cartier choker in 2022 that was reportedly a part of the Patiala Necklace, creating a contradiction regarding the necklace's accessibility and leading to accusations of selective and "performative inclusion."
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Cartier face backlash after denying Indian star permission to wear Maharaja of Patiala's priceless choker to Met Gala - despite white YouTuber wearing it three years prior
Cartier are facing backlash after denying a Punjabi singer permission to wear a choker originally commissioned for an Indian prince at this year's Met Gala - despite letting American influencer Emma Chamberlain borrow it three years ago. Diljit Dosanjh, 41, reportedly wanted to sport the Maharaja of Patiala's necklace to complete his royal-inspired look for his first appearance at the fashion event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The dazzling diamond piece was commissioned by Sir Bhupinder Singh, the early 20th century Punjabi prince who was one of the world's richest men at the time and known for his extravagant lifestyle. Created in 1928, the jewellery weighed 1,000 carats and is the largest necklace Cartier has ever made, reported the New York Times. It housed the 234.6-carat De Beers yellow diamond, the seventh largest polished diamond in the world. But the impressive necklace - estimated to be worth £37million - is surrounded in mystery after 'vanishing' in 1948 before later reappearing in separate parts; the largest diamond turned up at a 1982 Sotheby's auction (valued over £2million). Sixteen years after, another part of the necklace appeared in a small antiques shop in London with all the diamonds missing, reported The Indian Express. It was bought by Cartier, who replaced the missing stones with replicas. For the Met Gala in 2022, the French brand reportedly loaned part of the Patiala necklace to American YouTuber Emma Chamberlain, 23, in celebration of the California fashionista's appointment as a Cartier brand ambassador. But when Diljit's stylist, Abhilasha Devnani, tried to borrow the stunning jewellery for Monday's gala, she was told it sits sealed in a museum, thought to be the V&A in South Kensington, London, where a Cartier exhibition is running until November. Fans online were quick to react to the denial, with one person writing: 'Diljit Dosanjh was denied permission by Cartier to borrow Maharaja of Patiala's choker. But they happily gave it to a white Youtuber a few years ago.' 'Disgusting! Diljit looked super hot even without it,' a second added, while a third wrote: 'This makes me sick.' Another person said: 'It's ironic how this year's MET gala theme centred around colour and culture, yet Cartier denied Diljit Dosanjh the chance to wear a necklace rooted in India and his own heritage, the same necklace Emma Chamberlain wore without issue!' The annual invite-only event has a theme each year, with this year's dress code being 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' inspired by Monica Miller's work, which includes her book Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. Monica is the chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, as well as a professor at the institute. According to Monica, black dandyism is 'a strategy and a tool to rethink identity, to reimagine the self in a different context. To really push a boundary - especially during the time of enslavement, to really push a boundary on who and what counts as human, even,' via Vogue. The 2025 gala theme focused on menswear, 22 years after the 'Men In Skirts' theme - which was the first gala to focus only on menswear. Meanwhile, others were keen to remind X and Reddit users online discussing the issue that the necklace couldn't have been shared with the singer considering it is already at a museum. Fans online were quick to react to the denial, with one person writing: 'Diljit Dosanjh was denied permission by Cartier to borrow Maharaja of Patiala's choker. But they happily gave it to a white Youtuber a few years ago.' Meanwhile, others were keen to remind X and Reddit users online discussing the issue that the necklace couldn't have been shared with the singer considering it is already at a museum. MailOnline has contacted Cartier and representatives of Diljit Dosanjh and Emma Chamberlain for comment. Diljit's ivory and gold ensemble was designed by Prabal Gurung for the Met Gala, while the jewels the celebrity wore were created by Indian jeweler Golecha and inspired by the Maharaja of Patiala's of collection. The popular singer and actor did however wear a watch from Cartier, thanking the brand on his Instagram account for the help in completing his outfit. Punjabi prince Sir Bhupinder Singh asked Cartier to help modernise his heirloom collection in 1925, according to The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewellery Empire by Francesca Cartier Brickell (granddaughter of Jean-Jacques Cartier, who ran the London branch of the Cartier luxury goods firm), via The Indian Express. The royal presented a shimmering collection of gemstones, including rubies, yellow diamonds and emeralds. Some of these were transformed into the well-known necklace. However, the necklace disappeared in 1948 before mysteriously reappearing almost 40 to 50 years later as separate pieces, some of which were purchased by Cartier ahead of a restored version of the necklace being created. That copy is now part of the Cartier collection and is often put on display in exhibitions around the world. Stories vary as to what happened to the original necklace. Some believe it was 'stolen', however others suggest the jewel was split between royal relatives after being worn by Sir Bhupinder Singh's son and successor, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh - the last ruler of Patiala from 1938 until the Union of India in 1947. Maharaja Yadavindra Singh's son Captain Amarinder Singh told the publication: 'I was not even born when my grandfather died in 1938. According to family elders, the necklace was never stolen. 'My grandfather had 54 children - perhaps it was dismantled and distributed among them as dowries or gifts, and later sold. I never saw it myself. But it wasn't stolen. Cartier later tried to reassemble it.' Captain Amarinder Singh's younger brother, Malwinder Singh, added: 'I last saw my father wearing it on April 13, 1948... After that, it was never seen again. I wouldn't say it was stolen or lost - but it vanished.' He added that his father would've known if it was sold or gifted, but the children never asked this of him - and concluded that the necklace's fate 'remains a mystery'.
News18
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Diljit Dosanjh Denied Maharaja's Cartier Necklace But Emma Chamberlain Got To Wear It?EXPLAINED;N18G
Diljit Dosanjh made a historic Met Gala debut in traditional Punjabi attire, honouring the Maharaja of Patiala. While his look wowed global audiences, Cartier reportedly denied him the iconic Patiala Necklace, part of which was once worn by a Western influencer at the 2022 Met Gala. This sparked debate on colonial legacy, cultural ownership, and double standards. Watch the video to know more. lifestyle news | health updates | travel stories | lifestyle | news18 | n18oc_lifestyleLiked the video? Please press the thumbs up icon and leave a comment. Subscribe to Showsha YouTube channel and never miss a video: Showsha on Instagram: Showsha on Facebook: Showsha on X: Showsha on Snapchat: entertainment and lifestyle news and updates on:
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
All about Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who inspired Diljit Dosanjh's Met Gala 2025 look
Diljit Dosanjh won the hearts of many with his debut at the Met Gala earlier today. His outfit —an achkan in a crisp ivory hue—was paired with a matching cape, turban (or page), and necklace inspired by the inimitable Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who ruled from 1900 to 1938. Ascending the throne at nine, Bhupinder Singh's rule was characterised by unparalleled luxury. He was, reportedly, the first Indian to own a private aircraft and maintain a fleet of 44 Rolls-Royce cars, and his opulent lifestyle truly set him apart. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Golecha's Jewels (@golecha_jewels) The Maharaja's personal life was as grand as his public persona. He is believed to have had 10 wives and maintained a harem of 350 concubines, fathering 88 children. His wealth was evident in his collection of cars and the airplane, while the Moti Bagh Palace rivalled Versailles in grandeur. One of his most enduring legacies is the 'Patiala peg,' a generous measure of whiskey that he popularised during his legendary parties, which were attended by dignitaries, artists, and professionals from around the world. In 2022, American YouTuber Emma Chamberlain also wore a choker resembling one from the original Patiala Necklace at the Met Gala, sparking widespread criticism online (Source: Wikimedia Commons) The Patiala Necklace In 1928, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh commissioned the Patiala Necklace from Cartier, marking the jeweller's largest single order. The necklace featured 2,930 diamonds, including the 234.65-carat De Beers diamond, the seventh-largest diamond in the world at the time. It also included Burmese rubies and other large diamonds ranging from 18 to 73 carats. The necklace mysteriously disappeared from the Patiala treasury around 1948. Decades later, parts of it were recovered by Cartier, who restored it using synthetic stones to replace the missing gems. Diljit sported a multi-layered, jewel-studded necklace with a stunning emerald centrepiece resembling the Patiala necklace for his look at the Met Gala. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sam Kaur (@samkaurofficial) Manav Golecha, owner of Golecha Jewels, told The Indian Express in a separate conversation earlier that it took them 'nearly three months to create this multi-layered necklace, inspired by the original Patiala Necklace. The current neckpiece has over 50 carats of tourmalines. The emerald centrepiece alone weighs close to 130 carats.' In 2022, American YouTuber Emma Chamberlain also wore a choker resembling one from the original Patiala Necklace at the Met Gala, sparking widespread criticism online. Chamberlain had credited Cartier for her jewellery on Instagram, prompting a backlash from Indians accusing the brand of showcasing a 'stolen piece of heritage.'
