Aishwarya's yellow saree at Cannes remains an iconic fashion moment

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s first appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 is still remembered as one of the most iconic fashion moments in the event’s history.

The actress wore a striking canary yellow saree designed by Neeta Lulla for the premiere of Devdas. She attended the event with co-star Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

The saree was made from Banarasi net fabric inspired by the Dhakai net used in the costumes of ‘Devdas’. It featured antique gold zardozi embroidery along the borders and was paired with a gold choker and matching earrings.

In a recent Instagram video, Neeta Lulla shared how the outfit came together. She said Bhansali wanted the look to reflect the character Paro from the film and maintain a distinctly Indian feel rather than a Western style.

Lulla said she chose canary yellow and added small golden motifs, known as bootis, across the saree to give it a richer look while keeping the design elegant and simple.

She recalled being surprised by the final result, saying the colour and embroidery created a powerful impact on such a minimal design.

The look continues to inspire fashion lovers more than two decades later. Actress Alia Bhatt recently described Aishwarya’s debut appearance at Cannes as one of the most memorable and iconic red carpet moments she has seen.

Aishwarya Rai’s 2002 Cannes appearance is still widely celebrated as a proud showcase of Indian fashion on one of the world’s biggest cinematic stages.