Natasha Poonawalla makes a case for maximalism in an archival Versace look that brings together Italian design, Indian textile craftsmanship and collector-worthy accessories. The outfit is a bespoke interpretation of Look 3 from Atelier Versace’s Fall 2002 collection, reimagined in richly patterned Banarasi brocade.
Styled by Rhea Kapoor, the look brings together candy-pink, yellow, green and lavender brocade in a sharply tailored skirt suit, topped with an oversized feathered jacket. A rare Dior Saddle Bag from the maison’s 10th-anniversary collection adds another layer of craftsmanship: the Gota Patti Saddle Bag combines the house’s signature silhouette with gota patti, zardozi and a nath-inspired detail.
Finished with emerald-heavy Bvlgari jewellery and Indian fine-jewellery accents, the result is a meeting of archival fashion and Indian craftsmanship that feels deliberately extravagant.
A Riot Of Colour In Archival Versace
Photograph: (Instagram: @natasha.poonawalla)
The colour-blocking does much of the visual work: saturated pink, yellow, green and lavender are divided across the jacket and skirt, while the structured lapels and fitted waist stop the palette from becoming visually chaotic. It is maximalism, but there is plenty of construction underneath it.
That connection to the original Versace collection is worth noting. Donatella Versace’s Fall 2002 couture was already built around ornate fabrics, patchwork, embroidery and an exaggerated hourglass silhouette, so the brocade interpretation feels less like a random collision of references and more like a continuation of the collection’s original language.
What makes Poonawalla’s version feel fresh is the textile itself. The Banarasi brocade doesn’t merely decorate the Versace silhouette; it changes it’s character, giving an archival European design a distinctly Indian visual identity.
When Dior Meets Gota Patti
Photograph: (Instagram: @natasha.poonawalla)
Then there’s the bag, a tiny piece of Dior history in the middle of all that colour.
Poonawalla carries Dior’s Gota Patti Saddle Bag, from the house’s 10th-anniversary Saddle collection. The pink bag is covered in gota patti and zardozi, with a nath detail sitting across the front. It’s ornate, undeniably Indian and about as far from a quiet luxury handbag as you could possibly get.
And somehow, it works perfectly with the Versace. The pink picks up the brighter tones in the brocade, while the gold embellishment plays off the jewellery. But the fun is really in the contrast: a recognisable Dior Saddle, one of fashion’s most instantly identifiable bags, covered in techniques more commonly associated with Indian occasionwear.
It feels less like the bag was chosen to match the outfit and more like it belongs to the same maximalist universe. Because when the rest of your look is already doing this much, why carry a sensible handbag?
Feathers And A Little Bit Of Theatre
Photograph: (Instagram: @natasha.poonawalla)
And then there’s the feather jacket, because apparently the brocade wasn’t doing enough.
The oversized blush-pink layer is pure retro glamour. It sits over the sharply tailored Versace, softening all those structured lines with a cloud of feathers and making an already maximal look feel even more dramatic.
But it’s the styling around it that really sells the fantasy. The sleek hair, narrow sunglasses and the sheer scale of the jacket give the outfit that old-school fashion-editorial quality — somewhere between a vintage red-carpet moment and a very expensive fever dream.
There’s no attempt to make the feathers practical, understated or particularly sensible. They’re there to make an entrance. And honestly, that feels very Versace.
Bvlgari Statement Jewelry Completes Natasha Poonawalla’s Look
Photograph:(Instagram: @natasha.poonawalla)
If you’re already wearing archival Versace, a feather jacket and a Gota Patti Dior, there’s really no reason to suddenly become sensible.
Poonawalla layers Bvlgari high jewellery with pieces from Indian jewellery houses, bringing emeralds, diamonds, pearls and gold into an already very colourful mix. The emeralds are particularly good here — picking up the green in the brocade while adding another hit of colour rather than simply relying on diamonds to do the usual sparkle.
The jewellery also keeps the Indian thread running through the look. Alongside Bvlgari, she wears pieces from Rare Heritage, Amrapali Jaipur, Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas and Prabhu Dayal Sons, so the styling feels deliberately layered rather than built around one jewellery house. And that’s what makes the finishing touches work. Nothing is trying to be the one statement piece. The whole look is the statement.
