On Saturday evening, the Gold House Foundation convened its fifth annual Gold Gala in Los Angeles, transforming the arrival carpet into a living gallery of Asian and Pacific Islander craftsmanship. The event, which honors trailblazers across entertainment, business, and fashion, offered a masterclass in how contemporary design can honor ancestral textile traditions—a dialogue that resonates deeply with the history of lingerie, where structure and embellishment have long been used to articulate cultural identity.
Mindy Kaling arrived in an Anita Dongre sleeveless gown, its thigh-high slits and jewel-toned embroidery recalling the intricate chikan work that has adorned South Asian garments for centuries. Dongre, whose bridal and ready-to-wear lines frequently reinterpret traditional Indian handcrafts, here channels a lineage of decorative needlework that parallels the evolution of the corset—from rigid foundation to expressive armor.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas, honored as a Global Vanguard, wore a custom Amit Aggarwal sari-gown. Stylist Ami Patel noted that the piece began with a two-decade-old chikan sari, reimagined through Aggarwal’s signature architectural texturizing. This marriage of vintage handwork with modern structure echoes lingerie’s own trajectory: the 19th-century chemise gave way to the sculptural girdle, which in turn birthed the lace-trimmed bralette—each iteration preserving a thread of the past while redefining silhouette.
Chrissy Teigen chose a strapless Aiste Hong gown with a drop-waist bubble skirt—a playful nod to the pannier’s volume. H.E.R. shimmered in Phan Huy’s couture, red petals cascading like a modern court train. And K-pop artist Ejae floated in a Leje gown adorned with white floral appliqués, its train echoing the dramatic flourishes of 1920s step-in chemises.
Each look affirmed that fashion, like lingerie, is never merely fabric—it is a repository of memory, power, and belonging.
Originally reported by WWD