Isha Ambani champions Indian luxury at Manish Malhotra's historic Paris Haute Couture debut
Paris, July 9
Executive Director of Reliance Retail, Isha Ambani, attended designer Manish Malhotra's Autumn/Winter 2026 Haute Couture presentation during Paris Haute Couture Week.
Ambani was present at Malhotra's showcase, which marked the designer's entry into the official Haute Couture calendar in Paris. During her visit, she also attended designer Rahul Mishra's presentation, reflecting her continued engagement with Indian designers who are building a global presence.
As Executive Director of Reliance Retail, Ambani has played an important role in supporting the growth of Indian luxury brands, helping expand their international presence while preserving the craftsmanship and creative heritage at their core. Her attendance in Paris attending exclusively the presentations of Manish Malhotra and Rahul Mishra reflects a broader vision of building globally recognised Indian luxury houses and creating greater opportunities for Indian designers and artisans on the world stage, alongside a longstanding personal relationship with Malhotra and Mishra.
Styled with jewellery from Nita Ambani's private collection alongside bespoke Lorraine Schwartz pieces (TBC), the look celebrated Indian craftsmanship on one of fashion's most prestigious global stages.
Through her leadership at Reliance Retail, alongside her wider engagement across the arts and culture, Ambani continues to champion Indian creativity as a powerful force for global cultural and commercial impact.
Isha Ambani is a businesswoman, philanthropist, and arts patron. Together with her mother, Nita Ambani, she is the driving force behind the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai, a landmark institution that has redefined India's cultural landscape and fosters cross-cultural collaboration globally.
An alumna of Yale University and Stanford Business School, Isha sits on the Advisory Board of the Yale Schwarzman Center and is a Trustee of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art and the Dia Art Foundation. She was recognised in TIME100 Next and has received the Harper's Bazaar Icon of the Year Award (2024) and Newsmaker of the Year at the Express Awards for Women Entrepreneurs (2025).
As Executive Director of India's largest retailer Reliance Retail, she leads major strategic initiatives as well as plays an active role, as Director, in shaping the vision of Reliance Foundation, focusing largely on women empowerment, children, education, and the arts.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see the Ambani family's deep involvement in the luxury fashion space. While it's great for the industry, I wonder if this is more about brand building for Reliance than truly uplifting grassroots artisans. Still, any global exposure for Indian designers is a win. Let's see how this trickles down.
Manish Malhotra in Paris? That's massive! And Isha Ambani wearing jewellery from her mother's personal collection—that's pure class. She's not just a businesswoman; she's an ambassador for Indian heritage. The NMACC has already changed the cultural scene in Mumbai, and now this. Proud moment for India! 🎉
It's heartening to see an Indian woman leading the charge in the global luxury space. But I hope the focus remains on preserving traditional crafts like zardozi, chikankari, and bandhini, rather than just Westernising them. That's the real challenge for designers like Manish and Rahul.
Story of the Ambani family's influence in every sector—now fashion. While the achievements are undeniable, let's not forget that this is also about corporate expansion. Reliance Retail is smartly positioning itself as a luxury gatekeeper. Anyway, the craftsmanship is world-class; hope the artisans get their fair share.
Manish Malhotra's Paris debut is a huge milestone, and Isha Ambani's support is commendable. But I wish the article mentioned the actual artisans behind these creations. They are the real heroes
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