“Bringing amulets, haute couture, and all the best luck"
Natasha Poonawalla delivered a masterclass in vintage glamour at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s Venice wedding.
Over 200 high-profile guests attended the lavish wedding, but it was Natasha who turned heads with her retro ensemble.
The executive director of the Serum Institute of India dazzled in a 1960s Christian Dior gown, proving once again that when it comes to couture, she plays in a league of her own.
Natasha’s outfit, a two-toned canary yellow evening gown in slubbed silk, shimmered with elegance.
The dress featured a fitted upper bodice adorned with sequins, beads and glistening threadwork.
The sparkling embellishments caught the Venetian light, enhancing the drama of a full-bodied skirt that flowed into a floor-sweeping silhouette.
A horizontal banded construction added structure to the bodice, while the gathered satin skirt created a soft, puffed effect and front drape.
Her caption on Instagram gave a glimpse into the intimate ceremony:
“Bringing amulets, haute couture, and all the best luck for everlasting love to Jeff and Lauren!
“Thank you for letting me be part of your spectacular celebration, your heartfelt vows and the exceptional speeches of your beautiful children moved us all.
“Surrounded by close family and friends, your love story truly shines. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness together! @laurensanchezbezos @jeffbezos.”
The look didn’t stop at couture.
Natasha paired her archival Dior with an equally rare 1990s vintage Hermès Mini Kelly bag in sterling silver, a piece that signalled understated opulence.
A pair of beaded Gucci fringe pumps added more texture to the ensemble, and dark rectangular sunglasses gave her a dose of Italian summer attitude.
Her makeup was characteristically polished, luminous skin, bold winged eyeliner, and a soft nude lip. With sleek, straight hair parted down the centre, she kept the attention firmly on the fashion.
But one accessory divided opinion.
To top off her ensemble, Natasha Poonawalla wore a headpiece featuring a Blackamoor-inspired figurine.
While such motifs are still crafted in Venice, where they are known as Moretto Veneziano, their presence in modern fashion is controversial due to associations with colonial-era depictions of African figures.
The inclusion of the vintage piece prompted backlash online.
Under a post by fashion tracker Eat Tweet Blog, a user commented: “Is that a version of the Blackamoor brooch that landed Princess Michael of Kent in so much trouble for its link to slavery?”
Another simply replied: “GREAT question.”
Though intended as a nod to Venetian tradition, the choice highlights ongoing debates in fashion over the use of racially sensitive imagery, even in vintage pieces.
Still, from a style standpoint, the outfit was nothing short of theatrical perfection, a gleaming homage to haute couture history, pulled together with a collector’s eye and a maximalist’s flair.
Natasha Poonawalla, as ever, refused to play it safe.
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