May 30, 2026 5:38pm IST
What Makes Alia the Ultimate Gucci Girl?
Even before Alia Bhatt became Gucci’s face, the powerhouse performer was busy serving the much-welcome sartorial drama with aplomb! From her ivory Sabyasachi wedding saree to her Prabal Gurung ball gown (a thoughtful homage to the Met Gala’s theme in 2023 - the late Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy). Being a virtuoso actress, she’s shown an uncanny ability to inhabit multiple personas - from the doe-eyed, fresh-faced girl-next-door to a sultry siren in an array of come-hither outfits. Since she was announced as Gucci’s first global brand ambassador from India, her style trajectory has been worth applauding. Having aced multiple Gucci looks in India and globally, the style icon has effortlessly slipped into the multi-layered style universe of the storied Italian house.
As a bonafide Gucci girl, she has proved that she can easily and seamlessly transform from a fashion-loving ingenue to a well-rounded femme fatale by merely fluttering her eyelashes and slipping into a furry coat and GG crystal tights. From rocking an archival Tom Ford era look to remarkably acing a mob wife avatar at the brand’s Milan Fashion Week showcase last year to rocking a saree-inspired look from Gucci on the Cannes red carpet, the style arbiter has demonstrated that no one comes close to nailing Italian elegance reminiscent of Gucci like she does. Even her airport looks where she’s been spotted in easy chic separates from the brand, she comes across as a clever sartorial tastemaker.
Related Stories
Designer Nachiket Barve connects her fuss-free style to the seventies’ style icon Jackie Onassis (after whom the house’s hero product - Gucci Jackie 1968 was named). “As a luxury design house, Gucci epitomised American sportiness with an Italian flair. Both Alia and Jackie inhabit that appeal - athletic, petite and imbued with savoir-faire. At Cannes, Gucci went on to create an India-inspired look for her which was their way of championing Alia as the Indian face for their global market. The Gucci slip dress was a throwback to the Tom Ford era of the brand and Alia looked incredible in it. Even her recent Milan Fashion Week look by the newly appointed artistic director, Demna, was powerful, recalling the ‘80s Dynasty vibe,” he says.
Being an actress, there’s a sense of ease and ability to play out different characters in her, which translates into the creative director’s vision. She’s confident and versatile and can transform into any moodboard. Stylist Isha Bhansali hails her personal style as minimal with an edge. “The faux fur coat look worn over a slip, conceptualized by the brand’s current creative director, Demna, was effortless and worked brilliantly. However, I can see her pulling off anything created by the house’s former artistic directors like Alessandro Michele, Sabato De Sarno and Tom Ford. She understands the assignment and the moodboard. For instance, the Tom Ford archival look looked very hot and without trying too hard,” she quips.
Celebrity stylist Preetham Jukalker notes that Alia carries Gucci’s duality very naturally. “She has a calm, effortless grace that suits the brand’s Italian elegance, and at the same time, there’s a relaxed, modern energy in the way she moves and styles herself. That balance makes her feel very ‘Gucci’. Like Jackie O, she brings poise without feeling distant, polished, yet still warm and approachable,” he says.
He also points out a visible growth in her fashion language with each outing. “The Cannes crystal-mesh GG sari showed a playful nod to heritage, while the Milan faux fur–slip pairing revealed a newfound boldness. Together, they mark a confident shift. She’s becoming more experimental without losing the softness that defines her,” he adds.
Stylist Vikram Seth observes that Gucci’s strength lies in marrying old-world Italian refinement with a relaxed and sporty confidence and Alia complements this beautifully through her carriage. “She’s poised but never stiff, elegant yet approachable. That natural ease is what allows Gucci’s heritage to feel modern on her rather than archival,” he notes. With every Gucci appearance, one could easily deduce a clear evolution in her confidence. “She’s moved from being styled to fully owning the narrative, whether it’s the crystal mesh sari at Cannes or the Demna-led faux fur and slip in Milan. The silhouettes are bolder, showing a woman increasingly comfortable in her global fashion identity,” he adds.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.