The Sunglasses Karan Johar Wore at the Met Gala 2026

Karan Johar made his Met Gala debut on 4 May 2026, becoming the first Indian filmmaker to walk the steps of the Costume Institute's annual fundraiser. As Times of India reported, he called it a full-circle moment in a long Instagram note, written as gratitude to the team who put the look together.

The outfit

The outfit was a Manish Malhotra ensemble inspired by the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. Hand-painted panels on the cape echoed Varma's Lady with the Peach, Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, and other works from the painter's catalogue. The result blended classical Indian portraiture with the global stage of a Met Gala red carpet.

The eyewear

In his caption, Karan Johar credited each part of the look. Eyewear was listed as Anna-Karin Karlsson, tagged from R. Kumar Opticians. 

Moneycontrol, in its coverage, identified the frames as part of Anna-Karin Karlsson's 24K gold-plated range and tied them to R. Kumar Opticians.

The pair in question is the Anna-Karin Karlsson Claw Plume in Gold (58mm). It is built in titanium and plated by hand in 24K gold, fitted with Tabac gradient lenses that carry an azure back-surface anti-reflective treatment.

The hexagonal silhouette is finished with the brand's signature claw temples, a motif Anna-Karin Karlsson traces back to her fascination with birds. The brand's own copy describes the design as a dark allure of feathered lines and sharp claws, with a modern-goth intensity.

About the designer

Anna-Karin Karlsson is a Swedish designer who has built a small, collectible line over the past two decades. Her workshop is known for hand-craft, precious-material plating, and limited production runs. Pieces from the Claw collection, including the Claw Voyage, the Claw Pilot, and the Claw and the Moon, appear regularly in editorial shoots and on red carpets in Europe and the United States.

The wider Indian context

In India, frames from labels like Anna-Karin Karlsson, John Dalia, Kuboraum, T Henri and Jacques Marie Mage have grown a quiet collector following. Buyers treat them with the same care as a watch or a piece of jewellery, often picking the frame first and building the rest of the look around it.

Something more specific to this country is now taking shape. Indian couture is in a strong creative period, with designers reworking mythology, regional weaves and old motifs into new silhouettes. The question being asked in dressing rooms is one that didn't come up much before: what does the eyewear look like? Frames are now being chosen as part of the look, not added on at the end.

R. Kumar's partners travel through the year to trade shows, ateliers and the maisons themselves, picking frames that match the way Indian couture is moving. For clients who want something one-of-one, our in-store customisation studio works on lens tints and surface treatments, frame cuts and bevelled edges, finishing each pair to the wearer's brief.

Eyewear has moved from accessory to identity. It is becoming aesthetic. And at R. Kumar, that evolution has a home.

Where to find the pair?

R. Kumar Opticians is an authorized multi-brand retailer for Anna-Karin Karlsson in India. The Claw Plume worn by Karan Johar at the Met Gala is listed on the website, with full product details and the brand's authenticity card included with each pair. You can view the piece here: ANNA KARIN CLAW PLUME GOLD 58 SUNGLASSES.

Sources

• Karan Johar's Met Gala debut: Filmmaker shares gratitude note, Times of India.

• Karan Johar wore Anna-Karin Karlsson 24K gold-plated sunglasses at his Met Gala debut, Moneycontrol.

• Anna-Karin Karlsson, The Story

• @karanjohar, Instagram caption (4 May 2026)