Why did Cartier refuse Diljit Dosanjh the Patiala necklace for Met Gala?

Indian actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh turned heads on Tuesday with a bold and culturally rich debut at the Met Gala, fashion’s most iconic night. Dressed in an ivory sherwani embroidered with the map of Punjab and Punjabi Gurmukhi script, he brought global attention to his heritage — merging traditional pride with high fashion.

Dosanjh’s look was completed with a jewelled turban and ceremonial sword, delivering a powerful message about identity and cultural roots. His ensemble paid homage to Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, with elaborate jewellery inspired by the royal’s legendary ‘Patiala necklace’. However, what began as celebration soon gave way to controversy.

Cartier controversy

While Dosanjh’s Met Gala presence was widely praised, many took to social media to express outrage after learning that French luxury brand Cartier allegedly refused a request to loan the original Patiala Necklace for his Met Gala appearance.

His stylist, Abhilasha Devnani, told The New York Times, she “tried to borrow that iconic Cartier necklace for the night” but was informed it “sits sealed in a museum”.

The choker necklace, created by Cartier in 1928 for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, is a storied artifact of colonial-era opulence. Designed with 2,930 diamonds and featuring the world’s seventh-largest diamond—the De Beers—the piece vanished in 1948 and was later recovered, though stripped of most of its precious stones.