So much so, that it led to online chatter if anyone and everyone could attend the prestigious Cannes Film Festival now.
Her sartorial excellence exceeded what many celebrities and couturiers could not bring to Cannes 2024.
You need not think beyond Aishwarya’s red carpet looks – usually the most awaited Cannes update for Indians almost every year.
(FYI, after 30 years an Indian film is competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or award at Cannes Film Festival).
Earlier, the Cannes red carpet was rather exclusive, especially because only limited people would attend.
“Mera dream bhi nahi tha itna bada toh (I didn’t even dream this big ever).”
When a confident Nancy Tyagi, clad in a self-designed extravagant pink ruffle gown, spoke these words on the Cannes 2024 red carpet during her debut, the world instantly fell (and felt) for her.
The 23-year-old social media influencer, already an admired name among fashion enthusiasts (especially Gen-Z) for her ‘outfit from scratch’ Reels series, was a breath of fresh air amid an influx of Indian celebrities and influencers frolicking around the Cannes red carpet. There were too many this year. So much so, that it led to online chatter if anyone and everyone could attend the prestigious Cannes Film Festival now.
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One name that drew no frowns but only praise was Nancy Tyagi.
The daughter of a former factory worker and a native of Baranwa village in Uttar Pradesh, Nancy turned out to be the cynosure in that crowd.
People from all walks of life united on social media to revel in her win. While celebrities like Sonam Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor and Masaba Gupta lauded her, others took pride in her victory - for how a girl from a humble background paved her way out of the odds to gain global acclaim and outshine Cannes regulars like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Beyond the rags-to-riches story
As humans, we do love an inspiring rags-to-riches story. But Nancy is not basking in this Cannes glory solely because of that.
Her sartorial excellence exceeded what many celebrities and couturiers could not bring to Cannes 2024. In fact, many turned out to be rather sartorial debacles. You need not think beyond Aishwarya’s red carpet looks – usually the most awaited Cannes update for Indians almost every year. Quite like 2023, her fashion experiment in the French Riviera didn’t land this year either.
The two elaborate, extra-quirky gowns, both designed by designer duo Falguni and Shane Peacock, only drew criticism from all corners considering how she has put forth unforgettable fashion moments in Cannes before, including her debut in a yellow Neeta Lulla saree. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Falguni Shane Peacock gowns at Cannes 2024. Photo: Getty Images (left), AP (right)
Many others, like Jacqueline Fernandez, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sobhita Dhulipala, also couldn’t weave a memorable fashion outing this year. Aditi Rao Hydari and Jacqueline Fernandez at Cannes 2024. Photos: Getty Images (left) and Instagram)
Nancy, on the other hand, did so – in a dreamy pink gown that she stitched herself with utmost finesse using 1,000-metre fabric sourced from the lanes of Seelampur market in New Delhi.
It took her over a month to create that outfit. In her mind, she knew she had to make something elaborate that would win her attention on the otherwise swamped red carpet. Mind you, she did so without an entourage of celebrity stylists who source clothes from the biggest of couturiers. Even those couturiers rely on an army of karigars who stitch their vision together.
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Nancy was a one-woman army and did it all alone – from envisioning the look and sourcing the fabric to the stitching and styling.
Saree, not sorry
Her second Cannes look was not elaborate in size, yet impressive. In an ode to India, she took the saree route. Again, a self-designed creation.
The fashionista, of course, added oomph to six yards of elegance. She sourced a heavily-embellished fabric from the Delhi market and stitched it into a dramatic saree featuring an in-vogue hood and a backless choli.
Now, working with such an embellished fabric is no easy job. Even professional local tailors refuse to touch embellished pieces at times for how it can get tricky. Nancy, a self-taught artist who has previously replicated designer creations worn by actresses like Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone on a shoestring budget, put together a spectacular saree using her sewing machine.
Accent, what?
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That saree was not the only way she took her Indianness to Cannes. The way she answered an English-speaking journalist in Hindi, unlike other peers who suddenly seem to develop an accent after stepping on a foreign land (looking at you Kiara), was refreshing and made her stand out.
“I can’t be hesitant (on such a platform). I will obviously speak the language that I know,” she told India Today in an exclusive conversation after returning from Cannes.
A strong lesson in owning one’s identity, we say!
And then came her third look – dripping in black and a masterclass in styling.
Paying close attention to her pictures will make you realise how she not only stitched a stellar ensemble but added details like braids cascading beads blouse knot and a perfectly-matching bag.
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All three outfits she wore in Cannes (made by her in a span of 2 months) can easily pass off as designer creations.
Fighting fashion frenzy
The commencement of the Cannes Film Festival sparks a debate every year for how red carpet fashion outshines the cinema aspect of the coveted event. Despite the criticism, fashion ends up stealing the most attention. (FYI, after 30 years an Indian film is competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or award at Cannes Film Festival).
Earlier, the Cannes red carpet was rather exclusive, especially because only limited people would attend. With the ever-growing number of people thronging the French town, it has lost that charm. Quite like any other red carpet. In the age of social media, celebrities take anything and everything as a red carpet moment – be it a visit to the airport, a film screening, a gym outing, taking the dog for a walk, even when they are out to buy strawberries or a colleague’s birthday bash.
Managing to make such a remarkable mark on a red carpet that’s on the verge of being questioned for its relevance is quite a feat.
And, Nancy Tyagi, with an amalgam of confidence, courage, creativity and couture, pulled that off pretty well.
Published By: Medha Chawla Published On: May 25, 2024
