From Venice of the East to the Big Apple: The 63,000-square-foot journey of the Met Gala 2025 carpet
In a historic comeback to the Met stairs for a third time, after 2 consecutive years, Neytt has stayed true to its aim of “building a better tomorrow” by sourcing the finest quality (boucle weave) sisal fibre from Madagascar: a true effort toward eco-friendly high fashion.
Every year, the carpet aims to be an abstract personification of its Met Gala theme. This time, the carpet stems out of an artistic collaboration between US based artist Cy Gavin and Kerala-based high-fashion rug brand Neytt by Extraweave.
The beginning
The journey of Neytt is one for the history books. What started as the Travancore Mats and Matting Company in 1917 by Mr. K Velayudhan (now CEO Sivan Santhosh’s paternal grandfather), have now evolved into a testament to Kerala’s craftsmanship, paying homage to the rich legacy of coir factories in Alleppey, Kerala.
Being a company with 106 years of experience in the field, the company was taken forward by Mr. Velayudhan Santhosh when he established Extraweave Pvt.Ltd. in the year 2000. The next major organisational change—launching Neytt by Extraweave—was orchestrated by third-generation entrepreneur Mr. Sivan Santhosh, along with Ms. Nimisha Srinivas who currently serves as the company's Chief Creative Officer.
With an ambitious aim to revolutionise premium lifestyle floor coverings, all while deliberately tailoring it with the environment in mind, the company boasts an impressive array of international collaborations since 2012 when they supplied rugs for an event held at the White House, to the showstopper carpet at the Met Gala 2025.
The carpet
“Our carpet feels more than just a fabric—it’s a vibrant thread in a tapestry of art, fashion, and culture. We are absolutely thrilled and immensely proud to once again contribute to this extraordinary event, a testament to our commitment to quality and our passion for making every entrance a moment”—says Mr. Sivan Santhosh, Director of Extraweave and CEO of Neytt Homes.
The 2025 carpet, suffused in midnight blue and highlighted with daffodil (scientific name: Narcissus pseudonarcissus) motifs, pays homage to the Greek tale of Narcissus, the son of Cephissus, who falls in love with his own reflection in the water.
The carpet is witness to the wonders that can come from a synergy of artists collaborating across the globe: what started as mere white fibers of an Agave plant from Madagascar were translated into beautiful boucle weaves in the hands of Indian craftsmen, from where they made their way to New York, to be finished with the aesthetics of Cy Gavin.
The 63,000-square-foot carpet has been consciously crafted to evoke Gavin’s painting—“Untitled (sky)”—with its delicate daffodils and midnight blue shade resembling the mystic beauty of stars in the night sky, a Vogue report said.
In an interview with Architectural Digest, Santhosh explained:
“At Neytt, we collaborate with talented designers from all over the world, but at the end of the day, it’s all about celebrating our local weavers”.
Society