Hollywood premieres are usually dominated by designer gowns, but at the London premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it was a saree that had everyone talking. UK-based Pakistani content creator and beauty influencer Atifa Arshad turned heads on the red carpet in a custom spider-web-inspired drape that fused South Asian tradition with superhero style. The garment was a black sari featuring intricate red spiderweb embroidery, complemented with matching red embroidery along the neckline. She completed the ensemble with traditional jewellery, a sleek bun, and a handbag carrying the same web motif. The Express Tribune
The Design Story Behind the Look
The saree was designed by London-based Lebanese designer Rita Qaranbach and stitched by Atifa’s family tailor in Pakistan, turning Spider-Man’s signature web into a piece of high fashion. On Instagram, Atifa revealed that the outfit had been conceptualized months before she even received her invitation to the premiere, and she shared Qaranbach’s original sketch to show how the idea evolved into the final look. The Free Press JournalThe Express Tribune
Praise Pours In Online
The look quickly went viral, drawing admiration from fashion lovers for its inventive take on method dressing. Celebrity stylist Law Roach, known for dressing Zendaya, also complimented the outfit on Instagram. Atifa wasn’t the only South Asian creator embracing the superhero theme that night — Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree Zainab Jiwa attended in a modest Spider-Man-inspired ensemble featuring a Raishma skirt and a pearl web corset. ThePenPKThe Express Tribune
Amid a sea of Spider-Man-themed gowns from other guests, Atifa’s saree stood out precisely because it stayed rooted in Pakistani craftsmanship while still nodding to the film’s iconography — proof that traditional silhouettes can hold their own on a global red carpet.