Tech entrepreneur Mona Patel combines robotics and fashion at the 2025 MET Gala

 Mona Patel wears Thom Browne at the 2025 MET Gala 
photo credit Mona Patel @hautemona

Mona Patel is a billionaire tech entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with a portfolio spanning healthcare, technology, and real estate. She has founded multiple successful businesses over the last two decades across global markets. In parallel with her business interests, Patel is a dedicated collector of haute couture, with a collection that reflects a lifelong engagement with craftsmanship and cultural heritage. 

At the 2025 MET Gala her interest in tech and fashion were on full display. Carrying a robotic dog with more than 1,000 carats worth of emerald cut diamonds as a leash, Patel brought new meaning to the word indulgence. Donning a Thom Browne tuxedo outfitted with a mechanical spine designed by Lisa Jiang and Timothy Bowl, the Indian tech entrepreneur put a futuristic spin on the theme of Black Dandyism. 

She worked with Miodrag Gubernic, a creative force whose wearable artwork has been seen on Broadway and has shaped some of the most iconic sci-fi moments on film. Gubernic fused traditional artistry with futuristic developments like 3D printing, to create the accessories that completed the look. The 3D printed hat was made to feel weightless and iconic.

Mona Patel in Iris Van Apfel at the 2024 MET Gala
photo credit Mona Patel @hautemona
 

This isn't Patel's first time combining high tech and fashion to debut a jaw dropping gown at the MET Gala. At the 2024 MET Gala, Patel wore a custom Iris Van Apfel with kinetic sleeves styled by Law Roach.

Educated at Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, Patel brings a multidisciplinary approach to business and social impact. Her work centers on building scalable enterprises while advancing initiatives that promote gender equity and economic inclusion. She is a regular speaker at global convenings, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she addresses issues at the intersection of entrepreneurship, leadership, and systemic change.

Through her philanthropic organization, Couture for Cause, she directs resources toward girls’ education and women’s entrepreneurship, with a focus on sustainable, long-term outcomes.