ABP Exclusive | Trolled For Cannes Outfit, Sufi Motiwala Opens Up: 'Mother’s Words Helped Me Before Red Carpet'

Trolled for his experimental Cannes outfit, Sufi Motiwala revealed he broke down before the red carpet and called his mother in tears. Her words helped him overcome anxiety.

Sufi Motiwala’s Cannes debut was far more emotional than it appeared. Before stepping onto one of the world’s most-watched red carpets, the fashion creator found himself overwhelmed with nerves and pressure. What seemed like a confident appearance was, in reality, marked by anxiety and self-doubt. Motiwala, known for rating celebrities’ outfits on social media, wore a handcrafted upcycled ensemble for his Cannes red carpet debut but soon faced intense trolling over his own look. 

'I Was Crashing Out And Crying'

In an exclusive conversation with ABP Live, he opened up about breaking down before the event and revealed how his mother’s words helped him regain his calm. Speaking about the morning of the red carpet, Sufi Motiwala admitted he was far from composed. The pressure of representing himself on a global stage wearing his experimental Cannes outfit left him overwhelmed.

“I was very, very nervous on the morning of the red carpet. I was calling my mother and fully crashing out and crying,” he told ABP Live. 

In that moment of vulnerability, it was his mother who grounded him. She reminded him of his roots and passion. She told him the moment wasn’t for “Sufi Motiwala the content creator”, but for “Sufiyan, the little boy who always loved fashion”.

That shift in perspective, he said, changed everything. It allowed him to detach from pressure and reconnect with why he started in the first place. “When I stepped onto the red carpet, I actually let go of all inhibitions… I was quite zen and enjoyed it quite a lot,” he said, describing how the moment eventually turned into one of acceptance and pride.

Sufi Motiwala’s Cannes Outfit

The Cannes outfit itself, an upcycled, carefully constructed piece, had already sparked debate online, with many criticising its unconventional aesthetic. His outfit received a lot of trolling from across the internet, with one social media user calling it "glittery sagun ka lifafa". The other wrote, "I don’t like judging people, but I have to be honest. I genuinely cannot understand how this outfit made it to Cannes. The fabric, the coat, the overall styling… it feels more confusing than couture. Cannes is known for iconic fashion moments, and this just doesn’t feel like one of them . 10/10 for the spirit though."

A third user commented, “It’s giving shaadi mein laga hua carpet vibes,” while another described it as a “band party look”. Several others also questioned how he judges other people’s outfits while facing criticism for his own fashion choices.

But behind the criticism was a deliberate creative choice tied to sustainability and storytelling.

Reflecting on the experience, he noted that some moments in life are unrepeatable. The Cannes debut, despite criticism and emotional turmoil, became one of those defining milestones. Between the viral outfit discourse, the pressure of visibility, and his mother’s grounding advice, the experience left a lasting impact, both personal and professional. 

Sufi Motiwala, despite all of it, chose to embrace the once-in-a-lifetime moment. Speaking exclusively to ABP Live, he reflected on finally walking the iconic red carpet and said, “Work will continue to happen. But me walking this red carpet for the first time will never happen again.”

He added that he let go of all inhibitions and decided to fully live in the moment.