VMPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 22: On Saturday evening, 18th July 2026, Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, the renowned Italian fashion and design school, unveiled 'Astitva', its annual student showcase featuring the work of its second-year Fashion Design students. More than a fashion presentation, the showcase brought together deeply personal narratives expressed through contemporary fashion, celebrating the journeys, experiences and perspectives that shape each designer's creative voice.
Derived from the Sanskrit word meaning identity or existence, 'Astitva' invited audiences to reflect on the many influences that define who we are. Through nine distinctive collections, students explored themes ranging from memory and family to resilience, grief, heritage and transformation, demonstrating how fashion can become a powerful medium for personal storytelling.
Inspired by Mumbai -- a city where cultures, traditions and aspirations coexist -- the showcase reflected the dialogue between heritage and modernity, intimacy and ambition. This year's runway installation echoed that spirit, juxtaposing raw industrial materials with reflective surfaces and sculptural lighting to create an immersive environment where fashion, architecture and emotion converged.
"With Astitva, our students have demonstrated that great design begins with authenticity," said Mr. Tarun Pandey, COO -- Istituto Marangoni, Mumbai. "This year's showcase is a celebration of identity, not as something fixed, but as something continually shaped by memory, culture, lived experience and transformation. Each collection reflects a deeply personal journey while speaking to universal ideas of belonging, resilience and self-discovery. At Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, we encourage our students to look inward before they look outward, because the strongest creative voices are those rooted in individuality. As they graduate into an increasingly global fashion landscape, Astitva is a testament to their ability to translate personal narratives into contemporary design with confidence, purpose and originality" he added.
The collections showcased at Astitva reflected the culmination of each student's creative evolution at Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, nine emerging designers unveiled three looks each, translating deeply personal narratives into distinctive contemporary fashion expressions. Rooted in themes of identity, belonging and transformation, the showcase celebrated not only technical excellence and creative innovation, but also the emergence of a new generation of designers ready to contribute to the global fashion conversation.
The students who showcased their collections at 'Astitva' were [in alphabetical order]:
1. Anshika Yadav [Ecdysis]: The collection explores transformation through the symbolic journey of a bird, tracing five stages--origin, expectation, conflict, struggle and liberation. As the bird evolves from nest to flight, it becomes a metaphor for human growth, resilience and the pursuit of self-definition.
2. Anushka Puranik [Anchors of Immanence]: The collection explores how family remains as anchor despite physical distance. Inspired by the balance between isolation and support, it translates their presence into life-sustaining elements of nature. Structured silhouettes and layered forms reflect a deeply personal journey of finding strength, stability and belonging, even from afar.
3. Diya Gupta [Unfinished Rooms]: Inspired by the designer's childhood room, Unfinished Rooms explores how the spaces we grow up in continue to shape us. Though the room remains unchanged, she has evolved within it. The collection reflects a journey of quiet growth, self-discovery and becoming--where unfinished is not incomplete, but a state of continual transformation.
4. Drishti Bachwani [Alexithymia]: Inspired by the psychological condition that makes it difficult to identify and express emotions. It reflects her experience of carrying countless thoughts and feelings that rarely find words. Through this collection, the designer explores the disconnect between what she feels and what she shows--a deeply personal expression of everything I've kept inside.
5. Natalia Kumar [Inheritance Adorned]: Inspired by Indian jewellery and precious gemstones, Inheritance Adorned traces the evolution of adornment through five acts--from innocence to quiet radiance. Rooted in the bridal world, each ensemble explores how ornament transforms into an expression of identity, memory and personal evolution.
6. Paarvi Khullar [Learning to Breathe Again]: The collection draws from the designer's journey through anxiety, self-doubt and emotional loss over the past two years. Inspired by the feeling of holding everything in, it traces a gradual path towards healing, vulnerability and self-acceptance.
7. Pallavi Singh [REVIVE]: Inspired by the resilience of Kutch after the 2001 Bhuj earthquake, REVIVE celebrates the revival of Bhujodi weaving, Ajrakh block printing and Kumaoni hand-knitting. Reimagined through contemporary winter wear, the collection honours India's living craft traditions and the communities whose determination continues to preserve them.
8. Tarini Kakar [La Revolution]: Inspired by the phrase, "From dust you are and to dust you shall return," La Revolution explores transformation as a continuous cycle of creation, rupture, renewal and transcendence. Through evolving forms and textures, the collection celebrates impermanence, not as loss, but as an essential passage towards resilience, beauty and becoming.
9. Vanya Gupta [Fleeting Grief]: The collection explores the lasting impact of losing her mother to cancer at sixteen. Through light, fluid silhouettes and a muted palette, it traces a journey from grief to acceptance, transforming a deeply personal experience into a story of resilience, healing and becoming.
Talking about this year's showcase, Kristian Steinberg, Director of Education -- Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, said, "At Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, we encourage our students to embrace their own stories and cultural identities as the foundation of their creative practice. 'Astitva' reflects that philosophy beautifully, with each collection demonstrating how personal experiences can be transformed into contemporary fashion that is both locally rooted and globally relevant."
Pallavi Singh was awarded Istituto Marangoni Mumbai's 'The Designer of the Year 2026' for her 'REVIVE' collection that she showcased at the event.
Additionally, this year for the first time, Istituto Marangoni Mumbai conferred Anushka Puranik with the 'The Sustainability Award 2026' for her collection, 'Anchors of Immanence', which explores the enduring value of craftsmanship, conscious creation, heirloom design, and mindful luxury.
The excellent reputation enjoyed by the school lies in the distinctive elements that have marked its identity since its foundation; first of all, the enhancement and promotion of 'Made in Italy' values, combined with a strong international vocation, and expressed through an educational system of proven quality and effectiveness, which makes use of the contribution of, and the established collaboration with, the most prominent fashion companies of the world.
Appreciations:
- Show Creative Direction: Kristian Steinberg, Director of Education, Istituto Marangoni, Mumbai.
- Studio: Lianne Trowbridge, Abhishek Gaherwar, Ashay Chaturvedi, Jeetinder Sandhu.
- Style Direction: Kayaan Contractor (assisted by Abhinav & Manu Lodhi).
- Show Director(s): Vahbiz Mehta, Delnaz Daruwala, & Kamal Mehta.
- Founded in 2002, Amal Embroideries creates handcrafted embroideries for leading European couture and luxury fashion houses. Committed to preserving traditional artisanal techniques, the studio also supported this showcase by contributing handcrafted embroidery to selected student looks.
- Salon academy, Daniel Bauer Academy, supported the hair and makeup curation for the fashion showcase.
- Fragrance partner SASVA is a modern luxury fragrance house rooted in India and founded in 2022 by Istituto Marangoni alumnus Sriman Subramanian. Drawing on a 70-year family legacy, the brand creates contemporary fragrances inspired by Indian art, culture, landscapes and heritage, reimagined for a global audience.
- The Source by Sula offers fresh, elegant, and delightful wines, globally recognized as among the best Indian wines, representing sustainable winemaking and the purest expression of select Nashik valley vineyards.
Istituto Marangoni:
Istituto Marangoni was founded in 1935 as Istituto Artistico dell'Abbigliamento Marangoni in Milan and has over 85 years of experience in shaping fashion, art, and design experts. The institute has educated students from 5 continents over four generations and launched the careers of over 45,000 luxury professionals, including Domenico Dolce, Alessandro Sartori, Paula Cademartori, Gilda Ambrosio, Julie de Libran, and Nicola Brognano. According to a recent Doxa survey, Istituto Marangoni has an impressive employability rate of 91%, demonstrating the high quality of its educational programmes and the career readiness of its graduates.
Istituto Marangoni welcomes around 5,000 students annually from 108 different countries across its schools in Milan, Florence, Paris, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Dubai, Riyadh, Miami*, and Shenzhen*. The institution has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world in its disciplines, according to the QS World University Ranking 2025.
* Licensed schools
SASVA Parfums:
Founded in 2022 by Istituto Marangoni alumnus, Sriman Subramanian, SASVA is a modern luxury fragrance house rooted in India and created for the world. Drawing on a 70-year family legacy in South Indian architecture and boutique hospitality, the brand crafts contemporary fragrances inspired by India's poetry, art, cinema, landscapes and cultural richness. Reinterpreting India's olfactory heritage through a refined global lens, SASVA creates distinctive scents that celebrate craftsmanship, creativity and modern luxury.
Daniel Bauer Academy:
The Daniel Bauer Academy is India's largest and most respected makeup and hair training academy. Founded in 2017, the brand operates fully-owned academies across India in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore. They specialise in the development and placement of makeup and hair artists from India and Internationally.
Amal Embroideries:
Founded in 2002, Amal Embroideries is a design and embroidery studio specialising in the creation of exquisite, handcrafted embroideries for leading European couture and luxury fashion houses. Working closely with internationally renowned fashion brands, architects, interior designers and artists, Amal combines exceptional craftsmanship with creativity, precision and innovation. Rooted in a deep respect for artisanal heritage, the studio is committed to preserving traditional craft through ethical partnerships with its artisans while delivering uncompromising quality and transparency.
The Source by Sula
The Source by Sula is an ode to sustainable winemaking, and the purest expression of select vineyards in the Nashik valley. Made with craftmanship in mind, our wines are today considered among the best Indian wines available, locally and internationally. Fresh, elegant and delightful, they have been produced with love and with the upmost respect for the environment.
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