Istituto Marangoni Mumbai last weekend 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.
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.
