Overview

On Saturday evening, 18 July 2026, Istituto Marangoni Mumbai – the Italian‑origin fashion and design school – staged its annual student showcase titled Astitva. The name, derived from the Sanskrit word for identity or existence, framed a runway that combined raw industrial materials, reflective surfaces and sculptural lighting to create an immersive environment where fashion intersected with architecture and emotion.

Collections and Designers

Nine second‑year fashion design students each presented three looks, resulting in nine distinct collections:

  • Anshika Yadav – “Ecdysis”: a five‑stage narrative of a bird’s transformation symbolising human growth and self‑definition.
  • Anushka Puranik – “Anchors of Immanence”: explores family as an anchoring force, using structured silhouettes and layered forms.
  • Diya Gupta – “Unfinished Rooms”: reflects on childhood spaces shaping continual personal evolution.
  • Drishti Bachwani – “Alexithymia”: visualises the difficulty of expressing emotions, mirroring the designer’s inner experience.
  • Natalia Kumar – “Inheritance Adorned”: traces Indian jewellery evolution through five acts, rooted in bridal aesthetics.
  • Paarvi Khullar – “Learning to Breathe Again”: charts a two‑year journey through anxiety, loss and healing.
  • Pallavi Singh – “REVIVE”: celebrates post‑2001 Bhuj earthquake resilience of Kutch’s weaving, block printing and hand‑knitting traditions, reinterpreted as contemporary winter wear.
  • Tarini Kakar – “La Révolution”: examines perpetual cycles of creation and renewal, inspired by the phrase “From dust you are and to dust you shall return”.
  • Vanya Gupta – “Fleeting Grief”: a tribute to her mother’s passing, using light, fluid silhouettes and a muted palette to depict grief turning into acceptance.

Awards and Recognitions

Pallavi Singh was honoured with Istituto Marangoni Mumbai’s ‘The Designer of the Year 2026’ for her “REVIVE” collection. For the first time, Anushka Puranik received ‘The Sustainability Award 2026’ for “Anchors of Immanence”, recognising conscious creation, heirloom design and mindful luxury.

Leadership Commentary

Mr. Tarun Pandey, COO of Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, stated that great design begins with authenticity and that Astitva celebrates identity as a continuously shaped concept. Director of Education Kristian Steinberg emphasized the school’s philosophy of encouraging students to root their creative practice in personal stories and cultural identities, producing work that is locally grounded yet globally relevant.

Creative and Production Partners

  • Creative Direction: Kristian Steinberg.
  • Studio Team: Lianne Trowbridge, Abhishek Gaherwar, Ashay Chaturvedi, Jeetinder Sandhu.
  • Style Direction: Kayaan Contractor, assisted by Abhinav & Manu Lodhi.
  • Show Directors: Vahbiz Mehta, Delnaz Daruwala, Kamal Mehta.
  • Embroidery Support: Amal Embroideries (founded 2002, provides handcrafted embroidery for European couture houses).
  • Hair & Makeup: Daniel Bauer Academy (India’s largest makeup and hair training academy, founded 2017).
  • Fragrance Partner: ŚASVA Parfums, a modern luxury fragrance house founded in 2022 by alumnus Sriman Subramanian, drawing on a 70‑year family legacy.
  • Wine Partner: The Source by Sula, offering sustainably produced wines from Nashik valley vineyards.

Institutional Profile

Istituto Marangoni was founded in 1935 in Milan and now operates campuses in Milan, Florence, Paris, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Dubai, Riyadh, Miami and Shenzhen. It educates roughly 5,000 students annually from 108 countries, boasts a 91% employability rate (per a recent Doxa survey), and was ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide in its disciplines by the QS World University Ranking 2025. Over four generations, the institute has produced more than 45,000 luxury‑industry professionals, including notable alumni such as Domenico Dolce, Alessandro Sartori, Paula Cademartori, Gilda Ambrosio, Julie de Libran and Nicola Brognano.