In a city where scaffolding is a constant and the skyline is in a state of perpetual reinvention, fashion found a fitting muse. At Istituto Marangoni Mumbai’s 2025 student showcase, the spirit of Mumbai—its chaos and calm, its past and present—was translated into a unique visual and sensory experience.
Staged within a set evocative of Mumbai’s construction sites, the show embraced an Arte Povera-inspired aesthetic. Golden bamboo scaffolding and concrete flooring formed the backdrop, mirroring the city’s raw, kinetic energy.
Here’s how the show unfurled, weaving trends across decades onto the runway.
Sixteen graduating students presented four looks each, revealing personal explorations of technique, form, and memory. The silhouettes nodded to the ’60s—corset dresses with dramatic crinolines, cloud-like tulle skirts, sculptural separates and oversized hats. The designs revealed a generation that understands its roots but isn’t afraid to rework them. Among the standout moments was Ananya Singh’s collection, Carrier No: 09’23. Handle with Care: Status – in Transit, which earned her the title of Istituto Marangoni Mumbai’s ‘2025 Fashion Design Student of the Year’. Her pieces captured the tension of fragility in motion—thoughtfully structured garments that explored ideas of displacement, vulnerability, and resilience, all wrapped in sharp tailoring and poetic detail.
“Each collection represented the next generation of designers and their unique vision for the future of fashion,” says Tarun Pandey, COO — Istituto Marangoni, Mumbai. He adds, “At Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, we are deeply committed to empowering our students for success in global markets, with responsible innovation at the core of our approach, ensuring they are prepared for an ever-evolving world. As we navigate this new landscape, with a renewed focus on craft, experiences, and craftsmanship, we aim to highlight their academic excellence and achievements on a global platform.”
The showcase also ventured beyond the tactile and visual. In collaboration with Astha Suri, founder of the artisanal fragrance label Naso Profumi and an alumna of Istituto Marangoni Milan, the school introduced Mumbai High—a scent that distilled the city’s emotional topography into fragrance. Developed with Mevin Murden, Director of Education at the Mumbai campus, the perfume captured the layered intensity of the metropolis with notes of ocean, salt, cement, mogra, leather and oud.
Pushing the boundaries of design and narrative, the event also explored the intersection of fashion and technology. Select student collections were reinterpreted through AI-generated visuals and styling tools, offering a glimpse into how emerging creatives are embracing digital co-authors in the evolution of their vision.
With vikAsah, Istituto Marangoni’s 2025 cohort didn’t just present a collection—they offered a mood, a memory, and a manifesto. A love letter to Mumbai written in silhouette, scent, and software.
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