Kumar Bahukhandi
The fashion spotlight turned to Mumbai this week as Global India Couture Week (GICW) 2025 delivered a spectacular four-day extravaganza at the Nesco Centre, Goregaon, bringing together over 40 designers from across India and abroad. From iconic veterans to emerging voices, the event served as a powerful convergence of design, culture, commerce, and global vision once again reaffirming GICW’s reputation as India’s definitive couture platform.
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Global India Couture Week 2025 at Nesco Centre, Goregaon, with a four-day showcase uniting 40+ Indian and international designers in a grand celebration of couture
The event commenced with a dramatic solo showcase by renowned designer Rohit Verma, whose theatrical presentation was elevated by showstoppers Diana Penty and Maniesh Paul, setting a glamorous tone for the week ahead. As the showcase progressed, a diverse line-up of designers and institutions brought their vision to life. This included presentations by NIF Global, Gift Design Academy, Label Gayatri whose collection was highlighted by showstopper Lekha Prajapati,alongside Aankona, Battle Harbour, Andaloussia, Raj Sharma, and Lucilia Couture. The pairing of Nitin Singh x Forever Naveen Kumar offered a compelling blend of structure and elegance, while Manali Jagtap, presented by Dr Tvacha, captivated the audience with Daisy Shah as the showstopper. Closing the evening, Saisha Shinde’s edgy, sculptural showcase featured model Deepti Gujral, adding boldness to the lineup.As the week unfolded, the runway became a playground for creativity, celebrity, and couture. Ken Ferns delivered a modern, metropolitan collection.
Followed by an ode to Indian heritage by Odisha Textiles the next day. Students from IIFT (Bilaspur and Bareilly campuses) presented fresh interpretations of ethnic and fusion design. Designer Thomas Abraham brought sophistication to the runway with Manisha Rani as his showstopper, while Tina Ranka’s romantic silhouettes were modeled by Shruti Sharma. Kirti Rathore’s regal menswear line featured an ensemble of stars including Tina Ahuja, Neetu Chandra, and Aniruddh Dave. Gagan Kumar presented an edgy lineup, punctuated by showstoppers Shiv Thakare and Divya Aggarwal. The dynamic duo of Reynu and Nikhita Tandon Bhatia closed the segment with a glamorous celebrity parade featuring Deepti Sadhwani, Mallika Singhania, Krystle D’Souza, and Manika Vishwakarma, drawing thunderous applause.
The final stretch of the couture celebration offered an eclectic mix of student-led innovation, celebrity flair, and high fashion drama. IIFT’s Naraina, GK Campus, and Ghaziabad branches showcased experimental collections from emerging student designers. JD Institute of Fashion Technology brought theatrical energy to the ramp with Vedant Mahiwar and Prakruti Mishra as showstoppers. Harish Akkisetty, Aarya by Rashmi, and Sumit Goel, who featured Femina Miss India World Nandini Gupta as showstopper, expanded the style narrative with diverse themes and textures. One of the evening’s highlights was the emotionally rich showcase by Fraganta presents Robert Naorem, featuring Birjit Singh and Miss Supranational India 2025 Anushree on the ramp. The audience was further treated to collections by Naorem, Keembdanti by Sabyasachi, and Tamishka by Narendra Kumar, each of whom brought strong individualistic voices to the runway.
Capping off the week with a grand finale, celebrated designer Varun Bahl delivered an opulent and poetic couture presentation, featuring actress Fatima Sana Shaikh as the showstopper, a moment that brought the audience to its feet and brought GICW 2025 to a resounding close.
Speaking on the success of this year’s edition, Satyajit Mohanty, Managing Director of GICW, said, “Global India Couture Week is not just a fashion showcase it’s a cultural ecosystem that fosters dialogue between tradition and modernity. We are proud to provide a platform where Indian designers and global influences can co-exist and evolve together.” Adding to that, Dr. Sidharth Behera, Operational Director, stated, “This edition set new operational and creative benchmarks. From student showcases to international collaborations, GICW continues to be where couture finds its global voice.”
With an unmatched combination of over 40 design showcases, numerous celebrity showstoppers, and a stage that welcomed both legacy and next-gen talent, GICW 2025 marked a defining chapter in the evolution of Indian couture. As trends are born and talent discovered, the platform continues to bridge fashion, culture, and commerce charting the course for the future of Indian fashion on the world stage.
