Design Mumbai wraps up its second edition
Published
Design Mumbai has concluded its second edition, reinforcing its position as India’s leading international showcase for contemporary design.
With increased visitor numbers, strong exhibitor sales and an expanded programme of talks, installations and brand presentations, Design Mumbai has concluded its 2025 edition.
Held from 26 to 29 November at Jio World Garden, the event brought together international and Indian design brands, studios and practitioners across two connected tents. Alongside the exhibition programme, the show featured curated design installations, food and hospitality pop-ups by Soho House Mumbai, Solaire and Burma Burma, as well as a schedule of panel discussions that attracted both professional and general audiences.
The exhibitor lineup included established global brands such as Baccarat, Hästens, Poltrona Frau, String and Natuzzi, alongside Indian studios including Sarvatva, Phantom Hands, Fazo Project, Racconti and Emanate.
A central component of the programme was the return of the Design Mumbai Exchange talks, curated by Caro Communications. Across 14 panel discussions, speakers from architecture, design, materials research and media addressed themes ranging from cross-cultural collaboration to sustainability and colour. Highlights included a keynote by Vinu Daniel of Wallmakers on Vagabond Architecture, alongside discussions involving designers and industry leaders such as Adam Markowitz, Deepak Srinath, Roderick Wiles and Juan Gerstl, as well as representatives from NIFT and Industrial Playground.
Large-scale installations were also a key draw. Venezuelan artist Juan Gerstl’s entrance tunnel, Journey Through India, greeted visitors with a vivid, geometric installation constructed from UV-printed aluminium panels. Inside the venue, Spanish designer Lucas Muñoz Muñoz presented Ex-Hotel, a café concept for THE Park Hotels that reimagined furniture waste by repurposing discarded hotel materials into new functional forms.
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Material innovation was foregrounded in Chris Lefteri’s Materials! Do Touch! installation, which highlighted alternatives to traditional leather, including mycelium-based materials. Another new feature, The Object Edit, curated by Kamna Malik, introduced a gallery-style pavilion showcasing designers focused on storytelling, materiality and form.
Outdoor installations extended the experience across the Jio World Garden grounds. Studio Saar’s returning Srivan installation explored cultivated landscapes through stone, steel and textile forms, while Jaipur Rugs presented Court of Carpets, a carpeted tennis court inspired by the brand’s 2024 campaign with tennis player Rohan Bopanna.
Following the close of the show, organisers announced that Design Mumbai will return from 25 to 28 November 2026, building on the momentum of its second edition and its growing role within the international design events calendar.
Design Mumbai
designmumbai.com
Photography
Courtesy of Design Mumbai
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