design mumbai 2025 boosts india’s creativity with global icons, exclusive partnerships & talks

Design Mumbai returns for its second edition

From November 26–29, 2025, Design Mumbai returns to Jio World Garden for its second edition, bringing together an ambitious mix of international design brands, rising Indian talent, and thought leaders shaping the future of architecture and interiors. The four-day event (26 Nov – Invitation-Only VIP Preview Evening) headed by industry veterans Ian Rudge, Michael Dynan, and Piyush Suri, promises exclusive collaborations – from Spanish designer Lucas Muñoz Muñoz’s site-specific café for THE Park Hotels to the debut of Italian-Indian furniture brand Racconti – alongside the expanded Design Mumbai Exchange talks programme featuring voices such as Manijeh Verghese, Adam Markowitz, and Vinu Daniels.

india’s international contemporary design event

Launched in 2024, Design Mumbai is India’s first fully international contemporary design event for professionals across architecture, interiors, and product design. Set in the heart of Mumbai, India’s cultural and commercial capital, the show offers a curated platform for global brands, emerging designers, and thought leaders to exchange ideas and showcase innovation. Combining exhibitions, installations, and a forward-looking talks programme, it aims to position Mumbai on the global design map while reflecting India’s rapidly growing creative economy.

Produced by Montgomery Group, the team behind international events such as Art Central Hong Kong and the India Art Fair, Design Mumbai 2025 aims to position Mumbai as a global design hub. With its cross-cultural collaborations, curated exhibitions, and future-facing talks, the event reflects both India’s creative momentum and its growing influence on the international design stage.

Furniture design takes the spotlight with international debuts

Central to the 2025 edition is Lucas Muñoz Muñoz’s collaboration with THE Park Hotels, creating a café using repurposed materials from the group’s refurbishment projects. Known for his experimental aesthetic, Muñoz explores themes of impermanence and renewal, echoing his past work with Polestar Gallery and Swiss brand On. This year also sees the Australian Institute of Architects hosting its annual conference in Mumbai for the first time, aligning the event with a global architectural discourse.

Furniture design takes the spotlight with international debuts and local premieres. Italian brand Natuzzi introduces Mirai, a sculptural sofa collection by Andrea Steidl inspired by the 13th-century castles of Frederick II in Puglia. Sweden’s String celebrates its iconic String System, a modular design classic since 1949, while Blå Station presents its BOB sofa system by Bernstrand & Borselius. India’s Sabbi brings sustainable micro-concrete furniture rooted in wabi-sabi philosophy, and Bangalore-based Lila returns with its adaptable Morph bed for children. Newcomer Racconti merges Italian craftsmanship with Indian materials, unveiling its Eterno collection designed by Luca Erba, Luca Tornaghi, Andrea Bonini, Michela Oliva, and Adriano Castiglioni.

TOP BRAND COLLABORATIONS, EXHIBITIONS, AND FUTURE-FACING TALKS PROGRAMME

Running from 27–29 November 2025 with a VIP preview on the 26th, Design Mumbai Exchange brings together an international line-up of architects, designers, and thought leaders alongside India’s most influential voices. Curated by Caro Communications, the programme explores urgent topics shaping design today – urban resilience, sustainability, workplace futures, hospitality, craft, and culture – through panels, keynotes, and debates. Speakers include Manijeh Verghese, CEO of Open City; Lucas Muñoz Muñoz; Australian designer and maker Adam Markowitz; and Vinu Daniels, known for his site-specific, material-driven architecture.

Highlights include Harsha Kotak’s series on climate-responsive workplaces and the rise of co-working culture, Chris Lefteri’s session on innovative materials, and Debika Ray’s panel on craft, manufacturing, and cultural identity featuring global voices such as Adam Markowitz and Atelier Luke. Other sessions will explore Indian minimalism, the future of hospitality with Priya Paul of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, resilient coastlines with Tonkin Liu, and urban inclusivity led by Open City’s Manijeh Verghese. Together, these conversations reflect Design Mumbai’s mission to foster cross-cultural dialogue and push the boundaries of contemporary design thinking.

Moreover, textile innovation features prominently with FAZO Project’s handwoven contemporary rugs, Venjara Carpets’ sustainable PET designs from Bhadohi, and Threadarte’s experimental textiles crafted from waste materials. Shaman Ideas, led by Sharmila Mangwani, introduces geometric wall sculptures exploring balance and continuity, adding a sculptural dimension to this year’s interiors line-up.

Meanwhile, curated by interior stylist Jasmine Jhaveri, the inaugural Emerging Designers Pavilion celebrates rising Indian talent. Eight studios, including Studio Abrash, Wannas Design Atelier, Studio Klay, and Trnkts3D, showcase experimental works spanning furniture, lighting, and textiles. Istituto Marangoni returns with five alumni projects, reinforcing the event’s role as a launchpad for new voices in contemporary design

Exclusively for designboom readers, enjoy a 20% discount on tickets with code D20DM25B — book now at designmumbai.com/tickets

project info: