Celebrated Indian Fashion Designer Tarun Tahiliani attends our exclusive fashion show at UNFOLD 2025
Recently, IIAD was honoured with the Excellence in Skill Development Education award by EducationWorld Magazine at the Higher Education Grand Jury Awards 2025–26. To add to this momentous year, the Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD) hosted its annual Graduate Showcase, UNFOLD, on May 3rd and 4th, 2025, at its New Delhi campus—drawing a powerful lineup of industry leaders from Reliance Brands, Adobe, Landor, DLF and more. Visionaries like Tarun Tahiliani, Ramola Bachchan and Sunil Sethi joined the two-day celebration that unveiled over a hundred final-year projects across Communication Design, Fashion Design, Interior Architecture & Design and Fashion Business Management. From immersive installations and spatial redesigns to branding campaigns and business ventures, the event offered a bold glimpse into the ideas shaping India’s next generation of creative professionals.
Lamp lighting ceremony at IIAD
The event began with a lamp-lighting ceremony, officiated by IIAD officials namely Dr. Jitin Chadha (Founder & CEO) with Mr. Ajit Chadha (Chairman), Rita Chadha (Chairperson), Prof. Usha Nehru Patel (Director-Academics), Simrat Joshi (COO), Prof. Snehanshu Mukherjee (Course Leader, Interior Architecture and Design), Sakshi Jain (Course Leader, Communication Design), Dr. Sunita Gupta Konwar (Course Leader, Fashion Business Management), and Kishore Chakraborty (Course Leader, Foundation).
Industry practitioners in conversation with students discussing their projects
The Communication Design department brought together leading creative minds to explore the evolving role of designers in an AI-driven world. Moderated by Sakshi Jain, the conversation featured Sudeep Chaudhuri (Adobe), Samar Jodha (Red Balloon), Amit Krishn Gulati (Incubis Consultants), Monica Khanna Gulati (SkyBLUE Design), Sonali Pal (23:23 Designs) and Som Sengupta (Zeppelin Design). The dialogue centered around the irreplaceable value of human creativity, the need for strong educational foundations and the importance of embracing uncertainty in career paths. From reflections on design’s empathy advantage to calls for entrepreneurial courage and personal voice, the panel affirmed that while AI may shift tools and workflows, the essence of design remains deeply human — rooted in observation, context and the courage to create.
Exhibition showcase by Communication Design (CD) and Interior Architecture & Design (IAD) students
Day one featured exhibitions from the Communication Design (CD) and Interior Architecture & Design (IAD) departments. Communication Design students presented final-year projects across animation, illustration, branding and packaging, UI/UX and publication design. Several of these projects had previously won awards at national and international platforms. The exhibitions were open to industry professionals, faculty, students and the larger design community.
A panel of leading architects and designers in a dialogue with academicians at IIAD
A panel discussion was hosted by the Interior Architecture and Design department on Reduction by Design brought together leading voices from firms such as Team 3, Mold Design Studio, AVA Design, Resaiki and others. The session addressed the urgent need to design with restraint—shifting focus from aesthetic minimalism to purposeful reduction in materials, processes, and consumption. Panelists explored how traditional craftsmanship, innovation in construction techniques and client education can together support a more sustainable and relevant design practice.
In frame: Reema Malhotra, Ritu Nakra, Yogeshwar Sharma, Ramola Bachchan, Rohit Singh and Abhishek Verma
The second day featured a panel discussion titled “Launching Tomorrow: What The Industry Wants Today,” facilitated by the Fashion Business Management department. The discussion explored what it takes to thrive in today’s fast-changing industry. Moderated by Abhishek Verma (Associate Professor, IIAD), the session featured Ramola Bachchan (Serial Entrepreneur and Socialite, First Resort, Accidental Chef, Runway Bridal, Runway Rising, Housefull), Reema Malhotra (GM, Pee Empro Exports), Ritu Nakra (GM, Landor), Yogeshwar Sharma (Chief of Business Development, DLF), and Rohit Singh (Head of Sourcing & Design, Reliance Brands Ltd). The panelists spoke about their journeys, industry shifts, and the skills they value in young professionals today. From creative thinking and emotional intelligence to business acumen and adaptability, the conversation stressed the need for a well-rounded approach. AI was seen as a useful tool—but one that cannot replace human insight, experience, and originality.
Addressing students on overcoming self-doubt and taking risks, Ramola Bachchan advised,“It’s important to evolve with time and stay current. You have to be brave enough to take risks, adapt to change and build organically — that’s how you create relevance in today’s world.”
Exhibition at fashion design department
The evening concluded with a second runway presentation, showcasing the same 24 graduating collections that debuted earlier in the day. While the afternoon show was attended by celebrated designer Tarun Tahiliani, the evening brought industry stalwart Sunil Sethi, Chairman of the Fashion Design Council of India, to the front row.
Speaking to the students, Indian Tarun Tahiliani remarked, “I told Jitin I’m envious of the students here—because back in my time, there was no design school to go to. I urge every student to be creative, mad and crazy—but always seek technique and never forget your roots. We’re a very cool country that was colonised to rebel—find your own definition of who you are.
From textile explorations to concept-driven silhouettes, each collection reflected a distinct designer voice—merging craft, narrative, and innovation. UnFOLD 2025 offered a compelling glimpse into the evolving voice of India’s next generation of creative professionals—bold, conscious, and industry-ready.