Whistling Woods International hosted Aiyanna 2026, the annual graduation showcase by its School of Fashion & Costume Design, celebrating ten years of nurturing emerging talent through creativity, collaboration, and industry-focused learning.
Held at the institute’s Mumbai campus, the showcase featured graduating students presenting collections inspired by identity, culture, emotions, and contemporary narratives. The event brought together couture, conceptual fashion, and storytelling, highlighting the evolving creative perspectives of the next generation of designers.
A distinctive aspect of Aiyanna 2026 was the inclusion of original fashion films created by students alongside their runway presentations. The graduating batch unveiled four fashion films, reflecting the institute’s interdisciplinary approach that combines fashion, storytelling, and cinematic creativity.
Among the notable showcases were collections exploring Gen Z identity through futuristic layered silhouettes, reinterpretations of femininity and strength using historical references and textured detailing, and surreal concepts centred around dreams, chaos, and transformation through evolving colour palettes and silhouettes.
The jury panel for this year’s showcase included Anurag Bahri, Garima Singh, Deepit Chugh, and Shweta Agarwal.
Award winners at Aiyanna 2026 included:
- Best Collection – Shreya Aarthi Dhareshwar
- Academic Excellence – Himadri Garg
- Jury’s Choice – Reshma Bhimmappa Potalkar
- Commercially Viable Collection – Riya Nirmal Parmar
- Creative Innovative Award – Pankhul Shadani
- Textile/Surface Development – Sakshi Kishore Mantri
Sharing her thoughts, Meghna Ghai Puri said, “Aiyanna represents the moment where education transforms into expression. Every collection presented tonight reflects originality, craft, and the confidence to tell meaningful stories through fashion.”
Adding to this, Jewellyn Alvares said, “This graduating batch has showcased exceptional creativity, research, and honesty in their work. Their collections reflect both technical excellence and strong individual perspectives.”
Aiyanna 2026 continues to reinforce WWI’s focus on redefining fashion education through innovation, storytelling, and interdisciplinary collaboration while preparing future-ready creative professionals for the industry.
