Across the country, student protests have erupted demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protest, launched by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) after the NEET (medical admissions exam) paper leak, gathered momentum with activist Sonam Wangchuk launching an indefinite fast. Later, over the weekend, it snowballed into a full-fledged movement after the government moved Wangchuk to a hospital, and came down hard on a protest march to the Parliament on Monday.
Content creator calls out India Couture Week
Amid this, in solidarity with the students, beauty content creator Ishita Mangal called out the organisers of India Couture Week for holding the fashion show amid protests and student unrest. India Couture Week 2026 is an FDCI initiative that will run from July 23 to July 29 at New Delhi’s Taj Palace, during which top designers will showcase their new collections, with many celebrities walking the ramp for them.
What she said
On July 22, Ishita expressed that India Couture Week continuing with the shows was ‘tone deaf’ while students are on the streets protesting against the government.
In a note, she wrote, “Holding Couture Week in the middle of mass protests is an astonishing display of privilege, detachment, and complete moral bankruptcy. While students are risking their safety and fighting for their future, you are busy discussing hemlines, guest lists, and after-parties. It is disgraceful.”
She also urged the organisers to ‘read the room’ and stand up when it matters, writing: “History has a way of remembering who stood up when it mattered and who chose to carry on as if nothing was happening. This is one of those moments. Fashion will survive a postponement. Your reputation may not. Stop pretending this is business as usual. This message is for all designers, sponsors, influencers and actors walking! Tone deaf.”
How did the internet react?
Ishita’s post garnered mixed reactions from netizens. While some supported her views, others pointed out that cancelling at the last minute hurts organisers and the many workers whose livelihoods are tied to it.
One Instagram user pointed out that cancelling an event of such a big scale is not easy and said, “Do you really think it’s that easy? Designers and organisers have invested lakhs into these events and spent 4–6 months preparing for a show that lasts just 15 minutes. Should all of that simply be cancelled? I completely understand that the situation is extremely sensitive, and I support those who are protesting. But we also need to acknowledge that these designers, organisers, and businesses have hundreds of workers who depend on them for their daily wages.”
Someone else commented, “I am really sorry, but couture week is business at the end of the day that supports & provides employment to a lot of people besides just the designers? And in whatever capacity, designers are speaking up for the students. It’s not fair to call them out or call out FDCI and put a blanket ban on couture week. Let me ask you something simple? As a creator, has your work stopped? Have people stopped shooting films and shows? Have people stopped going to work? This is not the time to call out people and accuse them, but rather to speak up against the bigger issues. Thank you.”
“I respectfully disagree. If you’ve made a prior work commitment, I believe you should honour it; that’s basic professional ethics,” someone else said.
Another user said, “It’s definitely not ideal that the platform doesn’t acknowledge the moment; they may have the opportunity to include themselves in the narrative, even in a neutral manner, which is definitely a choice, considering they work very closely with the government, etc.”
Who all are participating in the India Couture Week?
At the 2026 edition of the India Couture Week, several couturiers and design houses will be presenting their collections, including JJ Valaya, Tarun Tahiliani, Anamika Khanna, Rahul Mishra, Falguni Shane Peacock, Kunal Rawal, Rimzim Dadu, Rohit Bal, Masaba, Aisha Rao, Jayanti Reddy, Arpita Mehta, and Roseroom by Isha Jajodia.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
