15, Sep 2026
ORIGEM Launches First-In-India 110 percentage Lifetime Exchange Value, Disrupts the Lab-Grown Diamond Jewellery Market
Mumbai, Sep15: ORIGEM, a lab-grown diamond jewellery brand backed by Goldiam International Ltd., has introduced its 110% Lifetime Exchange Value proposition, marking a significant step towards redefining how consumers perceive the long-term value of diamond jewellery.
As consumers become more experimental with personal style and increasingly seek value beyond the point of purchase, ORIGEM is rethinking what ownership can look like.
The brand has introduced a first-of-its-kind 110% Lifetime Exchange Value proposition, offering customers 110% exchange value on the diamond value of their ORIGEM jewellery for life, along with 100% exchange value on gold at the prevailing gold rate.
The programme is designed to give consumers the option to revisit their jewellery choices more routinely – whether that means moving to a different design, celebrating a new milestone or simply choosing something that feels more relevant to them today. In doing so, ORIGEM is looking to make the purchase journey less about committing to one piece and more about creating room for choices along the way, while being rewarded for it.
Anmol Bhansali, Managing Director, Goldiam International Limited, said,
“The jewellery category has traditionally been built around the idea of permanence, but the consumer is changing. Today, personal style is far more fluid, and people want their purchases to work with the way they live and evolve. With ORIGEM’s 110% Lifetime Exchange Value, we are bringing that thinking into jewellery – giving consumers an added sense of confidence & financial security that their choice today will continue to hold value tomorrow. It is a step towards making the category more relevant to how consumers actually think and shop today. This is increasingly relevant in the lab grown diamond space, where we hope to encourage our customers to experiment frequently across a much larger variety of shapes than is otherwise affordable with natural diamonds.”
Abhinav Kumar, President, ORIGEM, said,
“We believe the first purchase should be the beginning of the jewellery journey, not the end of it. Consumers should have the freedom to discover different designs and make new choices without feeling restricted by an earlier purchase. Our lifetime exchange programme is built to enable exactly that, to not just allow, but also to reward upgrading one’s jewellery while making the overall experience of owning Origem diamond jewellery more contemporary and consumer-friendly.”
The proposition also marks ORIGEM’s effort to build a differentiated consumer experience within the growing lab-grown diamond jewellery category. By placing greater emphasis on what happens after the purchase, the brand is expanding the conversation around jewellery from just acquisition to ownership.
With this initiative, ORIGEM aims to establish a new benchmark for how consumers perceive the long-term value of diamond jewellery — one that combines the emotional significance of the purchase with the freedom to fulfil new desires along the way.
The offer is live across ORIGEM Stores pan-India.
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- By Neel Achary
15, Sep 2026
Indian Exporters Gain Ground in Global Markets as August Shipments Surge
New Delhi, Sep 15: India’s export sector delivered a strong performance in August, with merchandise shipments rising more than 26 per cent from a year earlier. The growth pushed monthly goods exports to a record $43.81 billion for August, offering a positive signal for businesses and the wider economy.
The strong export performance also helped India slightly reduce its merchandise trade gap. The trade deficit stood at $26.86 billion in August, compared with $27.22 billion during the same month last year.
Imports were estimated at around $70.67 billion in August, lower than the $76.22 billion recorded in July. Merchandise exports also eased slightly from July’s $44.24 billion, but remained significantly higher on a year-on-year basis.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said the export momentum seen in recent months has continued. Merchandise exports grew 17.85 per cent during the first five months of FY27, while overall exports, including services, increased 15.55 per cent during the period.
One of the notable developments is the widening reach of Indian exporters. Growth is no longer concentrated in a small number of markets, with shipments increasing to countries such as China, Singapore, Germany, South Africa, Malaysia, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Australia, Spain and Sri Lanka.
Exports to BRICS economies increased 13.3 per cent during the first five months of the financial year. China emerged as a particularly strong market, with Indian exports to the country rising 38.71 per cent. Shipments to the US grew 6.17 per cent, while exports to the European Union increased 3.84 per cent.
The Commerce Ministry estimated merchandise export growth at 25.41 per cent in August, with year-on-year growth placed at 26.12 per cent.
The improvement was also spread across a wide range of products. As many as 68 of the 168 principal commodity groups recorded growth during August, suggesting that the rise in exports was supported by multiple sectors.
For Indian businesses, the trend could bring opportunities across manufacturing, logistics, shipping and other export-linked industries. A wider overseas market base could also help exporters manage risks arising from changes in demand, tariffs and geopolitical developments in individual markets.
The latest numbers therefore point to a more broad-based export recovery, with Indian companies strengthening their presence in both traditional and emerging markets. If this momentum continues, exports could become an important support for economic activity and business growth during FY27.
15, Sep 2026
The Eplan Platform 2027 has arrived
Directly integrated: Eplan Copilot supports users of the new version with features such as quick cross-project part searches or specific recommendations.
The Eplan Platform 2027, first introduced back at the Eplan Next26 in May, is now live. Users of the engineering software benefit from faster results along the process steps of preplanning, electrical engineering and control cabinet design. Another added advantage is the integration of Eplan Copilot into the software. This new AI assistant is now anchored in the platform with Version 2027 and provides valuable support in day-to-day project work. In addition, the Eplan Platform is now even easier to integrate into existing IT environments.
Even with the wide variety of more than five hundred enhancements in the new Eplan Platform 2027, what they all have in common is making project work easier and accelerating engineering. A key innovation is the introduction of Eplan Copilot into the new platform. This AI-powered assistant with a wide range of functions has been available since early September. First, it is acting as a knowledge service that can be accessed directly from within the Eplan software, providing structured access to Eplan’s internal expertise and reliably guiding users to the right solution, even for complex questions.
Copilot is also a powerful tool for tracking device usage. If engineers want to know in which projects they have used a specific product or component, all they have to do is enter a part number. The AI searches all the projects in the cloud and provides direct links to project pages where the device was used. Whether it’s translation, menu simplification, creating bills of materials or running quality checks, users can interact with Eplan Copilot via voice or text prompts, thereby enabling them to better leverage Eplan’s wide range of capabilities.
New: Central device management in the cloud
The additions to device management set a clear strategic focus on consistent, end-to-end data and efficient collaboration. With the new cloud-based device management and the associated synchronization capabilities, Eplan, the solutions provider, addresses a central requirement for modern, hybrid engineering environments and is hereby laying the foundation for consistent master data, digital twins and cross-system traceability. These core functions are complemented by targeted improvements in searching, selecting, transparency and data quality, all of which significantly simplify the day-to-day management of large parts inventories. Taken together, these improvements enable better-integrated working and significantly more efficient workflows throughout the entire engineering and life-cycle process.
Cloud device management is now synchronized
Looking at today’s processes in device/parts management, the process is characterized by media disruptions. In hybrid IT environments, companies operate both cloud-based and local systems in parallel. Differing user interfaces, product data maintained in multiple locations, and limited remote access often lead to inconsistencies, increased efforts needed for maintenance and data gaps in the engineering process.
The new Eplan Platform 2027 creates greater clarity in this area and synchronizes processes. By provisioning data from the Eplan Cloud, users have a uniform front-end workflow, the advantages of which are obvious. Product data is maintained only once and automatically synchronized bidirectionally between the cloud and local systems (keyword: data management). This is true for device data as well as master data such as formulas, plot frames and symbol libraries, which can all now be synchronized. At the same time, this workflow ensures location-independent access to parts information that is up to date. Users thereby achieve maximum data consistency, greater reusability and reduce efforts required for device management.
By displaying information such as the process flow direction or tank filling, Eplan Preplanning offers significantly more in-depth information along with numerous new automation functions.
End-to-end processes in focus
The Eplan ecosystem is continuing to expand by way of targeted additions for partner integrations. This expansion is driven by the growing need to seamlessly connect engineering systems with automation solutions and ERP/PDM solutions in order to avoid information silos. Enhanced integrations create end-to-end data flows between Eplan and leading partner solutions, such as Rockwell Emulate 3D (as just one example). By importing Eplan data into Rockwell’s virtual testing and simulation environment, users can simulate and validate machine and plant system layouts—including the actual control logic (PLC) – long before the hardware even exists. Additional integrations to ERP/PDM systems enable transparent, controllable device synchronization, which significantly improves data reliability over the long term.
To conclude
The Eplan Platform 2027 stands for connected, AI-supported engineering. Further developments in preplanning, improvements in the management of device data and in handling devices, expanded collaboration and integration – not to mention the inclusion of Eplan Copilot – make it clear that with the Eplan Platform 2027, users can access relevant information more quickly, utilize existing data more consistently and focus more on their actual engineering tasks.
15, Sep 2026
Philips OneBlade and Red Bull take self-expression to new heights in Cappadocia, Turkey
In a breathtaking display, Red Bull athlete Marco Waltenspiel and his distinctive moustache achieved a world’s first in wingsuit hot-air balloon slalom, soaring between seven hot-air balloons at 200 km/h, to celebrate the freedom to be yourself and follow your passions.
AMSTERDAM, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG) (AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, has teamed up with Red Bull and athlete Marco Waltenspiel to complete an extraordinary wingsuit slalom against Cappadocia’s famous balloon-filled skyline. It marks a new Philips OneBlade and Red Bull project, celebrating individuality, self-acceptance and doing things your own way.
Marco Waltenspiel is known for pushing the limits of wingsuit flying and doing so with his distinctive moustache and unmistakable look. Bringing his unique style to the aerial obstacle course, he jumped from 2,800 meters and turned the sky into a slalom trail through balloons at different heights, shaving seconds off each split-second decision as wind conditions changed around him. Reaching speeds of up to 200 km/h, his fellow Red Bull athlete Marco Fürst flew alongside him to capture the spectacle from the sky. (Watch here)
“At Philips OneBlade, we believe there is no ‘right’ way to show up. We want to give people the freedom to shape their look on their own terms and express every side of who they are. Marco’s breathtaking feat in Cappadocia brings that spirit to life: bold, individual and unmistakably him. Through our partnership with Red Bull, we celebrate people who challenge convention, pursue what feels true to them and inspire others to do the same, “comments Shumit Mongha, OneBlade Business Leader.
Marco Waltenspiel, Red Bull athlete said on the Cappadocia jump: “For me, the small rituals really matter. They help me to feel grounded and prepare myself for each challenging jump. But beyond personal preparation, this jump was also about teamwork and trust. It was a challenge to bring everything together, and every detail had to align perfectly. I felt great on the day, & when the right moment finally came, we trusted each other, relied on our instincts, and soared through the sky. It was an incredible feeling.”
Philips OneBlade is made for people who want the freedom to create their own style. Whether trimming, edging or shaving, it offers a versatile way to shape and maintain facial hair, from a clean look to a statement moustache, and everything in between.
About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG) (AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in image-guided therapy, diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, monitoring, enterprise informatics and personal health. Philips generated 2025 sales of approximately EUR 18 billion and employs approximately 63,700 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.
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15, Sep 2026
Natixis strengthens coordination between its Portugal and India Expertise Centers under Etienne Huret’s leadership
LISBON, Portugal and BENGALURU, India, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Natixis announced that Etienne Huret is taking on the additional responsibility of leading its Expertise Centers in Portugal and India, strengthening coordination between the teams in Bangalore, Porto and Lisbon.
The new responsibility aims to strengthen coordination between the expertise hubs in Portugal and India, fostering closer collaboration, knowledge sharing and more consistent ways of working across teams and geographies.
This additional responsibility reflects Groupe BPCE’s confidence in Etienne Huret’s leadership and experience, as well as the strategic importance of strengthening collaboration across its international expertise hubs.
“This new responsibility represents an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the two centers of expertise, bring teams closer together and foster greater knowledge sharing in support of Groupe BPCE’s global needs. The challenge is to ensure effective coordination across geographies and teams, while respecting the reality of each market and promoting more integrated and consistent ways of working, focused on creating value for the Groupe,” says Etienne Huret.
For Bangalore, this new model marks an important step forward. “Our teams will work collaboratively with colleagues in Porto and Lisbon on shared platforms, shared standards, and shared ambitions — with career paths that now stretch across two continents,” added Luc Bernard, CEO, Natixis Services in India.
Bringing the expertise hubs in Portugal and India under a common leadership will further strengthen collaboration across Bangalore, Porto and Lisbon, while supporting business continuity across geographies and time zones. It will also create further opportunities for knowledge sharing, talent mobility and international career development, enabling teams to learn from each other, work more closely across locations and contribute to Natixis’ global expertise.
About Groupe BPCE
Groupe BPCE is the second-largest banking group in France and the fourth-largest in the euro zone in terms of capital. Through its 100,000 staff, the group serves 35 million customers — individuals, professionals, companies, investors and local government bodies — around the world. It operates in the retail banking and insurance fields in France via its two major networks, Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne, along with Banque Palatine and Oney. It also pursues its activities worldwide with the asset & wealth management services provided by Natixis Investment Managers and the wholesale banking expertise of Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking. The Group’s financial strength is recognized by four credit rating agencies with the following senior preferred LT ratings: Standard & Poor’s (A+, stable outlook), Fitch (A+, stable outlook), Moody’s (A2, stable outlook) and R&I (A+, stable outlook).
Natixis in Portugal
Natixis in Portugal is a Center of Expertise whose mission is to transform traditional banking through the development of innovative solutions for the business, operations and workplace culture of Groupe BPCE worldwide.
Natixis in Portugal is part of Groupe BPCE’s international division, developing solutions for its two business lines, Corporate & Investment Banking and Asset & Wealth Management, as well as cross-functional solutions for Groupe BPCE entities.
We currently have more than 3,000 employees from 46 nationalities, working across Information Technology, Banking Support Activities and Compliance. Our teams work in an integrated, inclusive and cross-functional way, supporting all of the Groupe’s business lines and platforms.
A culture of proximity, agility and innovation defines the Natixis in Portugal team and reflects the company’s mission to transform traditional banking at a global scale: a perfect fit within Portugal’s dynamic and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
About Natixis Services in India
Natixis Services in India is a Center of Expertise for Groupe BPCE, a banking group of French origin, and its subsidiary, Natixis. Natixis Services in India delivers operational excellence and agile solutions by leveraging advanced technologies to address challenges in the banking industry. Natixis Services in India’s focus is on enhancing the client experience, mitigating risks, and strengthening competitive positioning. The team is committed to enriching career development opportunities within an inclusive and dynamic work environment.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3008999/Etienne_Huret_Natixis.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3008998/Natixis_Logo.jpg
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15, Sep 2026
AURUS – Luxury Managed Residences Partners with SIBAN for One of India’s Largest Managed Living Projects
The partnership brings AURUS, a luxury extension of The Hive Hostels, to GIFT City as it continues to expand its managed residential presence across India
MUMBAI, India, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AURUS Luxury Managed Residences, a premium co-living brand founded by Bharat Agarwal, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United Group to establish and operate a large-scale managed residential living development in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, in what is set to be one of India’s largest leasing partnerships in the managed residential space.
The partnership will see AURUS bring its expertise in co- living, hospitality, community management and operations to the development, while Siban Developers will serve as the development and property partner. Together, the collaboration aims to create a professionally managed living ecosystem suited to GIFT City’s evolving educational, corporate and professional landscape.
The commercial and lease structure encompasses a total leasable area of approximately 5,00,000 Plus sq. ft. spread across 480 units, under a proposed 15-year lease term based on the current commercial schedule, the potential rental payable over the 15-year period is approximately ₹550 crore, subject to the final executed agreements
Under the partnership, United Group will serve as the development and property partner, while AURUS will operate and manage the accommodation ecosystem. Its responsibilities will include resident experience, hospitality, community management, programming and day-to-day property operations.
The project is expected to serve a mix of students, young professionals and working executives, in line with GIFT City’s evolving educational, corporate and professional ecosystem. The current project plan targets operations to commence in 2030.
On the partnership, Bharat Agarwal, Founder, AURUS Luxury Managed Residences, said, “Our journey so far has demonstrated that there is a significant opportunity to build a more organised and professionally operated managed residential ecosystem in India. As we enter our next phase of growth, GIFT City stood out because of the scale of development underway and the opportunity to become part of a new ecosystem from an early stage. Partnering with Siban Developers gives us the opportunity to enter the market with the right development partner and establish a strong foundation for our expansion beyond Mumbai.”
Located in Gandhinagar, GIFT City has emerged as India’s first International Financial Services Centre and a growing hub for global financial and technology businesses. The city currently has over 1,000 operational entities, has generated more than 30,000 jobs, and has over 29 million sq. ft. of space allotted for development. Alongside its expanding corporate ecosystem, GIFT City is also emerging as an international education destination, with global universities establishing campuses within the city. Deakin University and the University of Wollongong from Australia are already operational, offering programmes across areas including business, financial technology, computing and data analytics, while Coventry University and Queen’s University Belfast from the UK have also been approved to establish campuses and financial institutions like Bank of America, Barclays, Deutsche Bank to name a few.
As GIFT City’s business and academic ecosystems continue to expand, the demand for organised, professionally managed and high-quality living infrastructure is expected to grow alongside its student and young professional population.
Commenting on the partnership, Sanket Patel, Partner, United Yogi LLP, said, “The development of a successful urban ecosystem requires different forms of infrastructure to evolve alongside one another. While GIFT City has established itself as an important business destination, its next phase of growth will also depend on how effectively it supports the people who will live, study and work here. We see this partnership with AURUS as an opportunity to contribute to that evolution by introducing an organised managed-living solution that responds to an important requirement within the city’s broader development landscape.”
The partnership places AURUS within one of India’s most closely watched urban development projects and represents a significant addition to its growth strategy. The company’s long-term ambition is to build the next 100 most beautiful and functional managed residential assets across India over the next five years, contributing to the transition of student and working professional accommodation from fragmented hostel and PG formats towards a more globally benchmarked living category.
The GIFT City entry marks the first step in that wider expansion journey, as AURUS looks to take its managed residential model to new markets across the country.
About AURUS Luxury Residences
AURUS Luxury Residences (A luxury extension of The Hive Hostels) is a premium, professionally managed, design-led managed-living brand founded by Bharat Agarwal, his brother Siddharth Agarwal and close friends. Designed to address evolving expectations around safety, design, quality and the overall living experience, AURUS offers an elevated approach to shared living for students and young professionals. The brand currently lives across Mumbai, Pune, Noida and Ahmedabad, with a portfolio of over 2,000 operational beds and over 5000+ beds in the pipeline. As part of its growth strategy, AURUS aims to expand this portfolio to 25,000 beds over the next Five years, further strengthening its presence in India’s professionally managed co-living space.
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15, Sep 2026
Hisense Unveils New C3 Projector Family for Immersive Home Entertainment
QINGDAO, China, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, is expanding its home entertainment portfolio with the new C3 projector family, designed to bring cinema-sized entertainment into everyday life. Showcased at IFA 2026, the C3 Ultra and C3 Ultra Max are launching across global markets this September, with the C3 Pro set to follow.
From movie nights and live sports to gaming with friends, the C3 family is designed around the moments people want to make bigger. With projection sizes of up to 300 inches, powerful brightness and immersive sound, it transforms living rooms, bedrooms and other spaces into flexible entertainment destinations, giving users more freedom to enjoy the big-screen experience at home.
The C3 Ultra delivers 4,000 ANSI lumens and a 5,000:1 contrast ratio with an IRIS Lens, combining vivid visuals with gaming-enhanced performance. Its Devialet-tuned audio system, featuring co-engineered hardware and a built-in subwoofer, delivers deep bass and immersive surround sound for a more engaging entertainment experience.
For users seeking greater visual power and responsiveness, the C3 Ultra Max delivers 5,000 ANSI lumens, 5,000:1 contrast with an IRIS Lens and 1ms ultra-low latency, supporting dynamic entertainment across movies, sports and gaming. Enhanced by Devialet audio, it completes the experience with rich, immersive sound that matches its high-performance visuals.
The C3 Pro brings the C3 experience to more users with 3,000 ANSI lumens, 5,000:1 contrast with an IRIS Lens and Devialet-tuned audio with a built-in subwoofer, offering a compelling balance of performance and value.
Together, the C3 Ultra, C3 Ultra Max and C3 Pro further enrich the C3 family, offering consumers a broader range of choices to suit different entertainment needs and spaces. Earlier this year, the C3 has undergone Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and product carbon footprint (PCF) verification by SGS, supporting transparent evaluation of environmental impact across the product lifecycle and reflecting Hisense’s commitment to transparent product-level environmental assessment.
With the C3 family, Hisense continues to bring more immersive entertainment into everyday spaces, making it easier for people to turn ordinary moments at home into experiences worth sharing.
About Hisense
Hisense, founded in 1969, is a globally recognized leader in home appliances and consumer electronics with operations in over 180 countries, specializing in delivering high-quality multimedia products, home appliances, and intelligent IT solutions. According to Omdia, Hisense ranks No. 1 globally in the 100-inch and over TV segment (2023-2026H1). As The Origin of RGB MiniLED, Hisense continues to lead the next-generation RGB MiniLED innovation. As the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, Hisense is committed to global sports partnerships as a way to connect with audiences worldwide.
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15, Sep 2026
A Sweet, Guilt-Free Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration with Eatopia.
Ganesh Chaturthi is defined by devotion, togetherness and the unmistakable joy of modaks. More than festive sweets, modaks are shaped by hand, prepared with care and offered to Lord Ganesha with love.
15, Sep 2026
Relaxo Footwears Takes Employee Well-being to the Cricket Pitch with Premier League 2026
New Delhi, Sep 15: India’s footwear company, Relaxo Footwears, organised the inaugural edition of the Relaxo Premier League 2026, an intra-Relaxo cricket tournament aimed at bringing employees together while promoting physical fitness, mental well-being, teamwork and stronger workplace connections.
The tournament kicked off on September 13 at the Shivaji College Sports Complex, New Delhi, bringing together six teams and 120 employee participants for a day centred on cricket, team spirit and healthy competition. The tournament will culminate in a finale in November.
Speaking about the initiative, Ms. Manju Kohli, Chief Human Resource Officer, Relaxo Footwears, said,
“Employee well-being is about creating a healthy balance between work, physical activity, mental wellness and meaningful connections. Initiatives like Relaxo Premier League give our employees an opportunity to step away from their daily routines, enjoy themselves, connect with colleagues and build a sense of togetherness. Cricket brings people together in a unique way, and RPL is our effort to use that spirit to strengthen both employee engagement and workplace well-being.”
The tournament also brings together employees from the Head Office, warehouses and plants, creating an opportunity to interact with colleagues across locations and build stronger workplace connections. With cricket at its core, RPL aims to foster teamwork, camaraderie and a stronger sense of belonging across the organisation.
The Relaxo Premier League 2026 will continue through the tournament season, with the finale scheduled for November, offering another opportunity to celebrate employee participation, sporting spirit and the teams’ journey.
15, Sep 2026
Max Fashion Launches Project New, an Artist-Led Initiative Bringing Art, Craft and Creativity into Fashion with Kalki Koechlin
Sep 15: Every festive season promises something new, a new print, a new colourway, a new name stitched onto an old idea. Max Fashion is done with that version of new. This September, the brand is tearing up the playbook and asking India one question: what if new wasn’t something you bought off a rack, but something no one else could ever own?
That question has a name: Project New, an artist-led initiative from Max Fashion launching pan-India starting September across stores, online and the Max app. Forget “collection.” This is a movement, where real artists and master artisans stop being inspiration footnotes and start being the main story, thread by thread, block by block.
Project New opens with its debut edition, created in association with brand ambassador Kalki Koechlin, colliding two forces almost never found on the same hanger: unfiltered original art and centuries of living craft, remixed and made wearable for right now. The idea took shape when Kalki brought her own vision to Max Fashion, giving something back through design a thought the brand leaned all the way into, pushing past trend-chasing altogether. Kalki was hands-on throughout: personally shortlisting Kairassi and the three artists whose work anchors the collection, and doubling as creative gatekeeper on the craft side, steering the exclusive Sanganer block print design and its fusion with heritage technique.
“Fashion, for us, has always been more than what we wear, it’s a form of expression, a way to tell stories, and a platform that can create real impact,” said Sumit Chandna, CEO, Max Fashion. “That belief found new energy when Kalki shared her vision to give something back through design. Project New is our way of proving that the most exciting thing fashion can offer isn’t a trend, it’s a story that belongs to someone real.”
First, the art. Max Fashion’s collaboration with Kairassi, a Chennai-based organisation giving differently-abled artists a real platform and livelihood, brings three talents into the spotlight: Simron Raj, Pavithra and Manas. Their work isn’t “inspired by”, it IS the collection, original paintings lifted straight onto dresses, shirts, scarves and totes exactly as they were created.
Then, the craft. Max Fashion went to Sanganer, Rajasthan, home to some of India’s finest hand block printing masters, and commissioned something that has never existed before: an entirely exclusive block print pattern, made only for Max, drawn from the fleeting beauty of Japan’s sakura blossoms in full bloom. The first piece was hand-carved, hand-coloured and hand-printed, one layer at a time, before the design scaled to reach every Max store nationwide. As the design team puts it: you don’t just wear the craft, you become part of its story.
“When I first spoke to Max about wanting to give back through fashion, I didn’t expect it to turn into something this personal,” said Kalki Koechlin, Brand Ambassador, Max Fashion. “Working with the artists at Kairassi and the artisans of Sanganer has been humbling. Every piece here already had a story before it became a garment, all we did was make sure that story got to travel further.”
Where a Japanese cherry blossom meets a Jaipuri block print, this debut collection finds its identity, spanning fluid dresses, kalidar sets and fusion kurta sets in Indianwear, effortless shirts and tees in menswear, and an accessories edit of scarves, totes and clutches, priced between ₹599 and ₹1,999. Kalki fronts the campaign under the line “Our New Just Got Newer” — fitting for a brand that’s spent years owning what’s next, and is now rewriting the rules of it.
The debut edition drops in two consecutive monthly chapters: a painterly, garden-fresh palette in September, followed by a warmer, earthier bohemian edit in October. Beyond that, Max Fashion has confirmed Project New is built to run as a continuing platform, bringing new artists, new crafts and new stories to life every season.
Watch Project New in motion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
