Pearl Academy, India's leading private institution in design, fashion, creative businesses and media, concluded its ten-day long campaign - #MumbaiByDesign which celebrated the quintessential Mumbai through a series of initiatives across the city.
The campaign was kick started with #ArtistsByDesign in association with I Love Mumbai Foundation that invited Mumbai to come in and leave messages of gratitude and inspiration for the unsung heroes of Mumbai.
Pearl Academy students set up huge canvasses at these locations which were painted by them and the Mumbaikars who joined them enthusiastically from their evening walks and journeys back home, to paint their love for Mumbai.
The canvasses were painted in beautiful themes and icons that are quintessential to Mumbai and its heroes whether it is the Dabbawalas, Police Officers, fisherwomen etc.
The canvass paintings at Shivaji Park saw attendance from the Mayor of Mumbai - Mr. Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, Mayor, Mumbai, Vishaka Raut, Corporator and Former Mayor and Marathi actress Mrunmayee Deshpande to name a few.
Mumbaikars also came in big numbers to participate in the same activity at Carter Road on 7th May. Aditya Thackeray, Leader and Chairperson, Shiv Sena, popular Bollywood and theatre actor - Tom Alter, popular TV Actor - Shravan Reddy, celebrity hairstylist - Sapna Bhavnani also came forward to paint their love for the city.
These canvasses were displayed at Pearl Academy's Mumbai Portfolio held on 12th May at NESCO and were gifted to the Mayor's office, Dabbawalas Association office, BMC office, hospitals etc.
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Next, celebrating the Dabbawalas of Mumbai, the students, in the campaign - #HeroesByDesign, designed special caps for them lined with sponge cushioning to help the Dabbawalas bear the brunt of their heavy tiffin trays.
The students also painted their battered carts, painting them anew.
Celebrating the unique and much loved food of Mumbai, Pearl Academy paid a special tribute to the street food hawkers through their initiative - #FoodiesByDesign by designing interesting aprons for them which was received very well and worn by the hawkers with much pride and aplomb.
"The fact that someone even thought of designing and gifting something to us is so joyful. We go back late in the night and sometimes find it difficult to wash away tough stains, serving pao bhaji all day. This apron is definitely going to come in handy", said Manoj, an employee at a popular food joint in Lokhandwala.
With bold brush strokes and a grungy feel, the students also designed interesting art on dustbins which almost screamed 'Ikde Taka', meaning 'Put It Here', which were installed at popular eating joints of Mumbai. These dustbins were also placed in the Justin Bieber concert held in Mumbai.
What else could be a better culmination but Pearl Academy's annual graduating event - Portfolio where, the unsung heroes of Mumbai walked the ramp for us styled by Pearl Academy students in total Mumbaiya accessories. Crowds cheering and applauding to these heroes set the perfect tone of for the finale of #MumbaiByDesign.
"This was a first time that we ever walked on the ramp. We felt a little shy in the beginning, but the students motivated us and made us feel confident. It was a proud feeling to be on the ramp, among so many people, being appreciated for the work that we do every day", said Phuley, a Dabbawala.
Renowned icons of Mumbai including Designer Manish Malhotra, Adman Prahlad Kakkar, Actor Anand Tiwari and Sudhir Sharma founder and chairman INDI Design also came together in a discussion - 'My City, My Life' where they reflected on their journeys in the city of dreams. Meher Castelino, first Miss India and a proud citizen of Mumbai moderated the discussion.
Speaking on the occasion, Ruchita Verma, Campus Director, Mumbai, Pearl Academy, said, "We came to Mumbai - the city of dreams, three years ago. Over these last three years, our students have gone on to become thought leaders in the creative domains of fashion, design and creative business. This was our small tribute to city that took us in - to the unsung heroes who keep Mumbai alive and kicking. I want to congratulate the students and faculty of Pearl Academy for paying such a "well - designed' tribute to Mumbai.