JIMS Freshers Test Furniture Designs in the Real Market at Dilli Haat
New Delhi: In the vibrant, open-air marketplace of Dilli Haat, where artisans and creators have long tested their wares amid lively crowds, the Interior Design Department of Jagannath Institute of Management Sciences (JIMS) Vasant Kunj II elevated the experience for its students during Design Santushti 2026 on March 6 and 7. Far beyond a traditional college exhibition, this annual event deliberately placed first- and second-year interior design students into a genuine marketplace setting, allowing them to confront real-time customer feedback, competitive dynamics, and even direct sales—transforming academic projects into viable products with immediate commercial validation.
This marks the ninth successive year under the visionary leadership of Prof. Swati Parvatiyar, Head of the Department of Interior Design, and herself a designer of repute, that students have showcased their creations at Dilli Haat. Her innovative concept has consistently integrated bold design innovations with real-world marketplace exposure, fostering incubation in real time. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our Chairman, Dr Amit Gupta, Dr Satish Kumar Dogra, Centre Director, and my faculty members Prof. Nancy Kapoor, Prof. Nikita Bhati and Prof. Shabeena” she said. Students receive live feedback not only from an esteemed jury of eminent interior designers but also from the public, prospective buyers, and actual customers who engage directly with the displays and make purchases.
First-year students, guided by the playful theme “A Taste of Design,” crafted furniture pieces that drew whimsical inspiration from food forms, blending eye-catching aesthetics with everyday utility.
Visitors encountered delights like an ice-cream cone-shaped bookshelf ready to hold volumes with scoops of charm, a watermelon study table evoking fresh summer vibes, a donut-shaped coffee table perfect for casual lounging, and an orange-hued bookshelf radiating bright energy.
Additional highlights included the “Macaron Puffy” paired with a coffee table, capturing the soft allure of layered pastries, and the “HaloSplit Coffee Table,” where balanced forms delivered elegant functionality.
These creations proved especially appealing in the bustling haat environment, where shoppers could touch, admire, and purchase on the spot.
Second-year participants tackled “Kinetic Furniture,” emphasising movement, adaptability, and innovation for contemporary living. Their standout pieces—a kinetic sofa that reshapes for versatile comfort and a revolving coffee table designed for fluid, multifunctional spaces—demonstrated how furniture can actively respond to users’ changing needs, adding dynamism to interiors.
These designs incorporated practical mechanical elements such as pivots, hinges, and low-friction bearings for smooth rotation in the coffee table, or linkages and counterbalanced systems in the sofa to enable seamless reconfiguration, allowing the pieces to shift between seating modes with minimal effort while maintaining stability and user safety.
What set Design Santushti apart was its intentional immersion in marketplace realities. Held at Dilli Haat’s iconic stalls amid colourful canopies and diverse crowds, the exhibition turned students into entrepreneurs overnight. They observed firsthand how potential buyers reacted—questioning durability, negotiating prices, comparing with nearby crafts—and adapted accordingly. The competitive atmosphere sharpened their presentation skills, while successful sales provided tangible proof of market appeal and financial reward. Many students walked away with not just praise but actual revenue from pieces sold directly to enthusiastic visitors, offering priceless early exposure to the business side of design.
For these budding designers—still in their first or second year of college—this hands-on opportunity proved invaluable. It bridged the gap between classroom theory and professional practice, building confidence, resilience, and a clearer vision of career paths in interior and furniture design. Interacting with industry jury members – Shining Kashyap, Hemant Kashyap, Jigyasa Panchal and Verticaa Dvivedi – receiving constructive critiques, and witnessing real purchases underscored the event’s role in nurturing well-rounded creators ready for the industry’s demands.
Design Santushti 2026 at Dilli Haat reaffirmed JIMS Vasant Kunj II’s commitment to experiential learning under Swati Parvatiyar’s guidance, proving that true growth in design comes not only from imagination but from boldly stepping into the marketplace and succeeding there.
