Mumbai, 2nd April, 2025:
Acclaimed Italian school for Fashion & Design, Istituto Marangoni Mumbai is thrilled to announce that its students, Esha Vartak and Ekeesha Gill — both 2nd year Fashion Business students, forming the team ‘Les Visionnaires, have emerged victorious in Cartier’s prestigious ‘Through the Lens’ competition, India Market Edition. This remarkable achievement underscores the institution’s commitment to nurturing exceptional talent and fostering innovative thinking within the luxury industry.
Launched in 2024, Cartier’s ‘Through the Lens’ initiative, aims to connect with students across the region on real business challenges and engage with their unique perspectives. In its 2025 India Market Edition, the competition focused on how Cartier can strengthen its bonds with Indian clients, particularly Gen-Z and Alpha consumers, whilst developing a bespoke piece for the Indian market.
Students from Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, alongside participants from another institution, were tasked with creating a comprehensive business proposal that included:
- An analysis of the luxury jewellery and watch segment in India, focusing on Gen-Z and Alpha trends
- Strategies to build loyalty with existing and new clients, expanding Cartier’s Indian clientele database.
- The design of a bespoke Cartier piece tailored for the Indian market.
- A launch plan for the bespoke piece, emphasizing exclusivity for VIP clients.
Esha Vartak and Ekeesha Gill, representing Istituto Marangoni Mumbai, impressed the Cartier panel with their visionary approach, insightful market analysis, and creative solutions. Their winning presentation, ‘Les Visionnaires’, demonstrated a deep understanding of the Indian luxury market and a compelling vision for Cartier’s future engagement with its clientele.
The esteemed Cartier panel, comprising Gaetan Guillosson (Country Manager), Aastha Dubey (HR Manager), Jaya Venugopal (International Talent Acquisition & University Engagement Director), and Theres Gruber (Talent Manager, MEIAT), recognised the exceptional quality of their work.
“We are incredibly proud of Esha and Ekeesha’s achievement,” said Mr. Tarun Pandey, Chief Operating Officer at Istituto Marangoni Mumbai. “Their success is a testament to the robust educational framework at Istituto Marangoni and the invaluable guidance of our dedicated tutors. We are also grateful to Cartier for offering this unique platform, enabling our students to apply their knowledge and creativity to real-world business scenarios,” he added.
As winners, Esha and Ekeesha will receive Cartier gifts, certificates, and an exclusive networking lunch with the Cartier team. Furthermore, they will have the extraordinary opportunity to collaborate with the Cartier Gen Z Observatory in 2025, gaining invaluable insights into the global luxury market and contributing to a thematic magazine with Gen Z curators worldwide.