SHANVI 2025 is a personal initiative born from a simple wish; To bring a little happiness and a sense of belonging to young underprivileged girls during Durga Puja, one of Kolkata’s most loved festivals.
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The collection features traditional festive wear, created so that these girls can also experience the joy of wearing new clothes and being part of the celebrations that light up the city every year.
Durga Puja, a festival that honors Maa Durga, is deeply tied to the spirit of strength and grace that women and girls embody. Through SHANVI, we celebrate their resilience while embracing the cultural beauty of Bengal. Each garment is a quiet tribute to that spirit and to the joy that comes from sharing simple moments of festivity together.
THE FOUNDER
SHANAYA KARNANI
Founder of SHANVI 2025, a small initiative that combines a love for design with the idea of giving back. The project creates simple, thoughtful clothing for young girls from underprivileged backgrounds, so they can share in the joy and celebration of Durga Puja, one of Kolkata’s most cherished festivals.
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Rooted in Bengal’s tradition of honoring young girls as symbols of purity and strength, SHANVI is a way to bring a little happiness and confidence into their lives.
It’s not just about clothes; It’s about kindness, inclusion, and the belief that even small gestures can make a difference.
the journey within
CELEBRATING THE CULTURE OF BENGAL
DURGA PUJA
SINDOOR KHELA
DHUNUCHI NAACH
ALTA
ROOTED VISION
While creating this painting, called The Divine Reflection the idea for my project, Shanvi truly took shape. As I worked on the image of a young girl dressed in a simple saree, leaning thoughtfully against an old wall, I decided to give her a mask of Goddess Durga. This moment made me realize the powerful cultural belief in India that every young girl carries the essence of the divine within her. The mask was not just a symbol, but a reminder that even in innocence and simplicity, there is an innate strength that mirrors the goddess herself.
The contrast in the painting deeply moved me the quiet posture of the girl combined with the commanding gaze of Durga’s face. It became clear to me that this duality, the coexistence of gentleness and power, is the very nature of femininity. This realization inspired me to take the painting beyond the canvas and into a larger project, one that celebrates and honors the dignity, beauty, and resilience of young girls.
The painting thus became the seed for my work, reminding me that art can be more than expression it can spark movements, inspire change, and give voice to beliefs that deserve to be seen and remembered.
SOME DESIGN SCRATCHES
A timeless homage to heritage, the saree drapes in reverence and pride. Red and white entwine through gold-threaded borders that gleam like sunlight on river water, a visual ode to Bengal’s Durga Puja traditions. Bangles chime and a bright bindi marks divinity across the face, transforming the wearer into a living symbol of grace. The attire connects generations, echoing rituals where young girls are honored as embodiments of the goddess herself. In Shanvi’s philosophy, this design bridges culture and compassion, reimagining ancient customs through inclusivity and comfort. Each fold of fabric becomes an embrace of dignity, carrying forward stories of strength, resilience, and faith. Rooted deeply in tradition yet alive with youthful energy, the look celebrates not only attire but identity, heritage as empowerment, and every girl as sacred art.
Left: Red and White Lengha
Joy and grace intertwine in flowing layers of red and white, colors that speak of faith, strength, and purity. Gold embellishments trace delicate borders, capturing the sparkle of celebration and the intimacy of heritage. The silhouette moves lightly, designed for comfort and playfulness, ensuring every girl feels the freedom to dance and dream. Rooted in Durga Puja’s festive heart, the lengha carries Shanvi’s promise to make each child feel worthy of celebration. Beyond ornamentation, it symbolizes renewal, new beginnings stitched from compassion and creativity. Each detail whispers of equality, pride, and love, the elements that transform fashion into feeling and design into dignity.
Right: Saree with Traditional Bengali Puff-Sleeve Blouse
Legacy breathes through this pairing of a deep red saree and a traditional Bengali puff-sleeve blouse. The structured sleeves add volume and nostalgia, recalling vintage silhouettes once worn by Bengal’s women of strength and grace. Gold embroidery glows softly across the saree’s folds, while the puff sleeves bring youthful exuberance to its timeless form. Together, they represent harmony between tradition and reinvention, an aesthetic that captures Shanvi’s mission to make heritage accessible and empowering. Every pleat tells a story of resilience, every shimmer reflects the inner light of the wearer. Rooted in craft and compassion, the ensemble stands as a tribute to feminine divinity, where the sacred and the everyday meet, and where every girl becomes a living symbol of strength, beauty, and belonging.
Left: A-Line Red Kurta
Threads of gold trace joy across a red canvas, capturing the warmth of festivity and the simplicity of comfort. The A-line silhouette allows laughter, freedom, and movement, an intentional design choice to let young girls dance, run, and celebrate without restraint. Inspired by the grandeur of Durga Puja, the piece reinterprets traditional attire into something joyful yet dignified. Its intricate golden detailing echoes Bengal’s artisanal legacy, where craft is devotion and beauty is shared. For Shanvi, this design is more than clothing; it is an act of recognition, affirming that every girl deserves to feel radiant and seen. The look holds within it a quiet revolution, transforming festive wear into a language of self-worth and belonging, where fashion meets compassion and joy becomes a form of empowerment.
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Right: White and Gold Sharara
Soft light takes form in folds of white and gold, blending purity with understated grandeur. Each shimmer of gold threads reflects the radiance of girlhood, bright, free, and full of promise. The flowing silhouette ensures ease, embodying Shanvi’s commitment to accessibility and dignity through design. Rooted in traditional aesthetics yet modern in comfort, the sharara symbolizes balance, strength veiled in serenity and confidence expressed through calm. The piece invites girls to move and celebrate as they are, unrestricted, proud, and divine. Through its gentle tones and mindful detailing, it speaks of empowerment that does not need to be loud to be strong. Every gleam of fabric becomes an affirmation that softness can be power and tradition can be liberation.
Left: Short Kurta (Black and Red)
Whispers of festivity meet quiet resilience in this ensemble that draws from Bengal’s sacred palette. Red motifs bloom across a black kurta, flowing into matching bottoms and a sheer dupatta that glows like evening light. The interplay of colors mirrors the emotional duality of Durga Puja, vibrant joy and reverent strength. Designed for comfort, movement, and elegance, the piece embodies Shanvi’s mission of gifting underprivileged girls the dignity of new clothes and the warmth of inclusion. The patterns evoke stories of empowerment and community, inspired by the belief that every girl carries within her the divine spirit of the goddess. Through fine detail and purposeful design, the look transforms fabric into emotion, reminding the wearer that strength can be soft and beauty can be an act of grace.
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Right: Red and White Anarkali
Born from contrast and balance, this anarkali unfolds like a hymn to purity and power. Red and white layers flow into one another, echoing the rhythm of faith, festivity, and the sacred union of innocence and courage. Gold accents shimmer softly, evoking the sanctity of Durga Puja and the quiet pride of womanhood. Crafted for movement and lightness, the silhouette allows freedom, reflecting Shanvi’s founding vision of accessibility and empowerment through design. Each pleat reflects the balance between grace and strength, reminding us that devotion and determination coexist within every girl. Rooted in Bengal’s artistic heritage yet forward in its inclusivity, the anarkali redefines celebration not as luxury but as belonging, creating a space where every child feels radiant, equal, and divine.
Left: Kurta with A-Line Flared Pants
A dance of contrasts, cream and red meet in rhythm, weaving calm and vibrance into harmony. The flared pants twirl with joy, paired with a sheer stole that glimmers like laughter. Subtle gold accents honor Bengal’s textile craftsmanship, where threads carry the memory of heritage and artistry. Designed for freedom of movement, the outfit reflects Shanvi’s core idea of dignity in design and celebration in simplicity. It exists not only as festive attire but as a symbol of inclusion, inviting every girl to feel valued and seen. The look bridges generational craft and youthful vitality, translating the grandeur of Durga Puja into wearable kindness. Within its layers lives a quiet strength, the courage to stand tall, the joy of being adorned, and the softness of being free.
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Right: Red Top with Black Dhoti Pants
Strength takes shape in flowing drapes and grounded tones, blending tradition with rebellion. The red blouse pairs with black dhoti pants that move like poetry, anchored in Bengal’s heritage yet modern in form. Designed to embody both comfort and confidence, the look reflects Shanvi’s vision of empowerment through self-expression. Red evokes the goddess’s power, while black grounds it in resilience and balance. Every stitch tells a story of courage, community, and belonging. This ensemble reimagines festive wear as freedom, clothing that lets its wearer breathe, move, and shine without restriction. In its essence, it captures the project’s philosophy that beauty lies in strength, strength in grace, and grace in being unapologetically oneself.
