Design Mumbai has announced that this year’s edition of the trade fair in India will not take place, citing the “ongoing situation in the Gulf” as a contributing factor.
The organisers of the event announced the cancellation of the design show, which has been held in Mumbai in November for the past two years, in a statement on its website.
“Ongoing situation in the Gulf is a factor”
According to co-founders Ian Rudge, Michael Dynan and Piyush Suri, the decision was made based on several factors, including the impact of the current war in the Gulf.
“Design Mumbai announces that the 2026 edition has been cancelled,” said co-founders Rudge, Dynan and Suri.
“The decision has been made following careful consideration of all current circumstances combined with our long-term objectives, the ongoing situation in the Gulf is a factor that has informed this decision,” they told Dezeen.
The news follows the recent postponement of the Design Doha biennial, which was established by Qatar Museums, due to the evolving situation in the region.
Design Doha was originally planned for this month, but has been pushed back until November.
No decision made on event’s future
According to Design Mumbai, no decision has been made on whether Design Mumbai will return after this year. The co-founders said they would carry out a “comprehensive strategic review” to determine if future events go ahead.
“As part of our commitment to delivering high-value industry events, we will undertake a comprehensive strategic review to assess the scope, format and timing of any future editions,” they said.
Design Mumbai is the latest in a series of events to be removed from the design calendar in 2026.
Both Stockholm Furniture Fair and Singapore Design Week chose not to run events this year, with the organisations behind them relaunching as biennales, set to return in 2027.
Stockholm Furniture Fair plans to relaunch in February 2027, while the Singapore Design Biennale is planned to take place from May 14 to June 20.
The photo of Design Mumbai 2025 is by Tom Ravenscroft.
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