Manforce and Ashley Rebello turn fashion into HIV awareness spotlight

MUMBAI: Fashion took on a fresh purpose at the Jio World Convention Centre as Manforce Condoms joined hands with designer Ashley Rebello for a World Aids Day showcase that blended style, culture and social good. The idea was simple yet striking: use fashion to spark candid conversations on HIV prevention and safe sex.

Rebello sent bold, latex-inspired creations down the runway, playing with symbolism around protection, empowerment and ownership of one’s choices. The unconventional materials stood in for a larger message, encouraging audiences to rethink stigma and approach sexual wellness with comfort rather than caution.

Star appeal added extra shine. Malaika Arora and Sunny Leone attended the event, amplifying the call to normalise discussions around safer intimacy and to keep HIV awareness in the national spotlight.

Strengthening the effort beyond the catwalk, Manforce announced a contribution of Rs 11 lakh to Saathii, a national non-profit working across 36 states and union territories to support marginalised communities with stigma-free healthcare and social services. The brand said the donation reflects its commitment to India’s goal of ending Aids by 2030.

Mankind Pharma chairman and managing director Rajeev Juneja said the initiative grew from an understanding that young consumers respond better to messages that balance safety with appeal. He noted that flavoured condoms and the launch of Epic, the brand’s thinnest non-flavoured variant, were earlier steps in that direction. Taking the message through fashion, he said, makes responsible choices feel relevant rather than remote.

Designer Ashley Rebello added that fashion has long been a universal language and this collaboration allowed creativity to champion a cause. Turning latex into couture was his way of transforming protection into a conversation starter.

Sunny Leone, who has been associated with the brand for years, said she was proud to support an initiative that encourages people to feel confident discussing safe sex and HIV prevention. She added that fashion makes the message modern, relatable and far more likely to travel.

With the showcase, Manforce reinforced its continuing efforts to promote safe sex and support wider HIV prevention initiatives, keeping public health at the heart of its advocacy.