Mumbai : Manforce Condoms, India’s leading condom brand from Mankind Pharma, marked World AIDS Day with a compelling initiative that brought together fashion, culture and advocacy to raise awareness on HIV prevention and safe sex. The brand collaborated with celebrated designer Ashley Rebello to present a striking fashion showcase at the Jio World Convention Centre, blending creativity with purpose to spark open conversations around sexual wellness.

The showcase featured bold designs crafted using latex and other symbolic materials, representing protection, empowerment and the importance of safer sexual practices. By using fashion as a medium, the initiative sought to challenge stigma and inspire more mainstream, approachable dialogue on sexual health.

The event drew significant star power, with personalities including Malaika Arora and Sunny Leone lending their presence and voice to the cause. Their participation reinforced a shared commitment to normalising conversations on sexual wellness and highlighting the continued relevance of HIV awareness in India.

Strengthening its commitment to the cause, the brand announced a contribution of ₹11 lakh to SAATHII, a national non-profit that has been working since 2002 to ensure universal access to healthcare, justice and social protection for marginalized communities. SAATHII plays a key role in India’s mission to end AIDS by 2030, working across 36 states and union territories to deliver stigma-free, inclusive health and social services to communities affected by HIV. By supporting SAATHII’s ongoing efforts, the brand aims to contribute meaningfully to sustained awareness, care and empowerment for those most in need.

Speaking about the initiative, Rajeev Juneja, Chairman and Managing Director, Mankind Pharma, said, “At Mankind Pharma, advancing public health has always guided our work. Our experience, right from the early days of launching Manforce, has been that young people often felt condoms reduced pleasure. This perception became one of the key reasons many of them avoided using protection. We realised early on that safety messaging alone would not drive behaviour change, because it tends to sound social, instructional and distant from how youth actually think.

Along with the message of safety, there has to be an element of glamour and sensuality. That balance is important. The cause should stay at the core, but the appeal needs to be upfront. Keeping this understanding in mind, we introduced flavoured condoms to fill a real gap in the category, and now EPIC, our thinnest non-flavoured condom.

Taking this message through fashion is a natural extension of that thinking. Fashion and sensuality come together effortlessly, and it helps us communicate responsibility in a way that connects with young consumers without feeling preachy.”

Leading designer Ashley Rebello said, “Fashion has always been a powerful language, and this collaboration allowed us to use that language to highlight something far more important than style. By incorporating materials like latex into the designs, the idea was to turn the runway into a message about protection, awareness and responsible choices. If creativity can help spark conversation and make people more comfortable engaging with topics like safe intimacy, then the purpose is well served.”

Leading celebrity Sunny Leone, said, “Manforce has always been a brand close to my heart, and my association with Mankind Pharma goes back many years. Coming together with the Manforce team again for an initiative that raises awareness around safe sex and HIV prevention feels deeply meaningful. This cause matters, and it is important that people feel comfortable talking about protection and making informed decisions. Using fashion as a platform helps take the message to audiences in a way that is modern, relatable and engaging. I’m proud to stand with Manforce as we continue encouraging conversations that contribute to safer and healthier behavior.”

Manforce continues to drive awareness around safe sex practices and support India’s broader HIV prevention efforts, reinforcing its commitment to public health and responsible sexual behavior.