Holi Hai! A Festival of Color Celebrating the Women of India
On March 5, 2026, join Ibu in Charleston, SC, for Holi Hai!—our International Women’s Day Gala—a dazzling night of fashion, food, and festivity celebrating India’s women artisans.
Enjoy Indian-inspired cuisine, live entertainment, and a colorful runway of handcrafted designs, while honoring our 2026 Global Champions: Arushi Chowdhury Khanna, Mamta Varma, and Anita Reddy.
Raise your paddle, ignite futures, and celebrate the fierce determination of women worldwide.
DETAILS
When: Thursday, March 5
Time: doors open at 6pm
Where: Festival Hall, 56 Beaufain Street, Charleston, SC
Co-chaired by Mosmi Patel and Sandra Smith
Presented by our leading sponsor, Bank of America Private Bank, Ibu will host a seated gala, including:
- Indian-inspired dinner and drinks
- Remarks from our global champions Mamta Varma of Bhairvi's Chikan in Lucknow; Anita Reddy of DWARAKA PLUS in Bangalore; and Arushi Khanna of LoomKatha in Aurangabad, about the impact of elevating women through the art of their hands
- A fabulous runway show with the spirited glamor of our partners in design
- Live music and shopping our latest looks
- A paddle raise to fund important artisan grants and new initiatives in the year ahead
Grab your Ibu and He-bu allies to reserve a table and make a night of it with friends. Together, we can make a positive impact, celebrating the power in women’s hands.
GALA HOST COMMITTEE
Aarati & Peter Alexander, Amy & Cameron Davidson, Judi & Tom Embrescia, Barbara & Duke Hagerty, Deborah Kennedy Kennard & Bill Kennard, Jacquelyn Mayfield, Joanne & Don Migliori, Monica & Ken Seeger, Christy & Rodney Simms, Sandra & Brent Smith, Lydia Sniderman, Betsy & Ridley Wills
WOMEN IN INDIA MINI SUMMIT
Presented by the Wayne & Alicia Gregory Family Foundation, Ibu will host a four-session summit on the morning of March 5, which will be held at the Charleston Library Society, featuring celebrated global leaders on the topics of culture and heritage, artisan design and impact, and women leaders around the country. Attendees will have an opportunity to engage with the speakers through Q&A sessions at the end of each presentation, and will be able to shop work from each of the speakers at the Ibu Showroom following the presentations.
DETAILS
When: Thursday, March 5
Time: 9am - 1pm
Where: Charleston Library Society, 164 King Street
Speakers include:
- Veda Patel, a junior at Ashley Hall, will speak about her great-grandmother’s participation in Gandhi’s Swadeshi Movement
- Arushi Chowdhury Khanna (LoomKatha, Aurangabad), Mamta Varma (Bhairvi’s Chikan, Lucknow), and Anita Reddy (Dwaraka Plus, Bangalore) will discuss the process of preserving heritage craft and the impact on women artisans earning a living wage, in a conversation moderated by Ibu founder, Susan Hull Walker.
- Internationally-acclaimed artist Spandita Malik will present her work, which combines photography, textiles, and social practice, and explores gender, authority, and representation.
- Shimna Sameer, managing director, head of products, solutions and platforms at Bank of America Private Bank, in conversation with Deniz Roth, Ibu director of design, will discuss design collaboration with artisan partners as part of the SpringBOArd Ibu Atelier program.
Holi Hai! Presenting Sponsor
PREMIER PARTNER
CHIKANKARI CHAMPION RUNWAY SPONSORS
ARTISAN JOURNEY PARTNER
EVENT PARTNERS
About ibu
Global Fashion marketplace
Providing a marketplace for women's artisanal goods is our most effective tool for elevating women out of poverty and into a position of sovereignty over their lives.
ARTISAN PARTNERS
A small team in Charleston, SC, Ibu collaborates with over 100 women's groups in 40 countries,providing living wages, and because of that, also self-respect, a voice in their communities, and food for their families.
CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS
We respond to the needs of women’s artisan communities through our grants program, thereby strengthening their internal capacity to grow into self-sufficiency.
