Home / Arts and Entertainment / Mehndi Art Cups to National Billboards: A Star's Rise
Mehndi Art Cups to National Billboards: A Star's Rise
7 Oct
Summary
- A Starbucks cup transformed into intricate mehndi art won a UK-wide competition.
- The winning design was displayed on billboards across Great Britain.
- Manii Basran's winning artwork will adorn her own wedding this month.
West London mehndi artist Manii Basran has achieved national recognition by transforming a simple Starbucks cup into a captivating billboard display. Basran, a lettings manager from Ealing, has been creating intricate mehndi designs for nearly two decades, drawing inspiration from her South Asian upbringing.
In August 2026, she entered Starbucks' Illustration Club competition, turning a coffee cup into a canvas. Using her mehndi cone freehand, she drew a mandala-inspired design, centered around the Starbucks siren logo. This unique artwork became the winning entry from hundreds of submissions.
Basran's design was showcased on outdoor advertising sites across Great Britain from September 14 to September 27, 2026. The prize also includes a mentorship from British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori MBE.
Adding a personal touch, Basran plans to feature the same mandala design at her own wedding, which is scheduled for later this month. This journey from a spontaneous cup design to a national campaign brings her art full circle, back to its celebratory roots.
