One of his favourite motifs was the lotus, and Indian fashion certainly bloomed under Rohit Bal . The celebrated designer, who died in Delhi on Friday at the age of 63 after a long illness, was a trailblazer who inspired generations of young designers to pursue a career in fashion design at a time when it was far from sexy.
He showed us what fashion should be and can be, says Shefalee Vasudev, editor in chief of The Voice of Fashion . “He was flamboyant in architecture, glamourous in personality, and formidable in creative openness. Bal’s multi-metered Anarkalis, lehenga-cholis, and sherwanis competed in prettiness with the motifs he used -- lotuses, roses, peacocks and nature’s bounty. All these ideas though competed for attention with his spirit, always unshackled that was celebratory even when sombre. Where can Indian fashion find this again?” she says.
Fondly called Gudda, he was born in Kashmir, moved to New Delhi when he was 17 and went on to study at the Capital’s St Stephen’s college. After completing his fashion design course at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Delhi, Bal embarked on a fashion journey that blended classic Indian craftsmanship and contemporary designs. Bal shot to the limelight in the 90s with his eponymous label, bringing Kashmiri craft to the spotlight. He staged a spectacular show against the historic backdrop of the Qutub Minar, a first for the Indian fashion scene
Since 2010, Bal had been struggling with health issues after he suffered a massive heart attack and underwent an angioplasty. Since then, he had been mostly out of public view, and was put on ventilator support last year during a particularly critical period. Last month, however, the designer stunned the fashion world with a grand finale at Lakme Fashion Week . The ‘showman of the fashion fraternity’ mounted a show that celebrated the beauty of roses. His friends and many in the media, who anticipated that this might be his last ramp outing, gave him a standing ovation while Bollywood star Ananya Pandey walked as his showstopper and muse. A frail but determined Gudda, known as much for his artistic flamboyance and his inescapable charm, danced with his models, in what turned out to be his swan song.
Bal will be remembered for putting Indian fashion on the global map, when it was still less talked about, with a client list that included the likes of actors Uma Thurman and Pamela Anderson and supermodel Cindy Crawford.
Talking about his brilliant use of colour and attention to detail, Kolkata-based designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh said, “Rohit’s work was magical. He raised the bar for fashion shows so high that every other show fell short in comparison. He belongs to the original tribe of rock star designers,” said Ghosh.
“I will remember him as a great friend with a passionate heart,” said veteran actress and activist Nafisa Ali, who recalls being draped in one of Bal’s collections, Her Royal Highness, an ode to the maharanis of early 20 th century India. “We lost a genius and revolutionary Indian designer,” said Ali.
Dancer Tanusree Sankar, whose favourite Bal collection was inspired by the Taj Mahal, added, “Rohit frequently used rich fabrics like velvet, brocade and his designs were elaborate. I loved how he depicted Indian grandeur and royalty through his collection.”
For actress Paoli Dam the song, Lag ja gale, brings back memories of dancing with Bal. “Both of us loved the song and we would often dance to it,” she said.
The Hate Story actress recalls Bal attending her wedding reception in Guwahati dressed in an outfit from Nagaland. “As a creative person, he was brilliant, and it was at the private parties in Kolkata that I got to know him well. I loved how his runway would remind me of Sanjay Leela Bhansali ’s royal film sets,” she added.
The designer not only ruled the ramp but was a foodie too, setting up two restaurants Veda and Cibo. However, in an interview to TOI, he said his favourite cuisine was Kashmiri. As for his cooking skills, he said in true Gudda style: “The only really hot dish I can serve is me.”
He showed us what fashion should be and can be, says Shefalee Vasudev, editor in chief of The Voice of Fashion . “He was flamboyant in architecture, glamourous in personality, and formidable in creative openness. Bal’s multi-metered Anarkalis, lehenga-cholis, and sherwanis competed in prettiness with the motifs he used -- lotuses, roses, peacocks and nature’s bounty. All these ideas though competed for attention with his spirit, always unshackled that was celebratory even when sombre. Where can Indian fashion find this again?” she says.
Fondly called Gudda, he was born in Kashmir, moved to New Delhi when he was 17 and went on to study at the Capital’s St Stephen’s college. After completing his fashion design course at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Delhi, Bal embarked on a fashion journey that blended classic Indian craftsmanship and contemporary designs. Bal shot to the limelight in the 90s with his eponymous label, bringing Kashmiri craft to the spotlight. He staged a spectacular show against the historic backdrop of the Qutub Minar, a first for the Indian fashion scene
Since 2010, Bal had been struggling with health issues after he suffered a massive heart attack and underwent an angioplasty. Since then, he had been mostly out of public view, and was put on ventilator support last year during a particularly critical period. Last month, however, the designer stunned the fashion world with a grand finale at Lakme Fashion Week . The ‘showman of the fashion fraternity’ mounted a show that celebrated the beauty of roses. His friends and many in the media, who anticipated that this might be his last ramp outing, gave him a standing ovation while Bollywood star Ananya Pandey walked as his showstopper and muse. A frail but determined Gudda, known as much for his artistic flamboyance and his inescapable charm, danced with his models, in what turned out to be his swan song.
Bal will be remembered for putting Indian fashion on the global map, when it was still less talked about, with a client list that included the likes of actors Uma Thurman and Pamela Anderson and supermodel Cindy Crawford.
Talking about his brilliant use of colour and attention to detail, Kolkata-based designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh said, “Rohit’s work was magical. He raised the bar for fashion shows so high that every other show fell short in comparison. He belongs to the original tribe of rock star designers,” said Ghosh.
“I will remember him as a great friend with a passionate heart,” said veteran actress and activist Nafisa Ali, who recalls being draped in one of Bal’s collections, Her Royal Highness, an ode to the maharanis of early 20 th century India. “We lost a genius and revolutionary Indian designer,” said Ali.
Dancer Tanusree Sankar, whose favourite Bal collection was inspired by the Taj Mahal, added, “Rohit frequently used rich fabrics like velvet, brocade and his designs were elaborate. I loved how he depicted Indian grandeur and royalty through his collection.”
For actress Paoli Dam the song, Lag ja gale, brings back memories of dancing with Bal. “Both of us loved the song and we would often dance to it,” she said.
The Hate Story actress recalls Bal attending her wedding reception in Guwahati dressed in an outfit from Nagaland. “As a creative person, he was brilliant, and it was at the private parties in Kolkata that I got to know him well. I loved how his runway would remind me of Sanjay Leela Bhansali ’s royal film sets,” she added.
The designer not only ruled the ramp but was a foodie too, setting up two restaurants Veda and Cibo. However, in an interview to TOI, he said his favourite cuisine was Kashmiri. As for his cooking skills, he said in true Gudda style: “The only really hot dish I can serve is me.”
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