Rohit Bal
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
A brief biography
Divya Kaushik, Nov 2, 2024: The Times of India
One of his favourite motifs was the lotus, and Indian fashion certainly bloomed under Rohit Bal. The celebrated designer 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 agrand 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 astanding ovation while Bollywood star Ananya Pandey walked a s 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 magi- cal. 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 20th 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 Igot 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.” With inputs from Malancha Dasgupta
Legacy
SHOBHAA DE’ recalls
SHOBHAA DE, Nov 10, 2024: The Times of India
Rohit Bal arrived dancing uninhibitedly in a blaze of exuberant colour, injecting flamboyance, gender fluidity and style into a fatigued world of fashion enthusiasts scrambling for funds to keep going. He was definitely the next big thing, with his daring and gumption to go against the tide and stick to an original vision for his label. A vision he adhered to till the end. Rohit’s emotional and artistic commitment to his roots in Kashmir became his well-recognised trademark — the lotuses, for example, which became the leitmotif for every collection, including his last one showcased a fortnight before he died. Bal was always the belle of his own ball. When he hosted a show, he didn’t need front-row celebrities to legitimise his collection. Affectionately dubbed ‘Gudda’ (male doll), he was the drama everyone came to watch and cheer. There’s a reason for this — Bal saw design as art. India was his muse. The country’s opulent craft traditions going back centuries inspired him. To own a Rohit Bal creation was to own a piece of India. This is what separated Bal from many of his contemporaries who opted for a shallow, showbiz skin show trying to pass it off as ‘haute couture’. There was nothing ‘haute’ about collections in which tinsel met tacky, and nobody noticed or cared! Starlets and bralettes came to define Indian fashion. By now, corporate ‘suits’ had moved in and snapped up successful labels. Suits who only understood cash registers and couldn’t pronounce haute couture dictated the look for collections they were sure would sell in mandis across India even if those were cheap knock-offs of the designers’ originals. Fashion shows became elaborately staged mega events, with a mandatory, overrated, overpriced Bollywood star as the showstopper.
By now, we should have found our feet in the highly fickle and brutally competitive arena of international fashion. But have we? Who knows any of our designers outside of India? It is mainly our richie rich NRIs who host international fashion events which attract nostalgic desis. The buzz we smugly settle for is created when a Hollywood star or pop singer wears an Indian designer on the red carpet. We are thrilled with this pat on the back from the West. But, so far, none of this has translated into the creation of a commercially successful global fashion brand from India. The future of fashion remains as flimsy and fragile as the tulle lehenga that costs lakhs but won’t survive a season.
When Bal passed away, there was an avalanche of social media coverage mourning his untimely death. “He fashioned India’s style,’’ was the topical and apt send-off to Gudda on Amul hoardings. Poignant and pure in his deep love for Indian heritage, his impeccable eye helped us to rediscover and cherish our own aesthetics, our exceptional cultural sensibilities. Thank you Gudda, for reminding us of our lost legacy. The delicate Kashmiri lotus, immortalised by Kashmir’s beloved son, will bloom on.
