Legendary Indian designer Rohit Bal passes away at 63, leaving a lasting legacy in fashion

INDIA: Renowned Indian designer Rohit Bal died on Nov 1 after struggling with illness. His death was announced on an Instagram post by The Fashion Design Council of India.

Bal, who struggled with illness in the last few years and made a name for himself in the 90s, made a comeback just a few weeks ago, appearing with his models during India Fashion Week.

Breaking : Rohit Bal, among India’s most well-known fashion designers is no more. He had been battling with illness for a while and did his last couture show recently. Bal was 63. pic.twitter.com/X2VVWmruEK

— Sonal Kalra 🇮🇳 (@sonalkalra) November 1, 2024

Looking frail and weak, The Indian Express newspaper said about him during his appearance in October:

“We will always need a Rohit Bal around to show what classic elegance is – and why it crosses the generational divide.”

Known for his contemporary designs fused with Indian elements, Bal’s clothes have been worn by Hollywood actresses and supermodels like Uma Thurman, Pamela Anderson, Cindy Crawford, and Naomi Campbell, as well as tennis players like Anna Kournikova.

In 1996, Bal was listed by Time magazine as India’s ‘Master of Fabric and Fantasy’.

According to a BBC report, Bal also designed the outfits in the popular Indian game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (Who Wants to be a Millionaire) as well as the uniforms for the British Airways cabin crew.

Born in Srinagar, Kashmir, Bal studied at St Stephen’s College in Delhi and got an Honors degree in history. He then studied fashion design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Delhi.

He started his own brand and designer line in 1990, opening stores all over India, the Middle East, and Europe.

His designs are famous for their intricate patterns and the use of lotus and peacock motifs on opulent materials like velvet and brocade.

Bal’s website describes him as someone who “combines the right mix of history, folklore, village craft, and dying arts to create imaginative and innovative masterpieces for catwalks and fashion talks.”

In 2014, he collaborated with the online store Jabong to unveil his pret line.

In an interview with a local publication, he had said, “I want to separate Rohit Bal from the House of Bal – in products as well as style, in expensiveness and expanse.

Rohit Bal stores (there will be no pret here) will be special.

People come to me only for special things – they want garments that are like handmade pieces of art. I have it in me to balance the right and left sides of my creative and business leanings.”

Also known as the bad boy of fashion, Bal debunked this title in an interview with Mint Newspaper some years back, saying:

“People see me in photographs surrounded by pretty models and think that I am a snobbish, high-maintenance designer who is about beauty and hedonism.

When they meet me, they realise how fake that perception is.”