Celebrated designer: A file photo of Rohit walking on the catwalk during the Grand Finale of the Wills Lifestyle Indian Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2015 Collection in New Delhi. — AFP
Rohit Bal, one of the most acclaimed fashion designers in the country, has died, his colleagues said.
Media reports said he died at the age of 63 after a long illness.
“We mourn the passing of legendary designer Rohit Bal,” the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) said in a statement on Instagram on Friday.
“Known for his unique blend of traditional patterns with modern sensibilities, Bal’s work redefined Indian fashion and inspired generations,” the statement added.
According to his website, Rohit graduated from St Stephen’s College in New Delhi with a degree in history.
He then worked in his family’s export business for a few years before launching his label and designer line in 1990.
In his work, Rohit “draws from influences, wide and varied”, according to a promotional statement on his site.
“From the village crafts and traditional methods of design that India is so rich in, to the transient phenomenon of the subcontinent’s urban landscape, the designer brings them all to life.”
FDCI chairman Sunil Sethi said on Instagram that the passing of Rohit, popularly called Gudda, “will leave a void in the fashion design space forever”.
“Everyone admired him for his attention to detail, how beautifully his lotus bloomed on modern shapes and his understanding of what modern women desired,” Sunil said. — AFP
