Royal & rooted – by Aditi Maheshwari

Rohit Bal

Rohit Bal, one of the most sought after fashion designers, popularly known as the ‘master of fabric and fantasy’, gets candid and talks about the current fashion industry and his journey as a designer

What is your design philosophy?

For me, the most important word is elegance. I also give importance to certain styles that are understated, craft based and extremely Indian. Nothing that I do has any western influences. Everything I do has a very strong soul of India; so my design philosophy says that I am an Indian and I like making Indian designs; also, all my designs are hand crafted and at the end of the day, the soul of India should be represented in my collections.

What new techniques and materials are you using?

We are using the opposite of new techniques. We are focusing on age old techniques—those that are long forgotten. We are reviving techniques that used to be an important part of Indian subcontinent. So instead of doing something new, I am using techniques that were used many hundreds of years ago. I am trying to bring back what is lost to India.

Rohit Bal’s bridal collection for Wills India Fashion Week SS’15

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion for me is a very integral part of lifestyle. Fashion doesn’t mean wearing fancy clothes. It’s about the way you live, your lifestyle, your home, the food you eat, the car you drive, the life you lead; it’s really about your entire life. Fashion is in fact, a necessary evil.

During your formative years, who has been your muse?

When I started out as a fashion designer, I was influenced greatly by a very dear friend, Rohit Khosla. He was my inspiration and my muse.

Most fashion designers are now diversifying into other areas besides fashion. What’s your take on this and how important is it to diversify for creative expression as well as to scale up the business?

I might have been amongst the first ones to have done that. The reason why you do this is because you want your creativity to be experimented and expressed in other mediums rather than what you normally do with fashion. A creative person absolutely must do as many creative things as possible; whether it is designing homes, cars, product designs, etc. A designer should give his creativity another platform. It is a natural progression and extremely important.

Rohit Bal’s bridal collection for Wills India Fashion Week SS’15

What is the future of couture in India?

I think the future of fashion in India is couture and nothing else. In India there are enough international brands. But what we designers do is very up market and occasion wear; whether it is weddings or parties. So, I think couture has a great potential in India.

What was your first design? Do you have any interesting anecdotes in the making of your first piece?

The first design I ever did was for men. The first person who wore those was my friend, Rohit Khosla. The first thing I ever made was a gold tissue bandhgala for men. At that time, such designs were very contemporary and avant-garde.

Way back when you were a student, what inspired you? How did you decide upon this career?

Some very fashionable people used to come visit my college when I was a student. I used to observe some amazing style icons, see their beautiful clothes and get inspired by the likes of them.

Rohit Bal at the grand finale show for Wills India Fashion Week SS’15

How does the business of fashion look like today?

Encouraging. The industry is also getting a little more organised. Earlier this entire industry was very haphazard and not very focused. But now, fashion has become a very important industry.

P.S- Aditi Maheshwari, the author of this story is an avid lifestyle writer who runs a popular decor blog www.pobox9.in

Grasim’s menswear collection for the ‘Wedding Season’

John Abraham in a Jute bandi by Grasim

With the wedding season just around the corner, India’s homegrown and men’s lifestyle brand Grasim from Grasim Bhiwani Textiles Ltd., a subsidiary of Grasim Industries Ltd. and a part of the Aditya Birla Group, has launched their exclusive collection for the wedding season. From the traditional and classic off white to glamorous and elegant purple and metallic blue, this collection will surely add that extra charm to your colourful evenings.

John Abraham in a traditional off-white sherwani

Seven Wonders- This traditional off-white sherwani fabric is ideal for that perfect outfit for the groom’s best man. This basic yet statement piece will add elegance and charm to your entire look.

Ashish Chawla in a classic brown check blazer by Grasim

Classic Blazer- Get up and get going this season with this classic brown check blazer by Grasim. With the ongoing ‘trend of checks, this blazer is a mandatory staple for your wardrobe and is sure to draw everyone’s attention. Grab your pick now!

Best of two worlds come together

Tarun Tahiliani

Tarun Tahiliani and Whitcomb & Shaftesbury collaborate to bring forth traditional Indian wear that shall have fine tailoring of a custom made suit. The Savile Row based company is known for its bespoke services, master-cutters and tailors. Adding this expertise to Indian design, the sherwanis, bundis and bandhgalas shall now fit like a glove.

Tarun Tahiliani

The designs have reached perfect unison; unusual single-breasted froggings with a tailcoat back – the handmade bespoke sherwani symbolizes both Indian roots and British style.

Tarun Tahiliani

The asymmetric sherwani in merino wool with a zardozi embroidered collar is a luxe, modern take on the stifling arcane version. The streamlined tailoring provides a leaner statuesque quality and the lush shade of rust red gives it flair and elegance at the same time.

Tarun Tahiliani

Classic tuxes and bandhgalas in super fine cashmere and the finest of satins provide understated yet established elegance. Black satin bundi with textured velvet flap and metal chain detail paired with crepe dhoti is a new benchmark in men’s fashion and sartorial identity.

Tarun Tahiliani

The fabrics used are directly sourced from Holland & Sherry and Scabal. The former has been a source of premium woolen cloth for more than 150 years and a favourite of the tailors at Savile Row.

Tarun Tahiliani

Scabal has been providing and innovating with fabric since 1938 from its own mill in Yorkshire and has the distinction of making the “finest wool ever made or softest on the planet.” The finest cloth is then treated at the hands of the finest tailors in the world. Thirty five measurements are recorded that even take your posture into account, on the basis of which the fabric is cut ‘one way by hand’ and a ‘baste’ or rough model is prepared for your first fitting.

Tarun Tahiliani

The attention to detail is obsessive: lapels and collars are hand padded; edge tapes, hems and linings are felled by hand. Button holes are hand stitched with a silk thread to ensure longevity. The shoulder pads are kept minimal, not to provide a certain silhouette but to lift the coat off the shoulders.

Tarun Tahiliani

A large sleeve is fitted into a small armhole that moves with the rotatory cuff; the detail of making a jacket is almost like recreating the anatomy. The fit is like second skin and it moves like one, stretching and contracting with the movement of the body as it has been custom-made to fit the contours of your body alone.

Tarun Tahiliani

The buttons used on the traditional ensembles are real jadau or vintage sourced by the Indian side of the collaboration. Even the pocket squares available with each ensemble are pre-made in a puff fold freeing from the hassle of learning a three-point fold from a three-stair fold.

Tarun Tahiliani

The colour palette ranges from moody black and white with a surprise of moss green and rust. Luxurious brasso velvets, indulgent silks and satins make up this bespoke offering. For aficionados of traditional clothing who do not want to compromise on either the fit and finish of western wear or the grandeur and opulence of Indian garb, this collection has revised Indian style on par with international fashion and leaves no stone unturned to deliver undiluted luxury.