Rebellion shone from the eyes of this gifted designer, who was a true maverick. But so did a lot of love and warmth. His life and vision were colored by passion, which sat boldly on his sleeve.
Exuberant. Frisky. aggressive. Amazing. Even when the fledgling domestic fashion sector was having a hard time making an impression, Rohit Bal was the undisputed superstar of Indian design. Dreaming and adamant, he was determined to follow his own way, not follow the herd, and march to his own drummer.
Among the bright-eyed group of up-and-coming designers who emerged from NIFT, Gudda (Rohit) stood tall during the heyday of Indian fashion in the 1990s. He aimed to be unique, and he succeeded in doing so in both his artistic endeavors and his lifestyle decisions, some of which were controversial. However, at the time, scandal was still a private matter and a somewhat alluring quality rather than being widely shared on social media by hateful trolls. “I always stuck to who I am and never did what everybody else was doing,” he stated in a 2019 interview. I follow my design philosophy, which is really strong and concentrated. Anything you do from the bottom of your heart, I think will remain relevant forever. He described his art as ageless, graceful, and classic.
Rohit Bal made it a point to attend his colleagues’ performances and gave the greatest applause, always from the sidelines but yet managing to steal the show. Wearing a posse of hangers, some of whom were buddies and others who turned out to be the typical vultures, he never strolled alone. Gudda deliberately chose to be flamboyant, as seen by his crazy parties, hedonistic persona, band of sycophants, and carefree attitude. Because of his exaggerated persona, he was always in the news and sought after by both clients and coworkers.
Gudda was outspoken about his sexual preferences and a bit of a daredevil, so he didn’t hesitate to voice his opinions. Of course, that was before it was dangerous to do so. “Indians have no sense of style or fashion,” he said. He explained that we may not be very concerned with fashion in India since we have so many other issues to handle. He lamented the red tape and the Indian government’s lack of support for the fashion sector. Using native textiles, craftsmanship, themes, and ideas, he therefore began to establish an identity for Indian fashion globally, incorporating history, art, and culture into his work in a clever way tradition and folklore.
His anarkalis, jackets, bandhgalas, prints, and embroidery all drew inspiration from his native Kashmir, which was the source of his craftsmanship and the place he held closest to his heart. He enjoyed designing and frequently used rabbits, long-tailed parrots, cockatoos, elephants, horses, flowers, and leaves in his creations. His favorite designs were the lotus and peacock, which he loved to believe represented humility and pride, respectively. Before settling on more wearable menswear like structured jackets, jodhpurs, and sherwanis, Rohit, who was committed to introducing style and fun into menswear, offered radical, shocking styles. One such appearance was an androgynous look with sindoor and naths for shock value. Like the Japanese, Rohit thought we needed to focus on our own abilities.
Those who put their everything into life tend to die sooner, and often the hottest fires burn the shortest. They seem to be attempting to fit a lifetime of passion into the limited amount of time allotted to them. Rohit Bal was a man of deep passions and extraordinary intensity who was as committed to his trade as he was to himself. He worked as hard as he played. His intense passion radiated from his gaze and permeated every facet of existence. He felt that life should be lived to the fullest, regardless of how brief it turned out to be.
Rohit Bal was always elusive and only trusted his close friends, unlike most of his colleagues. Over the years, this circle continued to get smaller, not because less people liked him or his art, but rather because Gudda himself grew more reclusive and pickier about who he hung out with.
In addition to fashion designers, there was Rohit Bal. Rohit Bal was a versatile talent who was extremely clever, exceptionally talented, a voracious reader, and a music enthusiast. Rohit, who was liberal, sensitive, and vulnerable, focused on life’s thrills while toying with its perils, had a hint of the maverick, like most creative geniuses. His eyes shone with revolt; he was a real maverick. But so did a lot of love and warmth. His life and vision were colored by passion, which sat boldly on his sleeve. He always greeted you with a lengthy, firm hug that conveyed how warm and kind he was.
You could never be on the fence with Gudda. Either you loved him and he loved you back, or you disregarded him and only paid attention to his excesses. Destiny granted her favorite child a chance for his final hurrah, and Gudda’s flame was at its strongest during his final performance, Kayanaat in October, just a few weeks before he passed away. He will always be known for his imaginative artistry and his innate grasp of fabric, workmanship, and the fabric of history and society. Time Magazine praised him as a master of fabric and imagination.
