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Rohit Bal, one of India’s most successful and respected designers, has died aged 63, the Fashion Design Council of India has announced.
He will be remembered for paving the way for a scores of designers who followed in his footsteps in building successful fashion businesses targeted primarily to Indians and Indian diaspora.
Marrying traditional patterns and craftsmanship with modern sensibilities, Bal’s designs were popular with Indian society and celebrities. Time magazine dubbed the designer “India’s Master of fabric and fantasy.” He was best known for his use of Lotus and Peacock motifs, and for the spectacular construction in his clothing.
Bal was born in Kashmir and attended St Stephen’s College in New Delhi, where he obtained a first-class degree in history. The designer learned his craft at the National Institute of Fashion in the city and began his professional life working for his brother’s export company. However, he soon began designing for his own line, launching with a collection of traditional menswear in 1990.
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Bal was awarded the Designer of the year at the International Fashion Awards in 2001 and 2004, as well as the Indian Fashion Awards in 2006.
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