Rohit Bal’s love for ivory and gold defined his couture line. Karan Bhardwaj reports
One thing that we really admire about Rohit Bal is his effervescent personality. Whether it is his ramp show or a just a mere showcase of outfits, he knows how to let his hair down and be the head-turner in a crème de la crème gathering. At the ongoing Delhi Couture Week, Gudda showcased his latest couture line, and made sure his ‘off the ramp’ creations do all the talking. Though it was a preview show only for media, guests tried all excuses in this world to sneak in. “I love you all,” a high-spirited designer said, exactly like the King Khan (read Shah Rukh Khan), as he faced the paparazzi before raising the curtains.
The next moment cast an ivory shadow all over with the male models arriving in traditional ensemble and turbans. “This has always been my favourite colour and added strength to my creativity,” the designer said. Though he was in a less chatty mood, (Bal generally shies away from talking on the D-day and mostly interacts with media before and after his shows), he spared couple of minutes with us away from the frenzy. “It’s a traditional yet understated line. There are bandhgala anarkalis, saris and sherwanis. I am inspired by the simplicity of thought, my philosophy and existence. I wanted understated elegance in clothes and I am really happy with the end result,” he said.
However, hues like pink, red, yellow and blue in sherwanis and contrasting turbans broke the monotony. There was a strong touch of gold in every garment. The pagdis, elaborate jewellery, intricate prints and brooches made the models look no less than the Rajputana emperors.
Bal, who hails from Kashmir, fused the native elements some way or the other. “The motifs are inspired by the ceilings of Kashmiri houses and the facades,” he said, though we failed to figure out any such element on the clothes. The monochromatic collection also led the jewellery stand out. “The necklaces, earrings and hair accessories play an important role in my trousseau,” he informed.
However, the entire do remained below the mark. Bal is known for his lavish and out-of-the-box outings on the ramp but despite all the hoopla, the dummy presentation didn’t go too well with the media. The clothes were definitely not a cut above than his previous ones. His understatement this time didn’t evoke awe.
Before Bal, Monisha Jaising and Varun Bahl showcased their lines. Varun drew maximum applause for the day for completing ten years of his showing on ramp.