Rohit Bal brings his much-awaited prêt label ‘Balance’ to Delhi after its success in Pune and Hyderabad. By Unnati Joshi
It’s always been an elusive idea, a tough nut to crack for Indian fashion but ‘prêt’ still springs up as the hottest buzzword in the fashion circle. Ready to wear fashion that too from a couturier seemed almost unimaginable a few decades back but with many designers joining the bandwagon, it seems like an absolute today. And with Rohit Bal looking to lure and please the crowd with his consumer friendly store you don’t need to look further. Balance will offer contemporary and classic ready-to-wear range available for both men and women.
The store is a magnificent mansion which looks like a quaint haveli, designed by the combination of Rohit Bal’s creative genius and impeccable execution on the part of BuildKraft India. Situated in Mehrauli, it overlooks the magnificent Qutub Minar and appears to be nestled deep in the architecture, history and nostalgia of the Delhi Sultanate days, a reflection of Rohit Bal’s design aesthetic.
Talking about the store, Rohit said, “As the name ‘balance’ appropriately suggests that this collection creates a fine balance between haute couture and prêt-à-porter. It is an easy-to-wear at affordable price for progressive women and men of India who are appreciative of excellent design and quality. It is for those who have good taste and aspire to wear beautiful clothes at modest price. With balance, my endeavor is to reach as many as I can through my brand.”
The collection shows his skill in both couture as well as prêt. It offers a range of stunning ensembles, from casual to occasion wear, epitomising the quintessential Rohit Bal opulence. The store will also feature an extensive range of Rohit Bal accessories — sunglasses, ties, pocket squares, perfumes, wallets and leather bags for the first time.
But how would the country’s most recognised couturier translate the grandeur of his clothes into a ready-to-wear lineIJ
“The collection is a mix of classic Rohit Bal signature styles ranging from mulmul jalabiaas to chanderi kurtas with churidaars, bundis and bandh galas mostly in ivory, blue and wine colour,” he explained. Not very different from the couture pieces, the techniques used are pretty much the same comprising hand work. “The only difference is the production volume is in bulk and the pieces are available off the shelf, hence luxury ready-to-wear products.
“You will see three to four collections coming in every year in the stores. The collection will be retailed from our three Balance stores, Pune, Hyderabad and Delhi as well as online all around the year,” Rohit told us.
So what does he think about the new wave of luxury prêt: “I don’t know about others but for me its a natural progression. In fact we had a Balance store in Crescent mall for nearly eight years before anyone else started ready-to-wear.
Now the label is in full expansion mode and we are looking to open many more stores all over the country in the next two years,” he concluded.