NEW DELHI —
Rohit Bal, a prominent figure in Indian fashion, passed away on Friday night after a long battle with illness, as confirmed by the fashion designers’ association in India. He was 63 years old.
The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) expressed their sorrow over the loss of this iconic designer through an Instagram post, praising his ability to fuse traditional elements with contemporary style. His contributions to the industry have left a significant mark.
Bal was one of the trailblazers in establishing fashion design as a legitimate career during the early 1990s. The FDCI noted that his creations “transformed Indian fashion” and have motivated countless individuals in the field.
Since 2010, Bal had been managing a heart condition which led him to take several breaks from work due to health issues. Remarkably, he had just returned to his design work a few weeks prior to his passing.
Born in 1961 in Srinagar, the major city of Indian-administered Kashmir, Bal pursued a degree in history from St. Stephen’s College in New Delhi before studying fashion design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in the same city.
He established his own label in 1990, which eventually grew into a successful brand with numerous outlets in India, the Middle East, and Europe. His impressive clientele featured numerous stars from Hollywood as well as wealthy personalities from India.
Sunil Sethi, the chairman of the FDCI, remarked on Instagram that Bal’s death has created an “irreplaceable void” in the realm of fashion design.