Rohit Bal heads to Dubai

One of the 'grand masters of Indian fashion', he will showcase men and womenswear at The Glam Closet pop-up.

Rohit Bal is the next Indian designer to make a beeline for Dubai. This season we have seen Manish Malhotra, Varun Bahl and Tarun Tahiliani all come to the city for pop-up exhibitions. Dubai really is becoming an important city for Indian fashion, and also a stepping-stone into the world of international fashion. Since the sensibilities between India and Middle Eastern have an overlap, and of course there are so many Indians now living in the UAE, it has become the second home of many Indian designers.
Rohit Bal has not shown his collections in Dubai for over a decade. Bal is known as one of "The grand masters of Indian fashion". A pioneer in the industry, he is one of India's most senior designers. His most famous ensemble is his "Jilaabah", made of fine crushed silks and cottons. This design is evergreen in the Rohit Bal collection and fuses Middle Eastern style with Indian aesthetics. Bal hails from Kashmir and there is a strong Mughal influence in all his designs. His embroideries are some of the most elegant you can find, and some of his couture jackets are true museum pieces.
His designs will be part of a pop-up presented by Dubai-based duo Nira Mapara and Ayesha Chopra's Glam Closet, a company that specialises in bringing the best of Indian fashion to the city. They have previously worked with Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna and Pankaj and Nidhi. Ayesha Chopra, formerly a well-known model from India, has walked the ramp for Rohit Bal many times. "Ayesha is the main reason I am coming," says Rohit, who is known to be one of the most sincere people in Indian fashion. He is open to do more such events in the city, and even present a catwalk collection. But he says opening a store in the city is not on the cards for now. "I like to focus on my own market in retail," says the India-proud designer.
The Glam Closet pop-up includes pieces from Rohit's men's and women collection and from his couture line as well as his prêt label, "Balance". But there is also a capsule collection "Made for Dubai" keeping in mind aesthetics and cultural preferences of the region. Though Rohit admits he does not know too much about fashion here he does say, "I know they like to dress up a lot".
sujata@khaleejtimes.com

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