Rohit Bal

Some Lesser Known Facts About Rohit Bal

• Rohit Bal was an Indian fashion designer. He gained fame for designing the costumes for Amitabh Bachchan for the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.

• Since childhood, Rohit Bal aspired to be a fashion designer; therefore, after completing his graduation, he pursued fashion studies at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi.

• In 1986, Rohit Bal started a company with his elder brother, Rajeev Bal, named Orchid Oversea Pvt. Ltd. In 1990, Rohit began his career as a fashion designer when he launched his first independent collection. His collection included apparel for both men and women. Rohit Bal opened his first flagship store in New Delhi, and later, opened stores in different cities in India including Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Chennai.

• In 1996, Time Magazine named him “India’s Master of Fabric and Fantasy.”

• Rohit combined traditional patterns of Indian royalty, opulence, and craftsmanship with modern sensibilities and included Lotus and Peacock motifs in the design. Rohit took inspiration for his designs from the Mughal and the Gupta period. His designs were worn by celebrities in Bollywood including Kajol, Kangana Ranaut, and Ranveer Singh.

  

• In the late 1990s, Rohit Bal was appointed by the Khadi Gram Udyog, the largest handloom textile operation in Panchkula, to work as a designer for them. In 2001, he became an ambassador for Omega watches.

• In February 2010, Rohit Bal suffered a heart attack and underwent an emergency angioplasty.

• According to Rohit, he had little knowledge of technology, and he liked to use paper and a pencil to draw a design.

• Rohit Bal then partnered with many international designers and brands including Christian Louboutin, Nebula-Titan watches, and “Reid & Taylor.”

• Rohit Bal went on to collaborate with many brands including Oriflame, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Windproof Zippo. In 2010, as a partner of Mitsubishi, Rohit Bal launched the Outlander car by the company. During the campaign, it was shown that after being inspired by the Outlander 2010, Rohit launched a fashion line titled Outlander Signature Collection, unveiled alongside the SUV at a fashion show in New Delhi. In an interview, talking about the reason for choosing Rohit Bal as the ambassador for the car, Pritam Saikia, marketing head of Mitsubishi Motors said,
  

  To position an SUV as a veritable fashion icon was something unique. As a first mover, we wanted to gain maximum mileage from such a strategy. We felt that Rohit Bal embodied the spirit of the Outlander – he was a global name, had a flamboyant persona and was much admired. Importantly he would integrate with the brand and not overwhelm it.”

• In 2012, Danish luxury carpet maker Ege started a partnership with Rohit Bal to create “an India-inspired series for the global market.” ^[7]The HinduLater, in the same year, Rohit Bal was appointed the brand ambassador for an Aditya Birla Group company, Linen Club.

• In 2014, Rohit Bal launched his first restaurant, ‘Veda,’ in New Delhi along with his businessman friend Alok Aggarwal. Later, the global mass media company Condé Nast Traveller included Veda in its Top 100 Restaurants in the World list. After the success of Veda, Rohit Bal opened a second restaurant, Cibo, at Connaught Place in New Delhi. Rohit Bal also opened three more Vedas, two in Delhi, one in Mumbai and opened a fifth restaurant in Kolkata. ^[8]The Times of India

  

• Rohit Bal styled many international celebrities including Uma Thurman, Cindy Crawford, Pamela Anderson, Elizabeth Hurley, and Naomi Campbell. In 2018, international luxury shoe designer Christian Louboutin wore one of the Rohit Bal’s apparel at the Met Gala 2018.

• Reportedly, Rohit Bal suffered from alcohol addiction and went to rehab many times before being admitted to Medhanta Hospital in Mumbai in November 2022. Later, talking about his health, his friend said,
  

  Gudda is in very bad shape. He was almost dead in November. The doctors had to flush out alcohol and sleeping pills from his system when his friends took him to the hospital.”

  On 28 November 2023, Rohit Bal was again admitted to the Medhanta Hospital in Mumbai under very critical conditions.