Prominent Indian fashion designer passes away at 63

Rohit Bal, one of India’s best-known fashion designers, died on Friday after a prolonged illness, the fashion designers association in the country announced. He was 63.

The Fashion Design Council of India, or FDCI, said in a post on Instagram, that they mourned “the passing of (a) legendary designer” who was “known for his unique blend of traditional patterns with modern sensibilities”.

Bal was one of India’s first designers who pioneered fashion design as a profession in the 1990s. The FDCI said Bal’s work “redefined Indian fashion” and “inspired generations”.

He had developed a heart condition in 2010. In between Bal took breaks from his work because of ill health but had made a comeback just weeks ago.

Bal was born in Indian-controlled Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar in 1961. He graduated from New Delhi’s St Stephen’s College in history and later took a course in fashion design at India’s National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi.

In 1990, he launched his own label and designer line which later expanded to several stores across India, the Middle East and Europe. His clientele included celebrities from Hollywood and India’s rich and famous.

Sunil Sethi, the FDCI chairman, said on Instagram that his death has left “a void in the fashion design space forever”.