Beloved Rohit "Gudda" Bal, India’s most famous designer who brought fantasy to the runway, passed away in Delhi on 1 November. Known as the life of every party, everyone who had some connection to the world of fashion or Page 3 gatherings had a story to share about him. Lovingly called "Gudda" by his closest friends, few, had access to the real Rohit Bal.
To most, he was the designer who put on stunning, larger-than-life shows, the life of every party—a true force on the scene. But those who knew the man behind the glamour understood his depth and warmth, and they loved him all the more for it. In an interview with Shefalee Vasudev, he once said, “People see me in photographs surrounded by pretty models and think I’m a snobbish, high-maintenance designer all about beauty and hedonism.
When they meet me, they realise how fake that perception is.” His death was mourned by friends across the fashion fraternity, who paid tribute to their friend. Designer Varun Bahl, one of his closest friends, wrote, “Our shared love for beauty, for Kashmir, for our brotherhood.
Two decades of deep conversations, of couture, of a shared culture. You are my brother, my advisor, my best friend, and you always will be. Paradise has gained an icon, and we have lost ours.
There’s a party up there for you, there are fireworks, and they’re all for you, Gudda. There you are, sparkling, shining bright, like the star you will always be. We love you forever.
” He added, “Rest in Paradise,.
