Indian crafts and textiles are my strength: Rohit Bal

His collection always has a unique touch of Indian craftsmanship and ace fashion designer Rohit Bal says involving the local craft in his designs is his biggest strength.
The designer, who will be showcasing his collection tonight at the second edition of Van Heusen + GQ Fashion Nights, said he is obsessed with Indian textiles and makes sure to use it in his creations.
"I only imbibe Indian textile and craftsmanship in my designs - that's is my signature style. Whatever forms my source of inspiration, I would Indianise it and make sure I incorporate as much elements of our rich craftsmanship as possible in my collection, that's what I am obsessed with.

"Indian crafts and textiles are really my strength and is what I identify with," Rohit told PTI in an email interview.
The Delhi-based designer's new menswear collection "Raat" is a mix of contemporary and classic designs. Rohit has used Indian techniques on the western silhouettes for the winter line.
"This collection has a modern appeal with a slight deviation from the wedding wear. It has an interesting mix of casual, evening and occasion wear. It is all about playing around with varied textures and layering techniques," he says.

The colour palette of the collection, which the designer calls 'bohemian chick funk,' revolves around dark hues and monotones ranging from black, coffee, deep shades of charcoal and indigo.

Rohit feels Indian runway may have been female-dominated but there is a visible shift to menswear now with more designers creating exclusive men's range.
"Runway has most certainly been female-dominated till about a decade ago. Now I see more menswear shows happening than the womenswear shows all over the country; there are menswear brands and there is mass retail of menswear.
"I think men's fashion, retail and the whole business is huge in the country now. I feel now men's fashion is becoming mainstream, it's as important as women's fashion. It's not just about the designers, its about big and collective brands, every store has menswear collection so it is quite becoming a rage in India."

Other designer, who will be showcasing their collection tonight are Rajesh Pratap Singh and Kunal Rawal.