Rohit Bal’s Legacy Comes Alive at FDCI Manifest Wedding Weekend

Rohit Bal’s signature romance with Kashmiri craft and couture drama takes centrestage once again...

Oct 24, 2025
  • Rohit Bal's showcase will be at FDCI x Manifest Wedding Weekend his August 2–3, 2025, at the Taj Palace, New Delhi.
    Rohit Bal's showcase will be at FDCI x Manifest Wedding Weekend his August 2–3, 2025, at the Taj Palace, New Delhi. Rohit Bal

    No designer blurred the lines between art and fashion quite like Rohit Bal. Over a three-decade-long career, Gudda, as the industry lovingly called him, created a universe defined by Kashmiri craft, grand silhouettes, and emotional theatricality. His couture wasn’t just couture. It was storytelling. And often, it was unforgettable.

    In 2024, he returned to the runway with his collection, Kaaynaat -  A Bloom in the Universe. It was a deeply moving, rose-laden collection that turned Lakmé Fashion Week’s finale into a moment of collective awe and reflection. Organza capes, velvet gowns, floral embroideries, and a live violinist playing under the stars.

    At the Hyundai India Couture Week 2025, Rohit Bal's showcase was the first time an Indian brand presented a collection following the passing of its eponymous designer. Spearheaded by creative director Fraze Tasnim, Kash-Gul was a reflection of Bal’s design sensibilities and deep love for Kashmir. The collection featured everything from the all-white set to the fragrance of Rajnigandha and soulful live music.

    And now, at the FDCI Manifest Wedding Weekend, that legacy takes centre stage once more. A tribute to Bal’s craftsmanship, this spotlight segment honours his signature codes, lotus and rose motifs, flowing silhouettes, Kashmiri threadwork, and the romance of rich velvet.

    From dressing Naomi Campbell in the ’90s to inspiring generations of designers who still send him sketches, Bal’s impact transcends trends. Kaaynaat was his first runway appearance after five years, and also, tragically, his last before his passing last year. It wasn’t just a show. It was a celebration of his vision: the natural cycle of growth, the symmetry of the universe, the beauty of emotional design.


    Looking to explore the best of couture and fine jewellery? Then head to the FDCI Manifest Wedding Weekend this August 2–3, 2025, at the Taj Palace, New Delhi. Register here.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    For Manifest to become one of Cambridge Dictionary's most viewed words of 2024 — 1,30,000 hits and counting — it means some of us must have Googled it at least once. I know, I hit that search button over and over again
    because each time I looked at it, I saw a new meaning.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Putting together a homegrown title at a time when the demise of print has been long announced may seem surprising...
    ...but it has long been a dream of mine to give India a magazine it deserves. A magazine that is the country.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    And nothing, absolutely nothing, represents India more than our weddings.It is a time when families are brought together. Traditions come alive as they are adapted to each couple's beliefs. And lives are joined in a way that the romantic in me still enjoys.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    The fact that it comes with band, baaja and baraat — what's not to love?And that is the reason our first issue celebrates:
    THE NEW BRIDE.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    If you look at
    'Curate Beautiful, Create Happy'individually, they are powerful but when you put them together, they become a promise. While each section is dedicated to a word, I hope you will see this as your first of many handbooks for happiness.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Curate
    Where we give you a fast-paced look into everything you should wish list when you start to think about marriage. What to buy and how to dress, along with modern mithai and the homegrown fragrance makers to bookmark. Make special note of the feature on alta.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Beautiful
    It has everything you need to make your wedding special. From the big comeback of red and pink in bridal wear to how the cool kids are wearing corsets to the celebration, there is only one way to get ready for a wedding —with enjoyment.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Create
    This section is a building block, a step to a better life. A place where we have all the answers. Or at least the beginning of a great conversation.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Happy
    This needs very little description. It has travel with a special focus on incredible India, and a collection of wedding albums, sourced randomly, but collected with abundance because happiness has no limits.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    This first issue has a lot more, including a carefully edited address book of everything you need to make your wedding perfectly 'gramworthy! But it doesn't stop there. Each issue will be different because each one of you is unique.
    Because we manifested this difference, now we will celebrate you.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media