Thaindian News

By Shilpa Raina
New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) He is media shy and doesn’t like celebrities stealing the attention on the ramp. Designer Varun Bahl, who has a dedicated European clientele, says he would rather let his clothes be the real stars of a show.

“I’m not against having Bollywood celebrities on the ramp. They are definitely the best way to promote your collection. But it is not these stars who should be held responsible for distracting attention,” Bahl told IANS in an interview.

“It is the audience and media that get distracted and their whole attention shifts from clothes to the celebrity,” he added.

“I personally believe clothes should be the star of the show; in my case they definitely are. After all we (designers) put so much hard work into our collection and they should get all the attention,” Bahl added.

The Delhi-based designer launched his label Varun Bahl in 2004.

A National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) graduate, he climbed the ladder of success in no time. His collections have been appreciated not only in India, but he has a dedicated European clientele as well.

Bahl is known for his innovative use of exclusive fabrics and mixing drapes. His mastery in art is such that he is one of the youngest couturiers in the country who has participated in two editions of the Mumbai Couture Week and will also be showcasing at the inaugural Delhi Couture Week July 24.

This time his collection is inspired by Russian royalty and will be a fusion of Russian and Indian designs; so one would get to see a lot of saris and dresses with interesting fusion.

One characteristic of Bahl that everyone is aware of is that he is very shy and hardly comes out for a post-show conference.

Admitting he is shy, but at the same time defending his attitude, the designer said: “You get everything in a press kit during the show and then to be very frank, a lot of people ask you silly questions; so I avoid.”

“Also at the same time, a designer goes through a gamut of emotions before the start of the show. There are last-minute changes, anxiety and in a matter of 15 minutes the verdict is out. I just want to run away from everything and everyone, just vanish for an hour and relax in my car,” he added.

Bahl added: “There is a lot of hard work that goes behind 15 minutes of a show. Concepts change at the last minutes, re-styling takes place - all a designer does is he eats, drinks and dreams his collection. So after the show, there is a sudden release of that tension.”

This year, Bahl is also planning to open his stand-alone stores in Delhi and Mumbai.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)