FASHION SPOTLIGHT

Dedicated specially for pre-wedding events, Punit Balana’s Haldi-Mehendi collection is young, contemporary, festive and rooted in Indian heritage.

Adelicate confluence of centuries-old craft and modern-day sensibilities, couturier Punit Balana’s latest collection — Haldi-Mehendi is nothing but avant-garde, ethereal, peppy and rooted in Indian culture. Best known for drawing inspiration from the rich Rajasthani heritage and giving a fresh take to traditional silhouettes, the Punit Balana label is all about striking a balance between modernism and aestheticism with emphasis on responsible fashion, and its latest Haldi-Mehendi edit resonates all the ethos that the brand stands for.

Curated specially for the pre-wedding functions, Punit Balana’s Haldi Mehendi collection is a must-have in your wedding trousseau. “This collection is dedicated to a more intimate and fun celebration of the Indian wedding, like Mehendi and known to draw inspiration from the rich heritage and culture of Rajasthan to create mesmerizing sartorial pieces that are not only rooted in Indian culture but are minimal, wearable, extremely stylish and sustainable. Speaking about the Rajasthani influences in his latest collection, Balana says, “The entire collection is inspired by the “bandhani” art of Rajasthan. Derived from Sanskrit word “banda” meaning “to tie” bandhini is an intricate form of tiedye indigenous to Rajasthan, especially Jaipur.”

Haldi. We realised, while there are many designers catering to other events of the wedding, this segment of intimate wedding functions doesn’t have many options. Hence, we decided to design a collection catering especially to Haldi and Mehendi. A collection which is fluid, fun, especially designed to be moved, danced and celebrated in. It’s young and festive while keeping the traditional element in place. It’s peppy yet rooted in Indian heritage,” explains the designer, whose creations are adorned by the crème de la crème of Bollywood. From the likes of Madhuri Dixit to Kareena Kapoor Khan to Shilpa Shetty to Kajol to Janhvi Kapoor to Kiara Advani — Punit Balana’s designs are a riot amongst most of the B-town divas.

Hailing from Bikaner in Western Rajasthan, the eco-conscious designer is

He continues, “The centuries-old craft has retained its immense popularity over the years and is showcased in the form of contemporary Indian wear in our new Haldi-Mehendi Edit. We have used different motifs of Bandhani, which is very rare.”

What further makes the collection stand out, is the technique used to create it. “We have used the bandhani motifs, along with printing using natural dye. It’s the different motifs of bandhani which really makes this collection different. Usually, bandhej is associated with the dots. However, using the same technique, a lot more can be done and this collection showcases it beautifully,” Balana enlightens.

Furthermore, the designer’s signature marodi and glasswork styles are also incorporated in the creations. Balana says, “You will see Punit Balana’s signature marodi and glasswork along with gota embroidery in the new collection.”

Focussing on comfort and ease of movement, the eclectic collection comprises Anarkali sets, kurta sets, silk sarees, lehenga sets, jackets, flowy gharara pants, in a burst of vibrant colours. “Haldi and Mehendi are mostly day events, hence we have used a palette of ivory, blush pink and mustard

to give you that perfect look during the day,” says the couturier, who was bit by the fashion ‘bug’ during his school days. Passionate about fashion, Balana closely followed the latest trends and designers from India and abroad. This initial interest led him to delve deeper into the finer points of fashion – things like silhouettes, textiles, cuts and prints, with a special interest in block-prints that are native to the city of his birth.

His passion soon brought him to Jaipur to understand and learn the craft of Sanganeri block printing. Balana started his career in Jaipur in a small karkhana (workshop) where he made his own blocks for printing the fabric they used. Gradually, he set up his supply chain and started supplying his unique prints and premium quality fabrics to garment stores and factories across India. All this eventually led to the dream of starting his own label – ‘Punit Balana’ – which was launched in 2016 as a small capsule collection and ever since, there has been no looking back.

Another speciality of Punit Balana’s brand is its commitment to responsible fashion. The brand aims for sustainability, not just through its products but also in practices. Driven by the philosophy to always make conscious choices so as to reduce their carbon footprint on the earth, every single outfit created at Punit Balana has elements that have been thought through and contribute towards a sustainable tomorrow.

Keeping in mind the brand’s philosophy, the Haldi-Mehendi edit too strikes a perfect balance between sustainability and ethnic fashion. “We have used sustainable fabrics like silk and cotton along with natural dyeing technique to design silhouettes which are ethnic yet contemporary,”says Punit.

The masterfully crafted Haldi-Mehendi collection is priced in the range of Rs. 35,000 – Rs. 85,000 and is available at Punit Balana stores in Mumbai and Jaipur and other multi-designer stores including Pernia’s Pop Up Shop, Aza Fashions, and Ogaan along with online on the brand’s website – www.punitbalana.in