Executive Class

If nothing else, you can count on Rohit Bal to pull in the crowds. Day three at the Delhi Fashion Week was packed to capacity for the first time at DFW.

A hint of celebrities and some elegant collections made up for an otherwise slow day at the fashion weeks

If nothing else, you can count on Rohit Bal to pull in the crowds. Day three at the Delhi Fashion Week was packed to capacity for the first time at DFW. In any case, with Bal, in equal parts showman and designer, boredom is unlikely. The flat runway of DFW had been transformed into a gossamer field of of pink organza. Bal8217;s spring summer show began with a model arising from within the cloud of organza, dressed in a layered outfit.

Bal8217;s collection was more couture than pret. Lavishly constructed silhouettes and generous layerings in yellows and oranges for full bodied skirts patterned out of cones and dresses fashioned out of pouffed squares. As usual, Bal ended with a flourish, throwing handfuls of organza confetti at the audience then heading to the afterparty at Ai.

But if it8217;s austerity we8217;re talking about in these crazy times of global recession, Varun Bahl showed how to practice it to perfection at his spring-summer show at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week WIFW in front of a full house that had fellow designers like Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Manoviraj Khosla, Ritu Kumar in attendance. With sheer fabrics and basic colours like ivory, olive, salmon pink and beige, Bahl spun out a collection that was at once existential and elegant, spartan and sophisticated. Macrame, crochet, net and hints of lace were interestingly juxtaposed with linen, his characteristic rosettes back in knotted necklines and belts. The menswear had a touch of androgyny to it, but stood out for its sheer versatility. Timeless and very graceful.

Paromita Chakrabarti

Paromita Chakrabarti is Senior Associate Editor at the The Indian Express. She is a key member of the National Editorial and Opinion desk and writes on books and literature, gender discourse, workplace policies and contemporary socio-cultural trends. Professional Profile With a career spanning over 20 years, her work is characterized by a "deep culture" approach—examining how literature, gender, and social policy intersect with contemporary life. Specialization: Books and publishing, gender discourse (specifically workplace dynamics), and modern socio-cultural trends. Editorial Role: She curates the literary coverage for the paper, overseeing reviews, author profiles, and long-form features on global literary awards. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent writing highlights a blend of literary expertise and sharp social commentary: 1. Literary Coverage & Nobel/Booker Awards "2025 Nobel Prize in Literature | Hungarian master of apocalypse" (Oct 10, 2025): An in-depth analysis of László Krasznahorkai’s win, exploring his themes of despair and grace. "Everything you need to know about the Booker Prize 2025" (Nov 10, 2025): A comprehensive guide to the history and top contenders of the year. "Katie Kitamura's Audition turns life into a stage" (Nov 8, 2025): A review of the novel’s exploration of self-recognition and performance. 2. Gender & Workplace Policy "Karnataka’s menstrual leave policy: The problem isn’t periods. It’s that workplaces are built for men" (Oct 13, 2025): A viral opinion piece arguing that modern workplace patterns are calibrated to male biology, making women's rights feel like "concessions." "Best of Both Sides: For women’s cricket, it’s 1978, not 1983" (Nov 7, 2025): A piece on how the yardstick of men's cricket cannot accurately measure the revolution in the women's game. 3. Social Trends & Childhood Crisis "The kids are not alright: An unprecedented crisis is brewing in schools and homes" (Nov 23, 2025): Writing as the Opinions Editor, she analyzed how rising competition and digital overload are overwhelming children. 4. Author Interviews & Profiles "Fame is another kind of loneliness: Kiran Desai on her Booker-shortlisted novel" (Sept 23, 2025): An interview regarding The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. "Once you’ve had a rocky and unsafe childhood, you can’t trust safety: Arundhati Roy" (Aug 30, 2025): A profile on Roy’s recent reflections on personal and political violence. Signature Beats Gender Lens: She frequently critiques the "borrowed terms" on which women navigate pregnancy, menstruation, and caregiving in the corporate world. Book Reviews: Her reviews often draw parallels between literature and other media, such as comparing Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune to the series Only Murders in the Building (Oct 25, 2025). ... Read More