Delhi-based fashion designer Akshat Bansal, the creative force behind the popular ready-to-wear label Bloni, has recently shared a deeply personal and disappointing experience that has resonated throughout the fashion community. In a candid Instagram revelation, Bansal opened up about his general policy of avoiding couture lending to celebrities and how a recent exception to this rule proved to be a regrettable decision.
The Costly Exception
On February 1, Akshat Bansal took to social media to post photographs of a severely damaged couture outfit, directly tagging renowned sitarist Rishab Sharma in his post. The designer admitted that he made a rare departure from his usual practice of not lending couture pieces specifically for Sharma, citing genuine admiration for the musician's artistic work as his motivation. This well-intentioned exception, however, resulted in significant disappointment when the garment was returned.
Visible Damage and Emotional Impact
The images shared by Bansal revealed extensive damage to the couture piece, including torn seams, ripped fabric, and structural harm that appeared far beyond simple repair. In a post subsequently quoted by News18, the designer elaborated on his emotional response to seeing his creation returned in such condition. For Bansal, this wasn't merely about damaged clothing but represented the destruction of countless hours of work, creative effort, and emotional investment stitched into the garment.
The designer's disappointment was palpable in his words, as he explained that he almost never lends his couture creations and only made this single exception due to his fandom. Watching the piece return in damaged condition clearly struck a personal chord, highlighting the vulnerability artists experience when sharing their work with others.
Beyond Fabric: A Conversation About Respect
Akshat Bansal's post transcended mere complaint about damaged clothing and evolved into a broader conversation about respect in creative industries. In his Instagram story, the designer connected the incident to larger themes of mental health and professional boundaries. He emphasized that mental wellbeing isn't solely about what we discuss online but also encompasses how we treat other people's work, honor their trust, and respect their professional boundaries.
This perspective provides crucial context for understanding why Bloni maintains its policy against couture lending. The label's philosophy encourages customers to purchase pieces, wear them with care, and maintain them properly rather than treating couture as temporary, disposable items. Bansal's experience reinforces why many designers implement strict policies regarding their most delicate and valuable creations.
Contrast with Celebrity Treatment
What makes this incident particularly poignant is the contrast with how other high-profile individuals have treated Bloni designs. The label has been worn by some of Bollywood's biggest names including Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, and Natasha Poonawalla. These celebrities have consistently treated Bloni pieces with the respect they deserve as wearable art, which likely made this single incident of damage feel even more disappointing for the designer.
The widespread appreciation for Bloni's designs among fashion-forward celebrities underscores the label's reputation for quality and artistry. This context amplifies why the damaged couture piece represented not just material loss but a breach of the mutual respect that typically characterizes Bansal's professional relationships within the industry.
Industry Implications and Personal Boundaries
Akshat Bansal's experience highlights significant challenges facing fashion designers who create delicate, artistic pieces. The incident serves as a cautionary tale about the risks involved in lending couture, even to admired individuals, and reinforces why many designers implement strict no-lending policies. Beyond the immediate material damage, such incidents can affect creative professionals emotionally and financially, potentially discouraging them from sharing their work.
The designer's decision to publicly share this experience has sparked important conversations about respect for artistic labor, professional boundaries, and the intersection between creative work and mental wellbeing. By connecting the physical damage to his couture piece with broader themes of respect and mental health, Bansal has elevated what could have been a simple complaint into a meaningful discussion about how we value and treat artistic creations.
