Lalit's passion for creating is rooted in his childhood
obsession with clothes, and 'dressing up'. His innate
sense of style has brought him a long way since those
childhood games and he is now regarded as one of the
most successful designers for male couture.
His meteoric rise to success was far from easy. Lalit
had to overcome several obstacles to achieve his dreams.
He has always been a risk-taker, breaking out from
the family profession to become a couturier at a time
when designing was hardly considered a legitimate
profession. Destiny brought him together with Sunita,
who became his wife and business partner. Their marriage
led to the inception of 'Lalit Jalan' an ethnic label
for the high profile man of the '90s.
Their flair for design led to and shaped into Hunar,
the Design studio, the first ever store for ethnic
men's wear in Kolkata. Their entry into the competitive
fashion industry marked a resurgence of Indian Ethnicity
and the demand for ethnic male wear. Initially they
were met with apprehension and scepticism by Kolkata's
fashionistas. But together they won over critics with
their unique experimentation with age-old tradition.
They celebrated their success with the establishment
of Hunan Forte. The curtain raiser to the national
scenario followed with their first act in Mumbai's
reputed studio Glitterati. Nationally acclaimed shows,
immense media coverage and positive feedback led to
Lalit and Sunita being featured in the annual Femina
Book of Fashion exclusively for male trousseau.
Their collections are hallmarked with subtle, sombre
tones of creams, peach, browns, mauves, and greens
all creating a very mellow effect. The clothes are
known for their intricate embroidery and the symbiosis
of concepts and silhouettes on fabrics. The skilful
combination of classic silhouettes gives their clothes
a contemporary mould. The effort is painstaking; the
fabric is scrutinized for every weave, texture drapability
and ease of maintenance. Constant supervision at every
evolving stage of production and experimentation gives
a seal of quality to Lalit's creations. Every ensemble
speaks of personal interpretation. Their work is subdued
yet blatantly honest. Lalit Jalan's HUNAR escapes
definition because of its abstract essence of uniqueness.
Their dream of creating globally acknowledged clothes
became a reality when famous Japanese designer KENZO
visited India, and asked Lalit to design his personal
ethnic wardrobe.
In their own, quiet way, Lalit and Sunita have successfully
spread their work to HUNAR at Kolkata, Ensemble in
Mumbai & New Delhi, Ffolio in Bangalore & Chennai,
and Portfolio in Cochin.
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