Asked if people down south look up to Bollywood stars' fashion, Ballal told IANS: "Of course. Bollywood influence is quite a bit here. Bollywood stars including (superstar) Salman Khan have shot here in the past...It is a heritage place."
Ballal, who is organising Mysore Fashion Week later this week, will be showcasing her collection titled The Heritage Jewellery in a contemporary way with Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon as a showstopper.
Why Raveena as a showstopper?
"The sari personality has to match...When you see these stars in saris, the way they carry and the way they drape is so beautiful. With some celebrities... the minute you see them, you feel they are apt for the collection," she said.
The "Mohra" actress will hit the ramp on Friday. The three-day fashion gala will conclude on September 18.
This will be the third season of Mysore Fashion Week. The fashion event will see a string of celebrated names including Robert Naorem, Rinku Sobti, Rohit Varma and Shravan Kumar.
The Mysore-born designer feels that saris are still a popular ensemble among the modern day woman.
"Youngsters want western attire, but when it comes to special days, they wear their mother's saris. It makes them look different. So, people assume that if it is a special day, you have to wear a sari. A sari looks beautiful on everyone," she said.
The designer praised actors Rekha and Vidya Balan for carrying saris beautifully.
