Celebrity hair designer Darshan Yewalekar’s D Barbershop shines bright at India’s first NBA House; He is the first Indian hair designer to collaborate with the NBA

JAMMU: NBA House, previously held in Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, the US, and the UK, arrived in India at a time when the game had just begun to garner a passionate following in the country. 

The first-ever NBA House in India was held at the DOME, SVP Stadium in Mumbai, celebrating basketball, music, and culture. It featured interactive events, live musical performances, contests and appearances by NBA legends like Gary Payton.In line with the NBA's well-known association with fashion, through fashion-forward players such as Russell Westbrook, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, a dedicated grooming space was introduced at the venue.

For this, the organisers especially chose celebrity hair designer Darshan Yewalekar who set up his D Barbershop at the venue, making him the first Indian hair designer to collaborate directly with the NBA House.“Yes, it was truly an honour to be part of the first NBA House hosted in India,” says Darshan. "Earlier in my career, I had an indirect association with the league through my work with Ranveer Singh, the NBA brand ambassador for India.

So, when I got the opportunity to bring D Barbershop to the venue, I was determined to create a fresh, memorable experience for visitors," he adds.Having worked with several Bollywood stars like Salman Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Jaideep Ahlawat and counting, Darshan also reflected on the close link between the NBA and fashion.

“NBA players have influenced global grooming trends and fashion idioms profoundly and they are trendsetters off the court as much as they are on it. It was quite enlightening to learn how deeply Indian fans connect with their style and want to take cues from them when it comes to grooming and hair design," concludes Darshan.