Indian Designer

-Ritu Kumar

Presented By:-
Reema N.
Indian Designer: Ritu Kumar
“The pride of India”

Ritu Kumar is a person who needs no introduction infact her

work speaks out for themselves. A little girl from Amritsar who
dreamed to be successful completed her basic academy in
Amritsar, as well as studied various things from various parts of
her motherland. With the ability of minute observation,
managed to gain interest in various artistics forms of India.

Ritu began with hand block printers and two tables in a small village near
Calcutta, and in the last 28 years, Ritu’s team of dedicated workers have
progressed to produce some of the country’s most exquisite garments and
accessories in cotton, silk and leather. These ranges embrace both traditional
textile crafts and the lineage of Indian design. Over the centuries, traditional
skills that had been lost have been revitalized and this has enabled the
craftsmen to continue working in their own environment. Ritu has pioneered
the term ‘fashion’ in the Indian context, and more importantly, has
demonstrated that hand made products can be as profitable and even more
glamorous than those made by machine.
Ritu Kumar’s forte is traditional Indian clothes,that draw heavily on the
textile and embroidery heritage of India and remains classics of their kind.
But she evolved another style for European buyer. Her Indo-West fusion
wear has all the trappings of block prints, embroidery and craft inputs on a
western style.

Ritu has been designing the wardrobes comprising swim-wear, evening

wear, traditional Indian wear, casual wear, formal evening gowns; of the
winning three Miss India’s, for their participation in the International beauty
pageants (Miss Universe, Miss World & Miss Asia pacific respectively).

At least six of these, to mention a few; Manpreet Brar, Ruchi Malhotra, Rani
Jeyraj and recently Lara Dutta, have won the award for the Most
Outstanding Evening Gown in International pageants.

Ritu has opened many outlets all over India. Style icons as late Princess
Diana have patronized her outfits. Ritu Kumar also launched her book ‘
Costumes and Textiles of Royal India’ which is published by Christie’s,
London.

Personal Data:
Born in Amritsar, November 11, 1944
Citizenship: INDIAN
Married, Two children.

Education:
Post Graduate Diploma in Museology, 1967, Ashutosh Museum, Calcutta
Associate in Arts, 1966, Briarcliff College, Westchester County, NY, USA
Bachelor of Education. 1965, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi
Bachelor of Science in Home Economics, 1964, Lady Irwin College, New
Delhi
Intermediate in Science, 1960, Government College, Amritsar
Matriculation, 1958, Sacred Heart Convent, Amritsar

Professional Experience:
Designer of Textiles and Garments

R & D in Design:
Leather ready-mades and accessories using traditional techniques – The
collection “Karabagh” launched in 1994.
Development of handloom weaving to suit ready to wear needs, in
Maheshwar, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu.
Revival of tie/dye in selected areas in Gujarat.
Revival and change of end use of vegetable printing/painting and dyeing
techniques in Andhra Pradesh.
Revival and change in end use of the printing techniques of Tanjore.
Research into traditional design motifs to translate them from traditional
uses to leather and textiles.
Development of a specialized printing unit at Balabhgarh employing modern
techniques of screen-printing.
Continuing work on established lines, producing two collections a year for
national retail outlets in:

 Traditional Zardozi
  Kashida
 Handblock prints
 Ethnic embroideries by machine and hand
 Kantha

Associations
Membership of Governing / Executive bodies :
All India Handloom Board at the Ministry of Textiles.
Delhi Crafts Council, Delhi Chapter
Divyachhaya “Save a Child” Trust, Calcutta / Delhi

Board of Governors :
National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Boutique 1966
Ritu’s first Boutique opened in Delhi at D3 Defence Colony Link Road,
New Delhi. This was the first ever boutique in Delhi

Collections
“I believe in going deep into the roots of every design to find out its
relevance in the present context. I also try and visualize whether a woman
would look elegant in my designs. It’s a lot of hard work. But then this is a
very competitive field and unless you put in that extra effort you will tag far
behind.” — Ritu Kumar First City, Aug-99

Zardozi

Threads of metal Crafting their way through the lineage of skilled fingers
Zardosi at one time encrusting the garments of royal patrons; degraded by
commercial exploitation, resurrected in all its tensile glory for weddings
festivals and ceremonies. The fusion of a Mughal craft with the Indian, a
celebration of the secular mind.
.
In the small village of Ranihati, a cluster of thatched huts under giant palms
a few miles outside Kolkata, Ritu Kumar began research and work on
reviving the forgotten art of Zardozi. With innovations in use of material and
the technique of Zardozi itself she was able to attain applicability much
wider than its traditional use in court and bridal costumes.
In 1985, after years of research, innovation and creation, Ritu Kumar
launched her Zardozi collection in New Delhi. This was the first ever display
of Zardozi in a contemporary era. A modest beginning but with tremendous
hard work, soon resulted in a broad understanding and revived patronage of
this craft. To her credit, Zardozi is now an extensively used and widely
appreciated technique around the country.

1988: Kashida
Using needle and thread to decorate textiles is an ancient craft. In India
embroidery patterns have evolved in different regions of the country—the
geometric phulkari’s of the Punjab, mirror works motifs of the Kutch,
Kashmir’s stylized plant and floral motifs, tone on tone Chikan of Lucknow,
and the Kanthas of Bengal form part of the vast repertoire of India’s
embroidery traditions. Block printing is another highly developed tradition
of ornamenting textiles. Blocks are small surfaces of wood carved in reverse.
These are dipped into dyes and the design is transferred on to cloth.

Ritu Kumar developed ‘Kashida’ as the art of colored thread embroidery on

hand block printed fabric. The Collection was first displayed in 1988 and has
since been used significantly in RITU’s garments sold at her retail outlets
around India.

1994: Karabagh
On the southwestern shores of India, stretching from Macchalipatnam to
Negapatnam lies the Cholamandal Coast. The prints of these region are
synonymous with an exuberant design vocabulary of stylized flowers,
leaves, birds, trees, vines developed in hinterland villages over hundreds of
years. Far to the north, hidden in the mountains and valleys of Kashmir,
another distinct design directory evolved, around myriad permutations on
the Ambi, or what became known as the paisley to the rest of the world.
Villages in the desert reaches of Rajasthan and dusty plains of Gujarat gave
us the Buti in its many forms while the Farukhabad School, from the Indian
heartland, produced in its ateliers, a completely different vocabulary with its
vibrant use of the square space and evolved spring-like textured jalis with
vibrant surface distribution which were popular later as the “Cheent” or
chinz prints of India.

With the Karabagh Collection, Ritu Kumar pays tribute to the eternal vines
of the Cholamandal coast and the paisley or Ambi, popularized in the
painted and printed tradition of Kalamkari, which is the starting point of this
collection. The experiment transcends tradition in its attempt to combine
techniques and materials accessible to the designer. Thus leather coats, bags
and accessories are embossed, printed or painted, embroidered in harmony
with the basic ethos of the Cholamandal design range, enhancing and adding
an element of embellishment hitherto unexplored. The soft furnishing
include spreads, hangings and cushions printed, embroidered and quilted on
the finest Murshidabad silk, perhaps for the first time, transforming the feel
of the unending vines of Cholamandal and bringing in a fresh energy to the
eternal paisley, which is synonymous with the Indian identity of design.

1996: Sangmarmar
Launched at the end of March – just as spring turned to summer, the
Sangmarmar Collection is based on the pristine white of the immortal Taj
Mahal and designed with motifs that echo the carvings and inlay work.
Mostly comprising outfits in soft white tery-rubia, with ‘tone-on-tone’ white
embroidery or delicate pastel contrasts, the ‘Sangmarmar’ collection
epitomizes the purity of marble. Cool and comfortable, the designs offer
scoop necklines, short sleeves and criss-cross backs – young and yet with a
touch of nostalgia.

1998: Dhoop Chhaon

Hues of damask rose, flowering hibiscus, flame of the forest and the deep
golden yellow of the marigold are splashed in all their richness in floral
prints on salwar kameez ensembles.

1998: Gulmohar
As summer sets in, the romantic flame of the forest trees, are vibrant with
their red, hot colored flowers, exuberant and wild under the hot April sun.
The surrounding trees of the Jacaranda are like an artist’s brush strokes of
mauve and purple which along with the brilliant yellows of the Amaltash
flowering trees produce a kaleidoscope which vies with the glare of the hot
mid day sun.

Ritu Kumar’s Gulmohar collection reflects this joyous mood in its play of
vibrant prints on cool chiffons. Flowy and feminine, seductive and warm in
its textures, colors and prints. The colors are tropical and hot and liven up
summer evenings

1999: Bridal
Ritu Kumar rejects the long-held premise that the Indian bride has primarily
to be dressed in shades of red. For her Bridal ‘99 collection she selected
mehendi green, saffron, khaki, turquoise and even off-white colors. Delicate
Zardozi and Aari work embellish the ensembles and the off white fabrics are
interwoven with pure gold thread.

2000: Prêt to Couture

In August 2000, Ritu Kumar first presented her “Prêt to Couture” collection
along with a collection of woolens, silk and leather garments.
“Prêt to Couture” is a collection of casual and formal wear that is both
young and elegant. The inspirations for these garments are basic Indian
motifs, prints and embroideries but with the usage of a wide range of
western silhouettes mingled with Indian styles.

The show first opened at the Lakme India Fashion Week in New Delhi and was later
shown in Kolkata.

Recently, it was combined with a collection of ancient costumes from Ritu Kumar’s
archives as well as her latest Bridal Collection and presented at the National Gallery of
Modern Art in Mumbai, as “A Retrospective—Prêt to Couture”

Reshmi Ghosh
Femina Miss India - 2002
At the preliminary rounds of the Miss Earth Contest, Reshmi Ghosh,
Femina Miss India 2002 won a Best National Costume award designed by
Ritu Kumar in the event held at Manila

India has a rich repertoire of styles and techniques, each with diverse
interest and socially interesting norms. The national costume of any country
reflects the classical best of its textile traditions. The national costume
for Reshmi is styled from the traditional wedding wear of the royal houses
of the Punjab in northern India. It consists of a panelled skirt, a short
blouse, and two odhinis or viels. One of these is worn over the shoulder and
the other one covers the head to give the ensemble a regal look.

The first three parts of the ensembles are made of silk, and patterned with a
design from the printing school of Farukhabad. A wide border of a stylized
“Tree of Life" motif, edges the skirt and the veil. This is the traditional
method of detailing royal garments. The pattern moves into a curling vine in
the larger areas of the garment. The pattern is coloured in rich red/burgundy
and the entire design is picked up with a three dimensional gold embroidery
traditionally known in India for centuries-- called Zardozi. The viel which
covers the hair is made of sheer net and embellished with narrow borders.
The ensemble is accessorized with antiqued kundan jewellery, bangles and
flowers.

“Ritu Kumar is also one of the choosen one to design outfits for the
contestant for Miss India Pagent as well as the Miss Universe Miss Asia
Pacific participant representing India.”
Designed wardrobes for the participants of
various pageants, with two new contests-- Miss
International and Miss Earth added to the
growing list of pageants.
 Neha Dhupia - participated in the Miss Universe Contest held in
Puerto Rico on 29th May 2002.
 Shruti Sharma - participated in the Miss World contest held in
London on the 30th November 2002.
 Tina Chatwal - participated in the Miss Asia Pacific contest held
in Manila on the 30th November 2002 and she was the first runner up
in the contest.
 Gauhar Khan - participated in the Miss International contest in
Tokyo on the 04th October 2002.
 Reshmi Ghosh - participated in the Miss Earth contest in
Manila, which was held on the 20th October 2002. She won the Best
national Costume Award wearing one of our lehnga choli.

Tree Of Life :
Kalpavrisha or ‘Tree of Life” is a recurrent motif from the
earliest records and a metaphor for the mystery of creation.
(Was one of her inspiration)

The 'Tree of Life' show is a textile tableau combined with an audio visual
that takes it's audience across India’s unique blend of tradition, culture and
style. The show has now been running for over 10 years and has traveled all
over the world, opening doors of India's rich heritage and tradition and
receiving incredible acclaim from the fashion world and media. The show
comprises eight sequences, each a technique of textile craft that Ritu Kumar
has been working with over the past 30 years.

Hand Block Printing:

The first imprint of design on cloth… India’s gift to the world

The Tree of life carved in handheld blocks, duplicated exuberantly in
prolific designs on timeless fabric. Vegetable dyes, mordant dyes, indigo
bubbling in vats, painstakingly printed on garments of ageless style for the
people of an ancient land.
Hand Block Printing a long forgotten traditional designing was brought back
by Ritu Kumar by creating variations with the help of research and
experimentations. Mixing block printing with embroidery and many such
exclusive creations are a part of her collections.

Awards
1998: 'Lifetime Achievement Award' set by National Institute of Fashion
Technology.
In recognition to the contribution to the fashion industry, and the
encouragement of young talent at NIFT, Ritu was appointed on the Board of
Governors of NIFT and was felicitated with the 'Lifetime Achievement
award.

December 1998: 'Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award'set by the

PHD-Chamber of Commerce.

15th July 2000: 'Lifetime achievement award' set by Kingfisher Group

The Kingfisher group hosted Fashion Fantasia, a fashion extravaganza in
Bangalore. Awards were given to deserving members of the fashion
fraternity and this is where Ritu Kumar once again won the 'Lifetime
achievement award'

Book:
In 1999, Ritu Kumar released the Costumes and Textiles of Royal India with
launches in London and the four main metros in India.

An in-depth account of the royal costumes and textiles of India the book
considers all the various stylistic traditions, both religious and regional,
arising from within this vast country

The Perfect Wedding: Wedding Collection

(From Ritu’s Table)
I try and reflect the changes that have been brought about in the bridal
apparel throughout the century. The latest collection depicts the finest in
Indian tradition of embroidery where different kinds of Indian embroidery
techniques have been used. The motifs range from the traditional schools of
India's traditional textile centres like Benaras, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh,
Agra and of course the main schools of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The use of
embellishments is traditional and do not depend upon crystals, sequins or
any other plastic ornamentation. The traditional metallic effects created with
a mixture of dhapka, aari and gota often teaming with both gold and silver is
used again to create the fabled Ganga Jamuna effect which has been
symbolic of both the aesthetics and culture of the Indian sub continent.
There are also traditional wedding lehngas in red, the motifs of Rajasthan
ornamented with gota and zardozi. Other wedding ensembles are in ochre,
peach and bandhini silk with the traditional cheron design highlighted with
butis or the paisley motifs.

The mood varies from a light aari lehngas and three piece ensemble range to
a heavily worked richly covered silk woven lehngas. These are especially
noteworthy for their appearance again into the Indian bridal repertoire after
an absence of almost a decade or more. In a lighter vein are the gossamer
thin net versions of lehnga outfits which portray both a rich glamour and
subdued elegance. Also on display is a range of farshis, churidars, salwar
kurtas, odhinis and saris in vegetable colour palettes of earthy gheru, saffron,
terracotta and burgundy, to soft pomegranate, khakis, dusty rose colours, as a
mark of departure from the traditional ones like red, magenta or maroon,
which have found popularity amongst the younger generation. The colour
palette also emphasized Mehndi green, rose pink, lilac, peach, soft greys
gold and turquoise.

An Interview – Ritu Kumar

Ritu Kumar (Began the boutique culture in India)

Mentors: Pupul Jayakar, Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay

Ambitions in life: To be able to continue the research and revival

work that has been started in the craft areas.

Challenges in the fields: To be constantly innovative and

understand the needs of a new generation without losing the inherent thread
of one's work or one's handwriting.

High point in career: The completion of my book The Costumes

and Textiles of Royal India and the tableau The Tree Of Life, both of which
reflected the textile richness of this country.

Advise to aspirants: There are no shortcuts in any profession. If the

job is worth doing, it will take a lot of sweat and endeavor. Be prepared to
not create genius, and hope something will evolve at the end.
Fashion Forecasting

Trends
After a year where black reigned supreme and the emphasis was on
minimalism, it's time now to add some colour. So look forward to lots of
bright colour. So look forward to lots of bright colours this year. Besides,
there will an emphasis on accessorizing blacks and browns with bright
colours. Short kurtas will remain a favourite with the younger lot and the
saree will come back in a big way. Everybody, regardless of age, will like to
be in a saree.

Wardrobe essentials for women

Sandals: A minimum of two pairs of good sandals is a must for every
woman.
Scarves: They will be one of the most important part of any woman's
wardrobe this year. Scarves in bright colours will be the rage.
Clothes: A nice saree in crepe, a well-fitting trouser suit, a linen jacket and a
solid salwar kameez in beige or any other colour with nice, bright
accessories are a must.

Jewellery: Something that looks like a cross between Indian and

European designs. For this, antique silver jewellery is best.

Kajal: A must for every woman to make her eyes look beautiful and
expressive.

Wardrobe essential for men

A well-stitched pair of black trousers, a nice pair of denim jeans, good shoes
and a leather jacket are musts for any good looking man.

Ritu Kumar – An Inspiration

Ritu Kumar is indeed an inspiration to
me and many other young aspiring
designers. Her research and work
motivates me to experiment and
explore various traditional art works
of my motherland which surely
stands apart from the rest. Ritu
Kumar is one of the Indian Designer
who represents are country and
promotes our rich heritage on an
international level.