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

AssociationsMembership 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 1966Ritu’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 CoutureIn 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 GhoshFemina Miss India - 2002At 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

TrendsAfter 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 womenSandals: 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 menA 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.