Ritu Kumar

Astringent futurism characterises fashion designer and Padmashri Ritu Kumar’s brand.. steeped in the revivalism of centuries-old textile tradition. As a young girl Ritu Kumar began her design journey in the Sixties as a student of art history from Lady Irwin College. While studying museology in Calcutta, she visited Serampore, a village in West Bengal, where she discovered a small colony of hand block printers that was out of work. She began a small enterprise of giving designs that the printers began working on. The result of this effort was beautiful hand-block printed saris. After the positive response to her exhibitions in Kolkata, she instinctively knew this was her calling.

In 1969, the eponymous fashion brand was launched with just four hand block printers and two tables in a small village near Calcutta, India. Without a business strategy in place, she kept soldiering on at her work and slowly production and retail of the products took shape. Since, the fashion designer developed a unique style, showcasing the ancient textile traditions of India through a contemporary design vocabulary. Her understanding of ancient design and the innovative use of traditional crafts created a new classicism and today the company is renowned for its quality fabrics, intricate hand embroideries and a rich Indian aesthetic.

Since the company was built on the patronage of craftspeople, it has made a significant impact in creating employment in underdeveloped areas. Over the years it has patronised organizations working in these areas, helped in developing their skills and taking them to the market. She tells Explosive Fashion: “The fashion industry has a powerful message, not in terms of volume, but driving inspiration for everybody. So I feel if we consciously start not only sourcing things from within our country but also sourcing styles which are sustainable and which can last you through the wardrobe for a while, a strong message would be sent out. Fast fashion is something we can adopt once things are normal. According to me, at the moment we should just do indigenous work.”

Today her fashion brand retails through ninety three stores across the country. She has successfully demonstrated that hand-made products can be as profitable and even more glamorous than those made by machine. The company sources the finest fabrics and craftsmanship from across the country.. subsequently reviving textile skills and providing employment to hundreds of artisans.

Sustainability is the core of the fashion brand. “Sustainability is woven into the DNA of Ritu Kumar and has always been at the forefront of everything the brand undertakes. Each collection over the years has included pieces crafted out of fibres that are as close to nature as possible,” she tells Vogue. “For us, it is more than just the product itself; it is also about the sustainability of livelihood and crafts with which we have always been closely connected.”

Ritu Kumar as a brand has been admired and worn all over the world. Its clientele includes Indian cine stars such as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza to name a few and international celebrities such as the late Princess Diana and Anoushka Shankar. Since 1994, Ritu Kumar has also designed the wardrobes for Miss India contestants for their participation in international beauty pageants such as Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Asia Pacific.

In 1999 Ritu Kumar published a book “Costumes and Textiles of Royal India” which chronicles the history of textiles and art design in India. “If we realize what the history of textiles is, and what we are consuming, new younger designers can find places to source materials. I am also writing another book to direct such designers to find embroiders, printers and weavers because they don’t live in cities. They live in the rural heartland. That knowledge is very important for the students as well as the craftspeople” Ritu Kumar tells Explosive Fashion.

In 2002, the company launched a sub-brand LABEL – Ritu Kumar. The pret line is popular among the younger set. Whereas its influences are global, its identity originates from Indian design. ‘Today we are part of the India’s re-awakening individuality and cultural impact around the world. As part of the team for LABEL we are looking to add voices from the forefront of this phenomenon. Collaborating and working with talent in the arts we seek truly unique expressions from today’s generation. The associations are an open platform where the design house provides a structure on which the artists build their vision. The process is collaborative as well as individualistic…’ states a note on the official website.

What can we, the consumer, do to help sustain livelihood and craft of weavers and craftspeople? “One should really and truly patronise the weavers and craftspeople. For example, instead of buying a Lycra trouser, one should go and buy a khadi churidar. If we can patronise what they are making we would be helping out” she tells Explosive Fashion. “I feel we should be very conscious of not being enthusiastic about manmade fibres like synthetic materials… My advice to those who want to shop responsibly and build an ethical wardrobe — when you visit any place, just ensure that it has organic products. We should know where it has come from and support ‘Made In India’ products.”

In 2019 the fashion designer launched ‘Ritu Kumar Home’ — a contemporary craft-inspired initiative to bring her design aesthetic to crockery, cutlery and furnishing. From the school of Jamavar in Kashmir and the jaalis in Lucknow havelis to Masulipatnam craft and vegetable printed Kalamkaris in Andhra Pradesh, to booti and bagh prints from Rajasthan — it is all beautifully recreated on crockery, cutlery and covetable furnishings. The collection builds on, and re-interprets, her classic motifs.

The couturier is the recipient of important awards such as ‘Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award’ for her contribution in the field of fashion, “Chevalier des arts et des lettres” by the French government and Achievement Award at Loreal Paris Femina Women’s Awards. Most importantly- Ritu Kumar has also been awarded Padma Shri Award in 2013, the country’s fourth highest civilian award, for her exceptional and distinguished service in the field of fashion, textile and craftsmanship.