There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that Ritu Kumar is the OG when it comes to the Indian fashion industry. So when she makes a comeback to the couture runway with a collection named OG, you can’t help but agree and laugh at the cheeky nomenclature.
It’s been over 50 years that Ritu Kumar has been holding the reigns at her eponymous design house. What started as a small design studio in a village in Kolkata with hand-block printing techniques is now a major league fashion brand with sub-retailers and almost 100 stores across the country. Adding to that, Ritu Kumar has been a pioneer when it comes to leading India’s revival of the handlooms movement. She can be credited with recognising the need for preserving and promoting Indian handicrafts way before it was trendy and for that, she will always remain a force to reckon with.
The lexicon of a Ritu Kumar design is well-established – the paisley pattern, vegetable-dyed prints and the gold dabka work. It’s weathered the strains of fashion trends, worn alike by grandmothers and GenZ and now, as she returns to the FDCI x India Couture Week 2023 runway we can’t wait to see what’s on the cards. The ideology remains the same but the vision is futuristic. She explores a new feminine aesthetic with dresses, jackets, capes and anarkalis while incorporating the complexity of the glittering kasab and floral kashidakari work. Before she takes the stage for her rather awaited return to the runway, we ask the godmother of Indian fashion to give us a glimpse into her world.
Ritu Kumar on her runway comeback at FDCI x India Couture Week 2023:
As rightly said, you are the OG of Indian Fashion. How would you describe the transformation in Indian fashion from when you started to now?
Indian crafts have seen a revival and have created relevance for themselves in this country post-independence, which few if any other countries have seen. Most traditional textiles have been delegated to museums in most cultures while they are still present to wear on an everyday basis in India.
How has the concept of luxury evolved for you?
Handcrafts have always had royal patronage, and have always been a luxury from a time gone by.
How do you keep your ideas and designs fresh while sticking to your signature zari work and paisley motifs?
To customise for a younger market with designs which have lasting aesthetics is not difficult, one has to be confident not to come off the path too much, but play with shapes and style keeping the richness of the textiles alive.
You’re known for the revival of Indian crafts, currently what are the techniques you’re working with this season?
Its hand embroidery both in gold and thread, hand block printing designs from our archives now printed in other mediums, weaves and the crafts of the dyers like those in Rajasthan.
You’re returning to the runway after a decade, what was the reason behind staying away?
COUTURE has always been marketed under the Ri Ritu Kumar Collection, but we have not been on the ramp for the couture week for many seasons. To promote these areas, we were doing shows for our revival collections like the one on Benaras Weaves and the Rajasthani Ajraks line. Then for three years due to covid, there was not much on the ramp.
What are you most looking forward to at India Couture Week 2023?
I am looking forward to seeing a newer interpretation of our traditional line which works for a younger generation.
Can you tell us about your couture collection – the inspiration and highlights?
This year we sought inspiration from motifs and forms that formed our mood boards decades ago, particularly the Kalabattu embroidery. In this collection, we bring in fresh impetus where our handwriting has been tweaked to give it a contemporary feel.
What is your moodboard or trend forecast for the 2023/24 bride?
Keep your mood board in line with the tradition that we believe in, bridal wear is not fast fashion, so the choice you make should last more than a few decades, so you can pass it on to the next generation.
All Images: Courtesy Ritu Kumar.
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
Ritu Kumar Indian fashion designer FDCI India Couture Week
