Indian Designer

Kumar

-Ritu

Indian Designer:

Ritu Kumar

Presented By:Reema N.

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. ith 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, Ritus team of dedicated workers have progressed to produce some of the countrys most exquisite garments and accessories in cotton, silk and leather !hese ranges embrace both traditional

textile crafts and the lineage of "ndian design #ver the centuries, traditional skills that had been lost have been revitali$ed and this has enabled the craftsmen to continue working in their own environment Ritu has pioneered the term %fashion in the "ndian context, and more importantly, has demonstrated that hand made products can be as profitable and even more glamorous than those made by machine Ritu &umars forte is traditional "ndian clothes,that draw heavily on the textile and embroidery heritage of "ndia and remains classics of their kind 'ut she evolved another style for (uropean buyer )er "ndo*+est 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 "ndian wear, casual wear, formal evening gowns, of the winning three -iss "ndias, for their participation in the "nternational beauty pageants .-iss /niverse, -iss +orld 0 -iss 1sia pacific respectively2

1t least six of these, to mention a few, -anpreet 'rar, Ruchi -alhotra, Rani 3eyra4 and recently 5ara 6utta, have won the award for the -ost #utstanding (vening 7own in "nternational pageants

Ritu has opened many outlets all over "ndia 8tyle icons as late 9rincess 6iana have patroni$ed her outfits Ritu &umar also launched her book % Costumes and !extiles of Royal "ndia which is published by Christies, 5ondon

Personal Data:
'orn in 1mritsar, :ovember ;;, ;<== Citi$enship> ":6"1: -arried, !wo children

Education:
9ost 7raduate 6iploma in -useology, ;<?@, 1shutosh -useum, Calcutta 1ssociate in 1rts, ;<??, 'riarcliff College, +estchester County, :A, /81 'achelor of (ducation ;<?B, 5ady "rwin College, :ew 6elhi 'achelor of 8cience in )ome (conomics, ;<?=, 5ady "rwin College, :ew 6elhi "ntermediate in 8cience, ;<?C, 7overnment College, 1mritsar -atriculation, ;<B8, 8acred )eart Convent, 1mritsar

Professional Experience:
6esigner of !extiles and 7arments

R & D in Design:
5eather ready*mades and accessories using traditional techniques D !he collection E&arabaghF launched in ;<<= 6evelopment of handloom weaving to suit ready to wear needs, in -aheshwar, 1ndhra 9radesh, #rissa and !amil :adu Revival of tieGdye in selected areas in 7u4arat Revival and change of end use of vegetable printingGpainting and dyeing techniques in 1ndhra 9radesh Revival and change in end use of the printing techniques of !an4ore

Research into traditional design motifs to translate them from traditional uses to leather and textiles 6evelopment of a speciali$ed printing unit at 'alabhgarh employing modern techniques of screen*printing Continuing work on established lines, producing two collections a year for national retail outlets in> Traditional !ardo"i Kashida #andblock prints $thnic embroideries by machine and hand Kantha

ssociations
-embership of 7overning G (xecutive bodies > 1ll "ndia )andloom 'oard at the -inistry of !extiles 6elhi Crafts Council, 6elhi Chapter 6ivyachhaya E8ave a ChildF !rust, Calcutta G 6elhi 'oard of 7overnors > :ational "nstitute of Hashion !echnology

Bouti!ue "#$$
Ritus first 'outique opened in 6elhi at 6I 6efence Colony 5ink Road, :ew 6elhi !his was the first ever boutique in 6elhi

%ollections
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. Its 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. J Ritu Kumar First City, Aug-99

&ardo'i

hreads of metal !rafting their way through the lineage of skilled fingers "ardosi at one time encrusting the garments of royal patrons# degraded by commercial exploitation$ resurrected in all its tensile glory for weddings

festivals and ceremonies. .

he fusion of a %ughal craft with the Indian$ a

celebration of the secular mind. "n the small village of Ranihati, a cluster of thatched huts under giant palms a few miles outside &olkata, Ritu &umar began research and work on reviving the forgotten art of Kardo$i +ith innovations in use of material and the technique of Kardo$i itself she was able to attain applicability much wider than its traditional use in court and bridal costumes "n ;<8B, after years of research, innovation and creation, Ritu &umar launched her Kardo$i collection in :ew 6elhi !his was the first ever display of Kardo$i in a contemporary era 1 modest beginning but with tremendous hard work, soon resulted in a broad understanding and revived patronage of this craft !o her credit, Kardo$i is now an extensively used and widely appreciated technique around the country

"#((:

Kas)ida

/sing needle and thread to decorate textiles is an ancient craft "n "ndia embroidery patterns have evolved in different regions of the countryJthe geometric phulkaris of the 9un4ab, mirror works motifs of the &utch, &ashmirs styli$ed plant and floral motifs, tone on tone Chikan of 5ucknow, and the &anthas of 'engal form part of the vast repertoire of "ndias embroidery traditions 'lock printing is another highly developed tradition of ornamenting textiles 'locks are small surfaces of wood carved in reverse !hese are dipped into dyes and the design is transferred on to cloth Ritu &umar developed %&ashida as the art of colored thread embroidery on hand block printed fabric !he Collection was first displayed in ;<88 and has since been used significantly in R"!/s garments sold at her retail

outlets around "ndia

"##*:

Kara+ag)

#n the southwestern shores of "ndia, stretching from -acchalipatnam to :egapatnam lies the Cholamandal Coast !he prints of these region are synonymous with an exuberant design vocabulary of styli$ed flowers, leaves, birds, trees, vines developed in hinterland villages over hundreds of years Har to the north, hidden in the mountains and valleys of &ashmir, another distinct design directory evolved, around myriad permutations on the 1mbi, or what became known as the paisley to the rest of the world Lillages in the desert reaches of Ra4asthan and dusty plains of 7u4arat gave us the 'uti in its many forms while the Harukhabad 8chool, from the "ndian heartland, produced in its ateliers, a completely different vocabulary with its vibrant use of the square space and evolved spring*like textured 4alis with vibrant surface distribution which were popular later as the ECheentF or chin$ prints of "ndia +ith the &arabagh Collection, Ritu &umar pays tribute to the eternal vines of the Cholamandal coast and the paisley or 1mbi, populari$ed in the painted and printed tradition of &alamkari, which is the starting point of this collection !he experiment transcends tradition in its attempt to combine techniques and materials accessible to the designer !hus 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 !he soft furnishing include spreads, hangings and cushions printed, embroidered and quilted on the finest -urshidabad 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 "ndian identity of design

"##$: ,angmarmar
5aunched at the end of -arch D 4ust as spring turned to summer, the 8angmarmar Collection is based on the pristine white of the immortal !a4 -ahal and designed with motifs that echo the carvings and inlay work -ostly comprising outfits in soft white tery*rubia, with %tone*on*tone white embroidery or delicate pastel contrasts, the %8angmarmar collection epitomi$es the purity of marble Cool and comfortable, the designs offer scoop necklines, short sleeves and criss*cross backs D young and yet with a touch of nostalgia

"##(:

D)oop %))aon

)ues 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 kamee$ ensembles

"##(:

-ulmo)ar

1s summer sets in, the romantic flame of the forest trees, are vibrant with their red, hot colored flowers, exuberant and wild under the hot 1pril sun !he surrounding trees of the 3acaranda are like an artists brush strokes of mauve and purple which along with the brilliant yellows of the 1maltash flowering trees produce a kaleidoscope which vies with the glare of the hot mid day sun

Ritu &umars 7ulmohar collection reflects this 4oyous mood in its play of vibrant prints on cool chiffons Hlowy and feminine, seductive and warm in its textures, colors and prints !he colors are tropical and hot and liven up summer evenings

"###: Bridal
Ritu &umar re4ects the long*held premise that the "ndian bride has primarily to be dressed in shades of red Hor her 'ridal %<< collection she selected mehendi green, saffron, khaki, turquoise and even off*white colors 6elicate Kardo$i and 1ari work embellish the ensembles and the off white fabrics are interwoven with pure gold thread

.///: Prt to %outure

"n 1ugust 2CCC, Ritu &umar first presented her E9rMt to CoutureF collection along with a collection of woolens, silk and leather garments E9rMt to CoutureF is a collection of casual and formal wear that is both young and elegant !he inspirations for these garments are basic "ndian motifs, prints and embroideries but with the usage of a wide range of western silhouettes mingled with "ndian styles
!he show first opened at the 5akme "ndia Hashion +eek in :ew 6elhi and was later shown in &olkata Recently, it was combined with a collection of ancient costumes from Ritu &umars archives as well as her latest 'ridal Collection and presented at the :ational 7allery of -odern 1rt in -umbai, as & 'etrospective()r*t to !outure

Res)mi -)os) 0emina 1iss India - .//.

1t the preliminary rounds of the Miss Earth Contest, Reshmi Ghosh, Hemina -iss "ndia 2CC2 won a 'est :ational Costume award designed by Ritu Kumar in the event held at -anila

India

has a rich repertoire of styles and techniques, each with diverse

interest and socially interesting norms !he national costume of any country reflects the classical best of its textile traditions !he national costume for Reshmi is styled from the traditional wedding wear of the royal houses of the 9un4ab in northern "ndia "t consists of a panelled skirt, a short blouse, and two odhinis or viels #ne of these is worn over the shoulder and the other one covers the head to give the ensemble a regal look

!he first three parts of the ensembles are made of silk, and patterned with a design from the printing school of Harukhabad 1 wide border of a styli$ed E!ree of 5ifeN motif, edges the skirt and the veil !his is the traditional method of detailing royal garments !he pattern moves into a curling vine in the larger areas of the garment !he pattern is coloured in rich redGburgundy and the entire design is picked up with a three dimensional gold embroidery traditionally known in "ndia for centuries** called Kardo$i !he viel which covers the hair is made of sheer net and embellished with narrow borders !he ensemble is accessori$ed with antiqued kundan 4ewellery, bangles and flowers

Ritu Kumar is also one of the choosen one to design outfits for the
contestant for %iss India )agent as well as the %iss +niverse %iss &sia )acific participant representing India.

Designed 2ardro+es for t)e participants of 3arious pageants, 2it) t2o ne2 contests-- 1iss International and 1iss Eart) added to t)e gro2ing list of pageants.

Ne)a D)upia - participated in the -iss /niverse Contest held in

5ondon on the ICth :ovember 2CC2

9uerto Rico on 2<th -ay 2CC2 ,)ruti ,)arma - participated in the -iss +orld contest held in

4ina %)at2al - participated in the -iss 1sia 9acific contest held in

-anila on the ICth :ovember 2CC2 and she was the first runner up in the contest

-au)ar K)an - participated in the -iss "nternational contest in

!okyo on the C=th #ctober 2CC2

Res)mi -)os) - participated in the -iss (arth contest in -anila,

which was held on the 2Cth #ctober 2CC2 8he won the 'est national Costume 1ward wearing one of our lehnga choli

4ree 5f 6ife :

Kalpa3ris)a or 4ree of 6ife is a recurrent motif from t)e earliest records and a metap)or for t)e mystery of creation. 78as one of )er inspiration9

!he %Tree of &ife% show is a textile tableau combined with an audio visual that takes itOs audience across "ndias unique blend of tradition, culture and style !he show has now been running for over ;C years and has traveled all over the world, opening doors of "ndiaOs rich heritage and tradition and receiving incredible acclaim from the fashion world and media !he show comprises eight sequences, each a technique of textile craft that Ritu &umar has been working with over the past IC years

:and Bloc; Printing:

The first imprint of design on cloth' India(s gift to the world The Tree of life carved in handheld blocks, duplicated e)uberantly in prolific designs on timeless fabric. *egetable dyes, mordant dyes, indigo bubbling in vats, painstakingly printed on garments of ageless style for the people of an ancient land. )and 'lock 9rinting a long forgotten traditional designing was brought back by Ritu &umar by creating variations with the help of research and experimentations -ixing block printing with embroidery and many such exclusive creations are a part of her collections

2ards
+,,-> 'Lifetime Achievement Awar ' set by :ational "nstitute of Hashion !echnology "n recognition to the contribution to the fashion industry, and the encouragement of young talent at :"H!, Ritu was appointed on the 'oard of 7overnors of :"H! and was felicitated with the O5ifetime 1chievement award .ecember +,,-> '!utstan ing "omen Entre#reneur Awar 'set by the 9)6*Chamber of Commerce +/th 0uly 12223 'Lifetime achievement awar ' set by &ingfisher 7roup !he &ingfisher group hosted Hashion Hantasia, a fashion extravagan$a in 'angalore 1wards were given to deserving members of the fashion fraternity and this is where Ritu &umar once again won the O5ifetime achievement awardO

Boo;:
"n ;<<<, Ritu &umar released the Costumes and !extiles of Royal "ndia with launches in 5ondon and the four main metros in "ndia 1n in*depth account of the royal costumes and textiles of "ndia the book considers all the various stylistic traditions, both religious and regional, arising from within this vast country

4)e Perfect 8edding: Ritus 4a+le9

8edding %ollection
70rom

I try and reflect the changes that have been brought about in the bridal
apparel throughout the century !he latest collection depicts the finest in "ndian tradition of embroidery where different kinds of "ndian embroidery techniques have been used !he motifs range from the traditional schools of "ndiaOs traditional textile centres like 'enaras, &ashmir, 1ndhra 9radesh, 1gra and of course the main schools of 7u4arat and Ra4asthan !he use of embellishments is traditional and do not depend upon crystals, sequins or any other plastic ornamentation !he 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 7anga 3amuna effect which has been symbolic of both the aesthetics and culture of the "ndian sub continent !here are also traditional wedding lehngas in red, the motifs of Ra4asthan ornamented with gota and $ardo$i #ther wedding ensembles are in ochre, peach and bandhini silk with the traditional cheron design highlighted with butis or the paisley motifs !he mood varies from a light aari lehngas and three piece ensemble range to a heavily worked richly covered silk woven lehngas !hese are especially noteworthy for their appearance again into the "ndian bridal repertoire after an absence of almost a decade or more "n a lighter vein are the gossamer thin net versions of lehnga outfits which portray both a rich glamour and subdued elegance 1lso 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 !he colour palette also emphasi$ed -ehndi green, rose pink, lilac, peach, soft greys gold and turquoise

n Inter3ie2 Ritu Kumar

Ritu Kumar 7Began t)e +outi!ue culture in India9

1entors$ 9upul 3ayakar, &amala 6evi Chattopadhyay m+itions in life$ !o be able to continue the research and revival work
that has been started in the craft areas

%)allenges in t)e fields: !o be constantly innovative and understand

the needs of a new generation without losing the inherent thread of oneOs work or oneOs handwriting

:ig) point in career: !he completion of my book !he Costumes and

!extiles of Royal "ndia and the tableau !he !ree #f 5ife, both of which reflected the textile richness of this country

d3ise to aspirants$ !here are no shortcuts in any profession "f the 4ob
is worth doing, it will take a lot of sweat and endeavor 'e prepared to not create genius, and hope something will evolve at the end

0as)ion 0orecasting
4rends
1fter a year where black reigned supreme and the emphasis was on minimalism, itOs time now to add some colour 8o look forward to lots of bright colour 8o look forward to lots of bright colours this year 'esides, there will an emphasis on accessori$ing blacks and browns with bright colours 8hort kurtas will remain a favourite with the younger lot and the saree will come back in a big way (verybody, regardless of age, will like to be in a saree

8ardro+e essentials for 2omen ,andals$ 1 minimum of two pairs of good sandals is a must for every
woman

,car3es: !hey will be one of the most important part of any womanOs
wardrobe this year 8carves in bright colours will be the rage Clothes> 1 nice saree in crepe, a well*fitting trouser suit, a linen 4acket and a solid salwar kamee$ in beige or any other colour with nice, bright accessories are a must

<e2ellery: 8omething that looks like a cross between "ndian and (uropean
designs Hor this, antique silver 4ewellery is best

Ka=al: 1 must for every woman to make her eyes look beautiful and
expressive

8ardro+e essential for men

1 well*stitched pair of black trousers, a nice pair of denim 4eans, good shoes and a leather 4acket are musts for any good looking man

Ritu Kumar

n 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.