Ritu Kumar.doc

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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 Karabaghlaunched 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 outletsin:

Traditional Zardozi

KashidaHandblock 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 ChapterDivyachhaya Save a Child Trust, Calcutta / Delhi

Board of Governors:

National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award set by NIFT

Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur Award by PHDCC

Lifetime achievement award at the Kingfisher Fashion Fantasia, July 2000 in Bangalore.

RITU A history of company

2002CHRONOLOGY OF PRESENTATIONS: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 30thNovember 2002 and she was the first runner up in the contest.

Gauhar Khan - participated in the Miss International contest in Tokyo on the 04 th October 2002.


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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.

Exhibitions held in four cities, one each in :Nagpur on 15th - 17th February 2002

Pune on 26th -28th February 2002

Hyderabad on 07th

- 09th

October 2002Ahmedabad on 23rd - 24th October 2002

Opened two new outlets inLudhiana on 15th October at Dhir Towers, Govt. College Road

Bangalore on 21st November at 1 Embassy Chambers, 5 Vittal Mallya Road

2001 T. Maheshwari - participated in the Miss Asia Pacific Contest held in Manila, on 10th

November 2001.

Sara Conner - participated in the Miss World contest in Johannesburg. on the 24 th November

2001.

Kanwal Toor - participated in the Miss International contest in Tokyo on the 04 th October 2001.

Shamita Singha - participated in the Miss Earth contest in Manila, which was held on the 20

th

October. She won the Best National Costume Award wearing one of our lehnga

choli.Exhibitions held in three cities, one each in Ahmedabad on September 3rd - 5th inHyderabad on 11th - 13th October 2001 and in Bangalore on 9th -11th November 2001.

Relocated our premises to a new address in Amritsar, Cross-Mall, 39 HDFC Building, The Mall,

Amritsar.One more retail space opened in Punjab. Ritus new showroom opened on the 01st November

2001 at Chandigarh, Shop No. 21, Sector 9D, Chandigarh.

28th October 2001

The "Ritu Kumar" Bridal and Period collection was shown at the The Oberoi Towers, Mumbaion 28th October 2001 at the Regal Room. The show was held in collaboration with the magazine

"Marwar" to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The evening was entitled," Soiree Royale". The other

highlights of which were the presence of several erstwhile Maharajas and Princes from the royalfamilies of Rajasthan. A sumptious royal cuisine was also painstakingly created by the chefs at

the Oberoi hotel.

October 5th 2001

Vivah Show - Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai

Opened the fashion sequence of the Vivah Show 2001 organized by Femina held on 05 th October

in Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai and participated in the Bridal fair held in Bombay.

September 27th 2001

Bridal Asia - Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi

Participated in Bridal Asia 2001 in New Delhi, opening the fashion sequence with a short film

which preceded the showing of the new bridal line.

August 2001

Lakme India Fashion Week, Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai

June 27th 2001

Alternatives to Shatoosh, a presentation at Taj Mahal Hotel - Delhi

March 20th 2001

In house Bridal Showing - Archana, Delhi

February 12th 2001

Pret to Couture - National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai


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A collection of ancient costumes from Ritu Kumars archives as well as her latest Bridal

Collection and presented at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Mumbai, as A RetrospectivePrt to CoutureThe show is like a journey into the past, old style tight kurtas, churidars salwars and Indian

melodies from the 60s and 70s providing plenty of nostalgia.

2000... In August 2000, Ritu Kumar first presented her Prt to Couture for summer, along witha collection of woolens, silk and leather garments for winter.

Prt to Couture is a collection of casual and formal wear that is both young and elegant. The

inspirations for these garments come from basic Indian motifs, prints and embroideries but withthe 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.CHRONOLOGY OF PRESENTATIONS:

August 23rd 2000

Lakme India Fashion Week, New Delhi

September 2000

Hotel Taj Bengal, Kolkata

November 2000

In House Bridal Showing, Mumbai

May 2000 The celebrated audio-visual tableau by Ritu Kumar, Tree of life presented as part

Of the cultural extravaganza- at the India Trade show in Tel Aviv, Israel in May 2000 and was

also hosted at The Memphis in May festival, 2000 at Memphis, Tennesse USA.Lara Dutta- Femina Miss India/Universe won the Miss Universe title at the pageant held In

Nicosia, Cyprus on 13th May 2000. She also won the Best National Costume first Runner - up

award in an ornate four-piece ensemble, a traditionally cut-paneled lehenga, reminiscent ofvegetable dyeing and patterning, designed by Ms. Kumar.

February 2000

On 26th February 2000, the show was taken to The Grand hall, Hong Kong Convention Center

at Hong Kong by the India Trade Promotion Organization.

January 2000 The Tree Of Life was the highlight of the Grand Finale during the cultural

evening Hosted by confederation of Indian Industry at the Annual Meeting of the World

Economic Forum, In Davos, Switzerland held on 28th January, 2000.

1999 Collections - By the 90s RITU began to focus input into design and colors, which were

adaptable to seasons. Summer and Winter lines were brought out. The salwar kameez lines were

expanded and a major thrust was given to the Bridal collection, which till then was limited incolors and patterns. Off whites, gold, turquoise and mehndi greens were introduced to a bride

apart from the traditional colors around red. Experiment with mediums like leather, were carried

on, resulting in collections like Karabagh in 1994. Traditional skills were adapted into

contemporary wear with the East West collection of1996. Overall there were changes in cuts,colors, and prints of all garments.

October 1999 Ritus Tree of Life show was especially invited by the Singapore Indian Fine

Arts Society for their 50th year celebrations, on 28th October, 1999. The guest of honour, at thesecelebrations was the President of Singapore.

BOOK

In 1999, Ritu Kumar released the Costumes and Textiles of Royal India with launches in London

and the four main metros in India.
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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. Beginning

with Indias ancient and medieval history, through the Mughal period and ninety years of Britishrule, and on into the twentieth century that saw the demise of Princely India and the

establishment of a democratic nation, these are fashions that both permeate the culture and

reflect it.The evolution of the tastes and preferences of Indias royalty has been traced through the

traditional court clothing that has been researched and documented by the author over two

decades. The exquisite costumes and textiles featured in this sumptuous book, which come fromall four corners of the subcontinent, are unmatched in their beauty and refinement.

Published by Christies Books Ltd, the book has been edited by Cathy Muscat and includes a

foreword by Martand Singh, Chairman INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural

Heritage, UK Trust)

1998 Won Lifetime Achievement Award set by NIFT

Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur Award by PHDCC.

November Ritus Tree of Life show, now a classic in the Indian design Industry was chosen to

represent India at the world Fashion Forum at the NIFT, this year. Performed as the finale to theshow, which featured designs from all over, the world, the Tree of Life was acknowledged as a

fitting tribute to the richness of Indian textile heritage.

September 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 the National Institute of

Fashion Design.

1997

Tree of life was presented once again at the Wembly Conference Center on the May 24th, 25th,

in London, as a part of the celebration of the 50 years of Indias Independence.

1996 May 1996 saw the crystallization of the dream to take Indian creativity and craftsmanshipout into the world in the form of Ritu London at North Audley Street. With an art gallery

A.R.K.S. in its basement. Ritu London counts amongst its customers, Jemima Khan and the late

Princes Diana.Ritu-London presented a range of Indias highest quality craft skills linking garments,

accessories, leathers, furnishings, papers and reeds. Spanning several centuries the designs

include woven, printed, embroidered, painted and twisted techniques.From the workshops of RITU come garments, handbags and furnishings from the Zardozi,

Kashida, Tree of life and Karabagh Collections. Also included were her more recent researches

into the hinterlands of the country together with the creations of other Indian designers.

1995

Mid-September

Ritu was invited to provide costumes for the contestants of Miss UK 1995, in a section entitledTribute to India.

End-September

Ritu donated and mounted an exhibition of the prints and vegetable dyes of Macchlipatnam,Srikalahasti and Srikenaikempat, villages situated in the Coromandal Coast (now

Cholamangalam) which were the manufacturing centers for the worlds most sought after prints

and designs of the 17th and 18th centurys. Old prints were sourced at the Victoria and Albert

museum and produced in Calcutta with the hand block printing techniques originally used inMacchlipatnam three-centurys ago.


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1994

In January 1994, Ritu presented KARABAGH, a collection of traditional and modern handbags

and coats in leather along with a selection of cushions and quilts in silk.The experiment combined both traditional and modern techniques with materials accessible to

the contemporary designer. Experimenting with a diversity of fabrics, Ritu worked on a uniform

theme based on images from Cholamandal coast, Kashmir, Sanganer and Farukkhabad.In 1994, Ritu clothed the Miss Universe and Miss World winners Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya

Rai, who were able to display the riches of Indias regenerated and evolved textile crafts to the

world of television viewers.

1993

In March 93, The Tree of Life was presented by the Madras Craft foundation to raise funds for

Dakshinachitra, a craft center and working museum demonstrating the traditional skills of the

south.

1992

On February 10th, 1992, the tableau was presented once again at the crafts Museum in Pragati

Maidan, New Delhi. This time by four organizations working together: The National Institute of

Fashion Technology (NIFT), The Delhi crafts council, The Handloom and Handicrafts Museumand RITU.

Exhibitions/Promotions in 1992

November A collection odhnis for India through the Veil: An exhibition of odhnis at

Commonwealth Institute, London.

June A collection of contemporary saris for 101 Saris, a traveling exhibition starting at the

Cartright Hall, Bradford, U.K. In association with the Government of India Handicrafts

and Handlooms Export Corporation, Gujrat State Handicraft Development Corporation,

Orissa Co-operative Handicrafts Corporation, Co-optex and Sewa Lucknow.

1989 1991 As a celebration of 21 years of RITU, THE TREE OF LIFE audio visual fashiontableau was mounted, it showcased traditional and modern garments linking Indian heritage with

contemporary fashion. It was presented by invitation at the craft museum. The tableau was

presented in Calcutta to raise funds for Divya Chalavja Trust, and at the Asiatic Society inMumbai.

Exhibitions/Promotions

March/April 1990 - Established Ritu a shop within a shop at the Galleries La Fayette, Paris,Promotion of India.

Zardozi Exhibition - Festival of India in USA, Philadelphia Museum.

November 1989 Participated in the Hongkong Asia Trust presentation on Traditions and

Adaptations in Textiles and Fashion from Hong Kong, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

1988

In 1988, Ritu mixed embroidery and handblock printing to create the KASHIDA

COLLECTION. The geometric phulkaris of Punjab, the mirror work of Kutch, the stylized plantand floral motifs of the Kashmir, the white of the Chikan and the Kantha work of Bengal were

blended with hand block prints to create garments of refinement and texture reflecting the very

essence of Indian aesthetics. One of Ritus craftsmen earned the Presidents Award forexcellence in craft.

1985 The ZARDOZI COLLECTION of traditional wedding and evening wear was exhibited at

the Lalit Kala Academy in New Delhi, the Jahangir art gallery in Mumbai, the Birla Academy of

art and culture in Calcutta and at the festival of India in the USA. Ritus boutique was by thistime renamed simply RITU.


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1975 This is the time when the company Kalamkari Designs Pvt. Ltd. was started jointly with

her husband. A craft oriented export house was soon selling silk dresses under the label "Ritu

Kumar for Monsoon" London. "Ritu Kumar for Judith Ann," New York,. Sanoba Moden inGermany, Roshafi in Amsterdam and Trade Action in Australia. Franchises were also started

with Harrods London, Liberty, London for brief periods. It was a time for experimentation and

exploration, and Ritu began to be well known for her print designs. The role has not changedsince then. The export of garments continues till the present day and the company has expanded

its collections substantially and is now based in New Delhi.

1974 Monday 18th March 1974: RITU'S BOUTIQUE opens in Bombay at Akash Ganga, 89Bhulabhai Desai Road (Warden Road) Bombay-26

1973 In the early 70s, Ritu discovered the embroiders of Ranihati, settlements based outside

Calcutta and provided them with a workspace in their own environment. Gradually the crafts of

Zardozi, that had once flourished in the great workshops of the Mughal emperors, were revivedto produce marriage garments and evening wear of great beauty. In contemporising these skills,

Ritu evolved a unique blend of pattern, fabric and gold embroidery.

1972 Saturday April 8th 1972: Fashion Parade by RITU'S BOUTIQUE at the Tollygunge Club,

Calcutta.1970 Monday 9th of March 1970 - Exhibition-cum-sale of hand printed saris, Broad borders and

huge pallavs revived the art of resist printing. Paisley. Little daisy like flowers, squares andcircles, traditional and modern motifs, were mixed and matched.

January 25th 1970 - Ritus Boutique celebrated two years of its existence on with a fashion

show which was called "The Fashion Mood of the Seventies" It was a very early attempt atbringing some professionalism onto the ramp. There were 40 outfits shown in total.

1968 Opening of Ritus boutique in Calcutta at 46 a-b Wellesley Street Calcutta- 700016. Ritu

first regarded the boutique phenomena a fun thing. A mere giggle. Success changed all that andshe became thoroughly and totally involved with her work. She was quite elated at the marvelous

response Calcutta gave RITU'S BOUTIQUE and naturally had bigger, brighter plans for the

future.

1966 Ritus first Boutique opened in Delhi at D3 Defence Colony Link Road, New Delhi. This

was the first ever boutique in Delhi.

The Book

For centuries, the ruling dynasties of India promoted the skills of spinners, weavers, dyers,

printers and embroiderers, commissioning textiles from renowned centers of excellence across

the subcontinent. Delicate muslins from Dacca, fine silk brocades from Varanasi, complex

woollen weaves from Kashmir, intricate gold embroideries from Lahoreall were transformedinto costumes fit for kings and courtiers. After years spent searching for the last surviving

examples of traditional court clothing, acclaimed designer Ritu Kumar, has uncovered a wealth

of costumes. Her book is a celebration of thousands of years of craft tradition and a testimony tothe survival of the worlds richest textile repertoire.

The production of Indias finest textiles has long been woven around its complex history and

age-old traditions. This in-depth account of the royal costumes and textiles of India considers allthe various stylistic traditions, both religious and regional, arising from within this vast country.

Beginning with Indias ancient and medieval history, through the Mughal period and ninety

years of British rule, and on into the twentieth century that saw the demise of Princely India and

the establishment of a democratic nation, these are fashions that both permeate the culture andreflect it.The evolution of the tastes and preferences of Indias royalty has been traced through

the traditional court clothing that has been researched and documented by the author over two


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decades. The exquisite costumes and textiles featured in this sumptuous book, which come from

all four corners of the subcontinent, are unmatched in their beauty and refinement.

Ritu Kumar, one of Indias foremost designers, has sought to present the most exceptionalexamples. Using material from both the public collections and personal collections of Indias

royal families, insight into these hidden treasures can at last be gained.

DETAILS:Publishedin 1999 by : Christies Books Ltd., London

Book produced by: Art Books International, London

Designed by : Lisa Tai

Printed and bound by: Grafiche Milani, Italy

Written by : Ritu Kumar

Edited by : Cathy Muscat

With a Foreword by: Martand Singh, Chairman INTACH (Indian National Trust forArt and Cultural Heritage, UK Trust)

COLLECTIONS

I believe in going deep into the roots of every design to find out its relevance in the presentcontext. 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. Ritu Kumar First City, Aug-99

ZardoziIn 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 andrevived patronage of this craft. To her credit, Zardozi is now an extensively used and widely

appreciated technique around the country.

1988 KashidaUsing needle and thread to decorate textiles is an ancient craft. In India embroidery patterns have

evolved in different regions of the countrythe geometric phulkaris of the Punjab, mirror

works motifs of the Kutch, Kashmirs stylized plant and floral motifs, tone on tone Chikan of

Lucknow, and the Kanthas of Bengal form part of the vast repertoire of Indias embroiderytraditions. 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

RITUs 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 overhundreds 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


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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 useof 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 Cholamandalcoast 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 andaccessories 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 theunending 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 isbased 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-tonewhite 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 GulmoharAs 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 artists brush strokes of mauve and purple which along with the brilliant yellows of theAmaltash flowering trees produce a kaleidoscope which vies with the glare of the hot mid day

sun.

Ritu Kumars Gulmohar collection reflects this joyous mood in its play of vibrant prints on coolchiffons. 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 inshades 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 Prt to Couture

In August 2000, Ritu Kumar first presented her Prt to Couture collection along with a

collection of woolens, silk and leather garments.Prt 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.

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


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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 GroupThe 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'

Ritu Kumar - Designing for 'Queens'

Ritu Kumar

"India today is perhaps the last surviving country where the rich textile legacy is not showcasedin a museum but in the hands of its surviving 16 million artisans"

The winners of all three International Beauty titles of 2000 were attired by designer Ritu

Kumar. The high priestess of Indian haute couture has dressed up 17 young ladies of whom

13 have won the Miss India pageant and seven have gone on to win the Miss World, Miss

Universe, and Miss Asia-Pacific titles.

bySurabhi Khosla

The traditional look L-R: Diya Mirza (Femina), Lara Dutta (Indiatimes.com), Aishwarya

Rai and Yukta Mookhy

After conquering India a number of times she has annexed the world four times and the universe

twice. Ritu Kumar, India's top fashion designer, has over the past six years, dressed 17 MissIndia participants of whom 13 have won the crown and seven have gone on to win the Miss

World, Miss Universe, and Miss Asia-Pacific titles. The latest in her line of victories are Lara

Dutta (Miss Universe), Priyanka Chopra (Miss World), and Diya Mirza (miss Asia-Pacific).
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Ritu Kumar has been designing wardrobes for the finalists of the Miss India beauty contest since

1994. The outcome of her effort has been very rewarding as seven contestants have emerged

winners at the international level--- the Miss World, Miss Asia-Pacific and the Miss Universecontests. Three others made it to the runners up grade while three more contestants have won the

Best Gown Awards. A further three managed to gain significant scores in their national costume

rounds. Apart from the last three, ten contestants came home with some award or the other.The impressive record, is by no means an easy one to achieve, both for the contestants or the

designer responsible for the image. Says Ritu Kumar, " Designing of costumes is more complex

than it seems and can be equated to art . There is no formula here, as the same style cannot beused on different contestants. I have to take into account the personality of the individual for

whom the dress is being designed. Secondly there is that added pressure that your clothes are

going to be up against international competition." The idea is to present a sartorial personality

who is at home in any type of garment." She must give the feel of someone who has an elegantwardrobe, one which is presented to the world with as much individuality and cultural context as

possible."

The most difficult part about the whole process is the uniqueness of each contestants mind and

personality. Some look stunning in a sari, others in a sarong, some in a heavy zardozi lehnga,while others look great in a swimsuit.

It can take almost four months to get a wardrobe ready for an international beauty contestant.And then it takes a few weeks to get the contestants comfortable with the attire. Once that is

done, says Ritu, they step out supremely confident of who they are and are ready to take on the

world.How does she feel about being the designer behind the scenes who has played a vital role in the

beauty queens winning international pageants? The feeling is euphoric, she says. It is clearly the

distinctive clothing of India and our craft traditions which I use on all their wardrobes which

have attracted attention and made the contestants stand out. Because of the costumes I havebegun to get more and more international recognition."

"Ritu Kumars success story in fashion revolves around the revival of Indian crafts - from block

prints, kasauti, chikankari to zardozi, bandhani and kalamkari.""India today is perhaps the last surviving country where the rich textile legacy is not showcased

in a museum but in the hands of its surviving 16 million artisans," says Kumar. "It is the lifework

of these remarkable master artisans that Ritu Kumar celebrates through her unique designs,translating ancient traditions into a contemporary vocabulary."

Ritu Kumars association with the Miss India contest came about by chance. She was one of the

judges at the Miss India contest held in 1994 when Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen both tied

for the first place. When they won the Miss World and Miss Universe titles respectively shecouriered wardrobes to Sushmita in New York and Aishwarya in London, which were suitable

for what they had become, ambassadors from India." When Aishwarya was in London, she was

wearing hand printed saris at the rehearsals and Durga patch leather coats while shopping.Sushmita too posed in front of the Pyramids in Egypt wearing a Jaamdaani kurta pyjamas and

met the President of India in a Bandhej suit. Suddenly everyone realized how well Indian clothes

were working for the contestants."After the grand finale of 1994 when both Aishwarya and Sushmita were crowned Miss World

and Miss Universe, she was officially appointed to do the wardrobes of all the three contestants

who participate in international contests. " I have since clothed 17 contestants with very well

researched and extensive wardrobes. The girls come to me a few months before the pageant andrequire fittings, training and many sessions before the wardrobe is ready. By now it has been

honed into a fine art."


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" The contest runs for a month so the wardrobe has to be consistent," says Ritu. " Interestingly

she says the hardest part is the everyday clothes which contestants have to wear on several

occasions before the actual contest. These clothes have to create a balance between attractingattention and yet looking suave and elegant at the same time. An eye catching and elegant

costume is a must to make the first impression."

Ritu's creations have also been worn by celebrities like Jemima Khan and the late PrincessDiana.


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Ritu Kumar began with hand block printers and two tables in a smallvillage near Calcutta, and in the last 28 years, Ritu's team of dedicateddesigners have progressed to produce some of India's most exquisitegarments and accessories.

Over the centuries, traditional skills that had been losthave been revitalized. This has enabled craftsmen tocontinue working in their own environment. Ritu hastransformed the term 'fashion' in the Indian context, andmore importantly, has demonstrated that hand-made

products can be as profitable and even more lamorousthan those made by machine.

Ritu Kumar's forte is traditional Indian clothes - bridal attire inparticular - that draw heavily on the rich Indian heritage oftextile and embroidery and remain classics of their kind.

Shaadionline is proud to present Ritu Kumar 's exclusivebridal whichare all about celebrations and joy on the most special occasionin a woman's life - her wedding day. The wedding ensembles,including lehengas,

salwar sets and sarees are interwoven with gold, richlyornamented by traditional embroidery.

~GALLERY ~

The costume that won

Lara Dutta the 'Best

National Costume' first

runner up award at the

Miss Universe pageant,2000. It is a 4-piece

ensemble, comprising of atraditionally cut, panelled

'Lehenga in 'gheru' colour,

remniscent of vegetabledyeing and patterning. The dramatic

'gota' and 'kasab' hand-worked wide

diagonal border is in burgundy. Colourful

Jaipuri motifs scale up the 'kalis', givingthe garment its flattering look.

Miss Asia Pacific, 2000,

' '

This lehenga-choli

ensemble is

representative of the

traditional

Rajasthan/Gujarat styleof embroidery. The rich

red colour is symbolicof festivity/fertility.

Metallic yarn is

traditionally used onthese garments. During

the

actual wedding ceremony, conducted

in front of the fire, the motifs and thecolours of the ensemble glow.

The 3-piece ensemble


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1966

"I had graduated from Lady Irwin College in New Delhi and was

fortunate to get a scholarship to study History of Western Art in

the USA. The experience, was to influence the rest of myworking life as the course was stimulating and gave me a strong

grounding in the study of aesthetics. During my college days I

remember being passionately nationalistic, later I realized that

this was largely due to the insecurity that the affluent westgenerates. The result was that I became interested in all things

Indian, and read all I could find in the library about my country.

Shortly I was to get married and return to India. My husbandlived in Calcutta, and this is when I began my relationship with

the Bengal I love so dearly today. As a student I had realized

that I was largely ignorant about Indian culture, and had this yearning to learn about the historyof Indian Art and its aesthetical foundations, a subject that was rarely taught in the country. I

was lucky to find that a similar course was offered by the Ashutosh Museum in Calcutta. There I

enrolled to study a subject called "Museology", in a musty crumbling building on College

Street. Nothing could have been more remote from today's world of couture or fashion. The workwas very interesting and involved taking field visits to remote hamlets, in and around the city of

Calcutta. I was exposed not only to the classical arts but became aware of the craftsmen who


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worked in various mediums of folk art in Bengal. The British presence in Calcutta and the

patronage the then, capital of India, gave to the textile craftsmen made it a rich reservoire for

various hand made products. There were master tailors and cutters, who made dinner jackets andsuits for men. There were gown makers, milliners embroiderers, weavers and printers. The

northern part of India where I had spent my childhood, seemed comparatively primitive in these

crafts. I had always been interested in textiles and fabrics and was fascinated with what I sawaround me. I would attend college in the morning and begin exploring the lanes and villages

around Calcutta in my free time. It was not long before I began experimenting with fabrics and

ready mades. Very soon I had built up a stock of textiles and did not have a clue as to how tomarket these designs. Unlike today there were no garage shops, or the culture of buying from a

shop. Few actually believed that anything ready made would actually sell, as the neighborhood

tailor was so accessible. Providentially an aunt of mine who lived in Delhi, was planning to start

a florist shop. We decided to venture forth to locate a shop where we could sell some readymades, craft items, and flowers And that is how it all began!

Documents

Ritu Kumar.doc