My Traditional range is considered the couture
of India. Most of my designs, however, sell under
the Ritu Kumar label, which is more casual,
aimed at a younger customer - though it is not
funky, it is not street fashion.
My clients want the comfort zone that my
clothes offer: I know that the Indian woman has
an hour-glass figure, with a good midriff, and
backs are important. Right now we are in a gold
cycle and it will come round again (it is good to
revisit).
I love the marriage of traditional techniques,
crafts and textiles, with fabrics as diverse as
denim and knits. Today I have become more
international as a designer, as the world has
shrunk too. My denim is cotton dyed with indigo,
a concept not new to India. My interest has,
however, always been to discover more about
my country and its rooted hand-made and
natural techniques in textiles.
My Trends:
There is a worldwide shift towards natural
fabrics and India being one of the largest cotton
growing countries it has a distinctive edge;
cotton, khaki and all fall into the natural
scheme of things. My collections are increasingly
influenced by ecology.
My Plans:
Increasingly, with the boom in the retail market
in India, there are opportunities opening up to
My Free Time:
I did take three years away from designing, to
write my book, Costumes and Textiles of Royal
India (in fact it took six years). Sometime I wou
love to have the time to learn to play the sitar
and to return to painting - both need no
accountability to anyone but oneself. I used so
enjoy doing those things many years ago.
My Food:
My overall favourite is French, with Chinese foo
coming a close second, but after any trip abroa
return to Indian comfort food - roti, vegetables
and a dal.
Ritu Kumar, who heads Delhi-based Ritika Ltd,
started as a revivalist and her research, from t
mid-1960s on, led to areas where long-forgotte
textile crafts at one time existed. Initially she
focussed on hand block printing and zardozi gol
embroidery, both of which today are synonymo
with India's couture culture.
Over the years her designs have developed a
strong handwriting: she has been designing
wardrobes for the finalists of the Miss India
beauty contest since 1994, seven of whom have
emerged winners.
She is on the board of India's National Institute
of Fashion Technology NIFT (she was honored to
receive its lifetime achievement award from th
President of India), as well as the All-India
Handloom Board, and she is President of the
franchise and expand my label. It is very
interesting, an exciting time and although I am
looking at it hard I am not convinced dress
expansion is right at this time, for me. What
does really excite me however, is taking my
brand into more evolution, into perfumes,
accessories and jewellery. I am attracted by the
third dimension that has already led to my work
in leather and its traditional processes. I would
like to further my handbag collection. I would
not like to design for men.
My Senses:
When designing sometimes I listen to classical
Indian music, sometimes jazz, sometimes
nothing at all. As I work largely away from my
office, often outside, I do not have the luxury of
controlling all my working environments. It is
lovely to have fresh flowers around me but
when I am in Bengal, for instance, I am
surrounded by a wealth of agrarian perfumes.
Fashion Design Council of India. The Kingfisher
Group, hosted by flamboyant Vijay Mallya, has
awarded Ritu Kumar the Fashion Fantasia
Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 1984 she designed and produced the 'Tree of
Life’ show, which has been featured over the
years in many locations, lately at the World
Economic Forum in Davos and, in March 2007, a
ITB in Berlin.
In 2005 she was asked by luxury hotels group Ta
Hotels, Resorts and Palaces to design a special
scarf for delegates at the annual global forum
The Leading Hotels of the World,
www.ritukumar.com.

Each experience adds its own dimension to my

work. I slowly begin to associate a certain
atmosphere with the collection on hand.

Ritu's boutiques feature the very best of Indian design, with specially produced range of
high fashion garments and accessories using silk, leather and cotton. Ritu's range of
western and Indian apparel is all about traditions and individual talent, and women across
the continent can easily identify with her vision of design.

She is also credited with being one of the first Indian designers to create a contemporary
idiom in several ancient skills and has been a strong catalyst in marketing them to a
dynamic modern India.
Over the years, Ritu's work as a fashion designer has shown a progression which has
matured beyond textile crafts. She has the unique ability to turn each collection into
unusual creative styling. Translating textures and embellishments into refreshingly new
and unexpectedly contemporary silhouettes, making her work particularly relevant from
India's fashion worldview. No wonder she has been designing the national garment for
several Miss Indias in the Miss Universe and Miss World pageant. In fact, this year, her
design on Miss India Simran Kaur Mundi won the national costume award at the Miss
World pageant.

While Ritu's forte lies in traditional Indian clothes, she has evolved another style for the
young buyer with a refreshing collection every season at the country's premium fashion
weeks that, in her words, has "redefined traditional handwriting to meet the changing
needs of the new generation".

The inspiration for these collections comes from both classical and folk Indian motifs,
prints and embroideries. The use of a wide range of western silhouettes mingled with
Indian styles gives it a contemporary international edge.

In 2002, Ritu Kumar and her son Amrish, launched a sub-brand - Ritu Kumar LABEL.
LABEL uses the established forte of traditional Indian design and converts it into
fashion-oriented international products. This is aimed at the young, global Indian woman
sporting a contemporary lifestyle.

Her book Costumes and Textiles of Royal India, published by Christies in October 1999,
chronicles the history of textiles and art design in India. A definitive research project with
its element of Indian luxury fashion and craft history the book is today a reference for
studies in the fashion field in most fashion and textiles institutions in the country today. It
is distributed through the "antique dealers club" internationally.

Ritu was awarded the first life time achievement award from NIFT the premier fashion
institution of India in at their convocation by the vice president of India in 1998.

She also has been awarded the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for her achievements
and contribution in the field of fashion in 2007. Mother Teresa, Birju Maharaj, Pt. Hari
Prasad were previous recipients of this prestigious award.

The most recent award was conferred on her by the French government--- the prestigious
award of "chevalier des arts et des lettres (knight of the order of arts and letters). The
award is in recognition of her contribution to Indian textile crafts and traditional
techniques. In the past, this award has been conferred upon Shahrukh Khan, M
Balamurali Krishna, Merryl Streep, Daneille Steele, Leonardo di Caprio, and Anjolie Ela
Menon among others

While Ritu Kumar’s forte lies in traditional Indian clothes that draw heavily on the textile and
embroidery heritage of India, and remain classics of their kind she has evolved another style for the
young buyer, a collection that, in her words, has “redefined traditional handwriting to meet the
changing needs of the new generation. The inspiration of these garments is basic Indian motifs,
prints and embroideries but with the usage of a wide range of western silhouettes mingled with
Indian styles.

In 2002 Ritu Kumar, joined by her son Amrish, launched a sub brand – Ritu Kumar, LABEL. LABEL
uses the established forte of traditional Indian design and converts it into a fashion oriented
international product. This is aimed at the young, global Indian woman with a contemporary
lifestyle. LABEL retails from most Ritu Kumar stores as well as some stand alone stores.

Her book “Costumes and Textiles of Royal India” published by Christies in October 1999 chronicles
the history of textiles and art design in India.

Ritu has recently been awarded the 'Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award' for her achievements and
contribution in the field of fashion. Mother Teresa, Birju Maharaj, Pt. Hari Prasad were previous
recipients of this prestigious award.

Recently Ritu Kumar was invited to showcase her work on the occasion of India’s 60th anniversary
in New York at the Bryant Park. She was also invited to showcase her collection at the SAARC
Sammelan where designers from all the SAARC member countries participated in a first of its kind
show in New Delhi. Mrs. Kumar is also the proud recipient of a Life Time Achievement award in
Bangladesh where she will also be showcasing some of her works.

Ritu Kumar designed the wardrobes of Miss Universe Sushmita Sen and Miss World
Aishwarya Rai. She also worked for Miss India's like Manpreet Brar, Rani Jeyraj, Ruchi
Malhotra, Lara Dutta for their participation in the International Beauty Pageants. All
of them have won the award for the Most Outstanding Evening Gown in International
pageants. Her clothes were also favorites wears of Late Princess Diana of England.
Ritu's Buotique, which was later named only Ritu, has many outlets all over the
country. Moreover, she has launched her book ' Costumes and Textiles of Royal India'
published by Christie's, London. Now the president of Designer Council of India, Ritu
Kumar won Lifetime Achievement Award by NIFT in 1998, Outstanding Woman
Entrepreneur Award by PHDCC in 1999 and Lifetime Achievement Award at the
Kingfisher Fashion Fantasia in 2000.
Ritu Kumar is one of the country's leading fashion designers who
has a major contribution in the revival of traditional Indian craft and
design. Ritu Kumar along with some like-minded designers attempted to
blend the best of East and West. Ritu Kumar took the initiative to present
India's rich heritage to the whole world in a way that would be beneficial
to both the Indian craftsmen and the modern customers worldwide.

Ritu Kumar has pioneered the term 'fashion' in Indian context. Indeed she
is the one who put forth the importance of hand-made products as it can
be as cost-effective as machine-made clothes and even more gorgeous
than those. She started with hand block printers in a village near Kolkata.
That was twenty-eight years ago. Ritu Kumar with her team of committed
designers has come a long way. She has worked mainly on cotton, silk
and leather and produced some of the country's most magnificent
garments.

Ritu Kumar's specialty is traditional Indian clothes, which highlights on

the textile and embroidery heritage of India. But the mix and match of
the Indian and western wear also holds a prime position in her work.
Ritu Kumar designed the wardrobes of the Miss India's like Manpreet Brar,
Rani Jeyraj, Ruchi Malhotra, Lara Dutta for their participation in the
International Beauty Pageants. All of them have won the award for the
Most Outstanding Evening Gown in International pageants.

Ritu's Buotique, which was later named only Ritu, has many outlets all
over the country. Moreover, she has launched her book ' Costumes and
Textiles of Royal India' published by Christie's, London.

The leading lady designer has been awarded many a times:

Lifetime Achievement Award set by NIFT
Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur Award by PHDCC
Lifetime achievement award at the Kingfisher Fashion Fantasia, July
2000 in Bangalore