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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!