Couture reflects changing cultural norms, Ritu Kumar, and son Amrish, believe fine craftsmanship and customisation makes this genre a powerhouse.
By Asmita Aggarwal
She has passed on the proverbial baton to her son Amrish Kumar, 14 years ago, who now handles the business spanning 110 stores all over the country, some part of the company was sold to Reliance, and there are three distinct brands under the mothership Ritu Kumar. Though what helped was his management degree, which took his mothers vision forward.
The story took a fateful turn almost 40 years ago, when Ritu went to the US on a scholarship to study museology, she remembers the lack of any retail spaces in the 60s, in the country. Starting with two garage stores, she always reiterated, fashion is not my genre. Returning after her course, she began working with craft districts outside Kolkata without ever studying design. Fate is funny, and most unpredictable, smiles Ritu.
Couture today is driven by social media, and after 200 years of colonial rule, some crafts were patronised by the British, which is why weaving centres were extremely important. Royal patkas, intricate and laborious textiles were being worn by the highest echelons, somewhere we lost austerity due to the Western trend invasion, says Ritu. However, there were diligent saviours, who worked relentlessly in the crafts sector giving it purpose – Pupul Jayakar, Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay, and Martand Singh. They revived age-old techniques and managed to resuscitate varied processes, except the Kani shawl, which traces back to 3,000 BC, admits Ritu.
This year for ICW the doyen, who has returned to the runway after a decade, added her golden touch to everything and received a standing ovation from an endearing audience. From sherwanis, to Mughal-inspired angarakhas, she even added zardozi-encrusted swimsuits, a first-of-its-kind, worn with long jackets. Velvet trouser suits in mocha, the ubiquitous dhoti was there as well as a new addition, the translucent Victorian collar, making its presence felt everywhere. Much like Kasab and Kashidakari, she extensively displayed, of course, in a new Ritu Kumar avatar.
The Western frock met the angarakha halfway giving it a new character, and the Hyderabadi beauty, now a catwalk favourite, Aditi Rao Hydari epitomised the spirit of a new-age bride, dressed in ivory, channelling two sentiments— intelligence and discretion.
If you observe closely, the market has seen a resurgence of the sari, Kalamkari and Chintz, which were earlier exported and never got their due. The Label line that we offer, is youthful but has traditional elements in it, she adds.
Thirty years ago, there was no social media and no other way to send out your message to a very discerning clientele, which wants bridal couture to be individualised. The odhinis now you can drape, everything is stylistically different, but intrinsically they are all craft-based, she explains. In this new-age market, the bride is not being dictated to, she is making choices — whether it is colour, cut, fit or drape, but the sari needs to be modernised, given the convenience of wearing she explains.
Before the British came to the country, the cotton plantation was soaring, we knew how to dye, embroider, and produce interesting checks for Africa, we were customising, pliability was never a problem, she adds. Today handwork is diminishing, the country still maintains its craft traditions, in a scenario when many nations have lost it. Nothing is static in design, thats the beauty of it, she confesses.
The business vision has clarity, the mother-son duo has always kept their gaze firmly on the Indian domestic market. We are a creative nation, we draw excellence in crafts, we have the power bank of skilled artisans, couture is a cultural story, it reflects shifting traditional norms, says Amrish Kumar, who is steering the design ship to a direction that understands weddings are still family affairs. It doesnt matter how large or intimate the marriage is, it is the incredible celebration of heritage and togetherness, he adds.
With many couturiers showcasing globally, Amrish believes foraying foreign shores is a misnomer, rather developing a base in our own market is imperative. You find patrons of fine work here, making your choices more relevant, he concludes.