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Ritu Kumar - Indian Designer It was in the late 1960`s that Ritu Kumar was to become the country`s leading designers of the buildings, garments, fabrics and accessories. Ritu began with hand block printers and two tablets in a small village near Kolkata. She was the first woman to introduce the `boutique` culture in India under the brand name `Ritu`. And in the last 28 years, Ritu`s team of dedicated designers have progressed to produce some of the country`s most exquisite garments and accessories in cotton, silk and leather. This range embraces both traditional textile crafts and the lineage of Indian design.
Ritu has pioneered the term `fashion` in the Indian context, and more importantly has demonstrated that hand made products can be as profitable and even more glamorous than those made by the machine. And that Indian fashion is more than capable of holding it`s own in the international arena of haute couture. Her couture is readily recognizable by its classicism, and finesse. Ritu Kumar`s forte is traditional Indian clothes, that draw heavily on the textile and embroidery heritage of India and remains classics of their kind. But she evolved another style for European buyer. Her Indo-West fusion wear has all the trappings of block prints, embroidery and craft inputs on a western style.
Her design philosophy is based on the premise that everything founded on a good aesthetic cuts across all borders - be they geographical, cultural or otherwise. This very aesthetic is the factor central to the Indian handwriting which underlies her creations.
Ritu has been designing the wardrobes comprising swimwear, evening wear, traditional Indian wear, casual wear and formal evening gowns. Ritu`s global achievements include the wardrobes comprising of the winning three Miss India`s, for their participation in the International beauty pageants (Miss Universe, Miss World & Miss Asia Pacific respectively), like Manpreet Brar, Ruchi Malhotra, Rani Jeyraj and Lara Dutta, to name a few. All these have won the award for the Most Outstanding Evening Gown in International pageants.
Today, Ritu has twelve outlets in all major cities in India. Ritu Kumar`s boutiques feature a multifaceted showcase encompassing the very best of Indian design, with specially produced range of high fashion garments and accessories using silk, leather and cotton. Ritu Kumar`s range of western and Indian apparel is all about tradition and individual talent, and women across the continents can easily identify with her vision of design. International style icons such as Late Princess Diana, and Jemima Khan wear her outfits, putting her designs and India`s talent on the world map. Ritu has also launched her book ` Costumes and Textiles of Royal India` published by Christie`s, London.
In sync with these evolving trends, in April 2002 Ritu Kumar launched her new sub brand, LABEL. This is a reflection of modern and global trends that shape our lives today. LABEL caters to today`s woman, who is increasingly independent, discerning and global. It is a modern offering, focusing on the cut, color, drape and feel of the garment. This brand has a universal appeal aimed at today`s mobile lifestyle. It is fashionable, affordable and like all Ritu Kumar products, it is of the very highest quality.
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