Known for her ethnic Indian wear, the iconic Ritu Kumar has been around in the fashion industry for 40 years.
She has now popularised hand-woven textiles through her latest Panchvastra collection.
She says this will clear the notion that people have lost interest in such fabrics.
The collection revolved around five main characters – Ganga, Draupadi, Kunti, Amba and Gandhari – who represent five different moods in different colours.
Apart from the five characters, the five themes of purity, seduction, swayamvar, exile and darkness are the predominant themes running through this eclectic collection.
The line is a perfect blend of traditional Indian with typical Ritu Kumar accents.
With exquisite designs, intricate detailing and an appealing colour palette the collection is elegance redefined.
Panchvastra is a collection with a rare synthesis of fashion, craft and inspiration.
The costumes have a rich feel, which emanate from India’s oldest and richest crafts researched over the last 45 years.
“In the last 45 years, India’s repertoire of textile and fashion has evolved dynamically.
The revival and research of unique hand crafts has reached a level of sophistication rarely witnessed in the advanced industrialized nations.
Craft skills once lost in India today transform themselves into the richest bridal ensembles the world has to offer, creating an exotic culmination of form, rich in its repertoire of old age techniques and styled for a contemporary India. particularly for bridal wear,” says the empress of Indian haute couture Ritu Kumar.
Delicate & feminine
The designer’s much anticipated couture collection titled Panchvastra is a representation of the many personalities in a woman and is infused with the signature Ritu Kumar embellishments that the designer is internationally recognized for.
The collection is delicate and feminine with a vibrant colour palate comprising strong hues and bright, bold shades.
The use of mirror work, along with gota and zardosi embroidery, lends a regal look to the collection.
“The Panchvastra line celebrates the skills of the master crafts people and their communities and highlight the distinctive evolution in India fashion and bridal repertoire.
I personally enjoy experiments with bridal wear, layering different genres of textiles, with a variety of textile techniques, mostly embroideries, and in doing so often find the creations exuding a new classicism, inspired by vintage clothing,” says Kumar adding, “The collection is a mix of lehangas, kurtis, suits and saris in chanderi, cotton and tie & dye.”
Favourite trend
Talking about some of her favourite trends this season, Kumar says, “Go for deep vegetable colours such as burgundy, saffron and bottle green in traditional motifs.Stay classic and away from bling.Fuschia is a perennial and the new combinations are the paithani with violet and pink tones contrasted with emerald.” says the empress of Indian haute couture Ritu Kumar.
Current Venture
Her long productive years in the field have not satiated Ritu Kumar yet.
She wants to complete her second book on Indian fashion world as it would leave a legacy behind.
She feels much more has to be done.
“I am working on my second book (first Costumes and Textiles of Royal India); so in the midst of research for it,” says Kumar.
Panchavastra collection of bridal wear was launched in the city at the designer’s store at Banjara Hills Road No 10.