Ritu Kumar

| via @ritu.ritukumar Travelling on the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, we were on the search for the origin of the famous ikat. Margilon in Fergana Valley with its silk factories held the answers...Margilon’s bazar known as Kumptepa has been around since the 4th century, its merchant clans remaining key players in Central Asia’s commerce and silk trade until the last few decades of Soviet rule. I had high hopes of finding several varieties of the famed ikat here.The bazar threw up hundreds of options-at very cheap, wholesale prices-of ikats from factories and workshops from all over Margilon. There were silk, cotton and some synthetic ikats too which were aesthetically underwhelming. What I noticed instantly was that some substance of the original ikats seems to have been lost. Most appeared shiny, flat and devoid of subtle patterns and colour palettes of the traditional Fergana variety.Upon reflecting on what exactly was missing in these ikats compared to the revival fabrics I was working with in the villages of Odisha or the antiques found in museums up and down Uzbekistan, I settled on an answer. It was that they were using modern tie-and-dye techniques, that is, employing a lathe and plastic to dye the yarn so as to prevent any dye leakage, which deterred the the fuzzy, cloudlike effect of the old ikats. Increasing mechanisation had transformed these handicrafts as they rolled out millions of meters of iridescent rainbows of dubious sensibility each year #RKArchive

Anjali Merchant in custom Ritu Kumar Couture for Anant & Radhika’s wedding The JAYA LEHENGA - A golden-yellow satin Lehenga is silk screen printed by craftsmen on the bank of the Hooghly river. It is then gold embroidered using traditional aari, tikki and zardozdi that Ritu Kumar is renowned for. The lehenga includes alternating panels with small, spotted chintz motifs, adding a subtle balance to the overall design.The set is paired with the ‘Daya’ dupatta in a vibrant saffron-orange, with detailed zardozi, and the ‘Janet’ blouse. #RituKumarCouture #AnjaliMerchant

The beauty of India’s rich textile heritage, traditional craftsmanship and artistic embellishment takes center stage. Unveiling intricate details like beads, braiding, and patchwork, all complemented by a color palette of earthy and joyful tones. The silhouettes are highlighted with lace, mirror work and embellished embroidery, adding a touch of richness that subtly emerges through the foliage prints.Explore Afro Florals SS’24 #ritukumar #ritukumarhq

| via @ritu.ritukumar Judith AnnIn the 1970s, I revived small printing units in Srirampur, restoring ancient processes, patterns, and colours.Surrounded by nature, I watched the artisans for hours, learning the meditative work of degumming, printing, and steaming silk - it was like being inside a Daniell painting.At the time we chiefly made saris and didn’t have a proper business. However, we were exporting some scarves to America. Serendipitously, an enterprising New York buyer, Judy Eagen, the brain behind Judith Ann - a major garments store on 7th Avenue, dropped by a show at the Sheraton Hotel where a few of our scarves were on display. She took one look at the scarves and was smitten. They were on large silk squares, in jewel colours, with classically Indian motifs.Some time later Judy flew to Calcutta. My husband, Shashi, and I met her in a dodgy hotel room, done up in red velvet and brimming with flowers. She wore these wild, floating, white clothes and walked in looking like Mother Superior and this encounter started one of the craziest adventures in my life.After visiting the factory in Srirampur, she carried back some scarves, and her father, Mr Egan, took them to Bergdorf Goodmans’ and other stores. He was told, that they wanted dresses, not scarves. With great apprehension and some arm-twisting by Judy, he ordered 200 dresses from us.However, I’d never made a dress in my life! So we joined two scarves up on the sides and cut one straight V-neck with a master called Abdul Hamid. He understood how to cut the V but he had no idea what we wanted, so we just stitched the rest of the dress on two sides. You couldn’t get zippers in India then, so I requested Kuku Bhagat, then a young designer, to put in some tassels so that the neck could be tied up and off went the dresses to New York.Soon enough a message from New York arrived that read “It doesn’t fit a dog.” It took me a minute to understand what Mr Egan meant. The boobs were falling out from either side! We managed to convert those dresses into nightgowns, by stitching in a panel on the side, but through this experience we learned how to make dresses. #rkarchives

The beauty of India’s rich textile heritage, traditional craftsmanship and artistic embellishment takes center stage. Unveiling intricate details like beads, braiding, and patchwork, all complemented by a color palette of earthy and joyful tones. The silhouettes are highlighted with lace, mirror work and embellished embroidery, adding a touch of richness that subtly emerges through the foliage prints.Explore Afro Florals SS’24 Jewellery: @madiha.jaipur @jewels_adore @putstyle07 @trazenieaccessories @bazijewels Eyewear: @tedsmithfashionStyled by @rishulbatra Images by @sushantchhabria #ritukumar #ritukumarhq

A collection of accessories by Ritu Kumar with intricate details. Explore online & In-stores. #ritukumar #ritukumaraccessories

Celebrations at home with Ritu Kumar | This collection is inspired from all over chintz patterns, which has been distressed to authenticate a vintage charm to the festive season. The crockery has been crafted with an earthy porcelain base in soft pastels with hints of gold. Featuring @surbhisethidua #ritukumar #ritukumarhome

@karunaezara visits our store in Woodburn, Kolkata India to explore the Afto florals collection.The beauty of India’s rich textile heritage, traditional craftsmanship and artistic embellishment takes center stage.Unveiling intricate details like beads, braiding, and patchwork, all complemented by a color palette of earthy and joyful tones.The silhouettes are highlighted with lace, mirror work and embellished embroidery, adding a touch of richness that subtly emerges through the foliage prints.Shop the collection online and in stores #ritukumarhq #rkwoman

Many hands make beautiful work | Process - Screen Printing IForce dye on to a surface through a prepared screen of fine material so as to create a picture or pattern.Ritu Kumar has been making her own silk print designs for 50 years in Kolkata. They say the water of the Hoogly river adds a vintage to the color, thereby making the silk prints of this region unique. #rkarchives