Ritu Kumar blends classical sensibilities with son’s designs (Interview)

NEW DELHI - Known for reviving India’s rich crafts and designs, fashion diva Ritu Kumar’s sensibilities are very classical while her son’s collection has a modern and urbane feel to it. Together, they bring out an interesting mix of a classical, yet fresh and youthful range.

‘My son (Amrish) and I have different design sensibilities. I am more into couture and my clothes have a classical feel to them while his work is very youthful, fresh and caters to a particular age group. Maybe he keeps his girlfriend in mind while designing these outfits,’ Kumar told IANS in an interview.

‘Together we bring out an interesting mix of clothes,’ she added.

Kumar has been in this business for the past 40 years and was designing under the ‘Ritu Kumar’ label till she was joined by Amrish in 2002 when they launched their sub-line ‘Ritu Kumar Label’ that is aimed at the young, global Indian woman with a contemporary lifestyle.

‘The best thing about him is that he is focused and knows his mind very well. He loves to work with textiles and is extending the legacy of our brand with his young and dynamic ideas,’ Kumar maintained.

At the autumn-winter edition of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) that began here WEdnesday, the mother-son duo showcased the ‘Urbane Folklore’ theme that had influences from Islamic and Japanese designs to Uzbek prints.

‘The collection has influences from different cultures yet it is very chic, traditional and contemporary. It is high on style with its modern lines, dark rich prints and drapes,’ Kumar explained.

The line had a vibrant colour palette ranging from bright yellow to dark blue, from peaches to greys and from magenta to purple.

The range had a lot of textured fabrics in silk and cotton, as also brocades with intricate use of zardosi embroidery on them.

Kumar was also happy with young designers who are going back to the roots and are promoting Indian art, crafts and heritage through their collections.

‘I am happy that the young designers have understood the fact that aping the west is not the way to attract buyers because currently, everyone is looking at India’s rich history of art and crafts. Now, they (the designers) are looking back into history and reviving Indian heritage,’ Kumar explained.

‘Now it’s upto this young brigade to carry forward our rich culture and heritage,’ she added.

The designer also had a styling tip for the fashion conscious people in this time of recession.

‘The best thing is to invest in one ‘happy’ piece that can be teamed up with anything - a trouser or a skirt. This will save your money and also will bring out the creative best in you,’ Kumar contended.