Ritu Kumar is an Indian fashion designer. She is one of the most renowned fashion designers in India; having served the Indian Fashion Industry for more than 40 years.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Ritu Kumar was born on Saturday, 11 November 1944 (age 75 years; as in 2019) in Amritsar, Punjab. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She did her schooling from Shimla’s Loreto Convent and went to Lady Irwin College in New Delhi to pursue her graduation. Ritu, then bagged a scholarship at Briarcliff College in New York where she studied Art History. Thereafter, she enrolled herself in Asutosh Museum of Indian Art (at that time, a part of the University of Calcutta) to pursue Museology.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 2″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Family & Caste
Parents & Siblings
Ritu Kumar belongs to a Hindu Family. Not much is known about her parents and siblings.
Husband & Children
While in Lady Irwin College, Ritu fell in love with Shashi Kumar. The couple tied the knot after dating each other for a few years. Together they have two sons, Amrish Kumar (CEO of the fashion label, Ritu Kumar) and Ashvin Kumar (Writer and Film Maker).
Ritu Kumar with her husband
Ritu Kumar with her son, Amrish Kumar
Ritu Kumar’s son, Ashvin Kumar
Career
Ritu Kumar started her career as a fashion designer in 1969. She began designing clothes using two small tables and hand-block printing technique from a small town in Kolkata.
Ritu Kumar at the starting of her career
Initially, she designed evening clothes and Indian bridal wear and eventually, created a niche for herself in the international market.
Ritu Kumar’s models dressed for her first fashion show
After establishing herself as a successful entrepreneur, Ritu started expanding her business in India and abroad. Apart from owning several branches in the country, her company also opened up many stores in countries, like New York, Paris, and London. The London branch was closed in 1999 after operating successfully for around three years. During the 90s, the annual turnover of her company rose to Rs. 10 billion, which was higher than many other fashion outlets in India at that time.
Ritu Kumar with a weaver in Banaras
In 2002, the Indo-Canadian director, Deepa Mehta, offered her to design clothes for the Canadian film “Bollywood Hollywood.” Subsequently, she launched her sub-brand “LABEL” in partnership with her son, Amrish Kumar.
In the same year, she launched the fragrance “The Tree of Life.” She has also designed the costumes of the film “No Fathers in Kashmir.”
No Fathers in Kashmir costumes designed by Ritu Kumar
Awards
- Lifetime Achievement Award by NIFT
- Lifetime Achievement Award by Kingfisher Group
- Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur Award by PHDCC
- Award of “chevalier des arts et des lettres” (knight of the order of arts and letters) bestowed by the French Government in recognition of her contribution to Indian textile crafts and traditional techniques
- Lifetime Achievement Award at the Kingfisher Fashion Fantasia (2000)
- Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award
Ritu Kumar Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award
- Padma Shri Award (2013)
Ritu Kumar receiving Padma Shri Award
- Delhi’s Most Stylish Award by Hindustan Times (2015)
Favourite Things
- Food: Chole Bhature, Pav Bhaji
- Dessert: Rasmalai
- Beverage: Tea
- Actor: Amitabh Bachchan
- Travel Destination: New York
- Colour: Peach
Facts/Trivia
- Her hobbies include reading and travelling.
- She is one of the leading fashion designers in India.
- Ritu Kumar was born in a middle-class family.
- Her parents broke the archaic taboo that girls should not be educated enough, and they extensively advocated for the education of girls in India.
- Ritu’s background in art history and museology inspired her to open up a business in clothing line and ensembles.
- Ritu Kumar is the first person to introduce the Boutique culture in India. She established her boutique under the brand name “RITU.”
- In October 1999, Ritu published a book “Costumes and Textiles of Royal India,” which is based on the history of art designs and textiles in India.
Ritu Kumar’s Book Costumes and Textiles of Royal India
- Kumar’s designs are mainly based on traditional printing & weaving techniques. She prefers using natural fabrics.
- The only thing that makes her label distinct is her intellectual and unique vision towards ethnic wears.
- It was Kumar who designed the wedding outfit of the Bollywood actress, Kareena Kapoor Khan.
Ritu Kumar designed Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Wedding Dress
- She has also designed traditional outfits for many other Bollywood actresses, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra, and Vidya Balan.
Ritu Kumar with Aishwarya Rai
- Ritu often designs outfits for the contestants of Indian Pageants like “Miss Universe,” “Miss Asia Pacific,” and “Miss India.”
- She had designed some great masterpieces for the Late Princess Diana.
- When asked in an interview about designing outfits for Bollywood films, Kumar replied,
The way things are in Bollywood, I don’t think I have the time and patience for all that.”
- Kumar has around 35 high-end fashion outlets in more than 14 cities across India.
Ritu Kumar’s first store inaugration at Warden Road, Mumbai
- Her son Ashwin Kumar is an Oscar nominated director.
- In 2019, her website, ritukumar.com attracted 1,658,109 visitors in a year.
- Ritu has started a video campaign “Beautiful Hands” in Kolkata, which encourages the purchase of graments and accessories created by indigenous craftsmen.
- As of now (2020), Ritu runs three fashion labels, namely, “Ritu Kumar,” “Ri,” and “LABEL Ritu Kumar.”
- Ritu is one of the founding members of the All India Artisans and Craft Workers Welfare Association (AIACA).
- Kumar has been credited for the resurrection of Zardozi, which was a flourishing art during the Mughal period.
- Her bridal collection mainly features the work of Zari, zardozi and other forms of embroidery that makes use of precious metals.
- Ritu is fondly called the “Couture Rani” by her admirers.
