Indian fashion designer Ritu Kumar sees herself as a catalyst

As a designer, Indian fashion designer Ritu Kumar sees herself as a catalyst, which gives her energy and satisfaction, to create a viable and meaningful product using traditional craftsmanship.

On opportunities in engaging artisans, design and handwork, Ritu Kumar told fibre2fashion, “In the Indian context especially, luxury primarily engages the artisans of the textile craftsmanship.”

“Some have a legacy of design and match it with the handwork which comes down many generations. We are very fortunate to have living crafts traditions and heritage that is one of largest in the world, and are valued too,” she said.

“Every state and region has its own traditional textiles art that are very rich and diverse and there is endless opportunity to engage diverse artisans and designs,” the fashion designer added.

Ritu Kumar strongly believes in preserving the legacy of art forms, and believes in heritage. Her work with artisans comes from this strong belief system.

Her classic timeless styling and designs are instrumental in the revived and continued heritage for fine craftsmanship and slow fashion.

According to her, when artisans create a timeless artifact with passionate labour, its exclusiveness, cultural beauty, ability to sustain craft community, and the cost of production makes it a sustainable luxury.