Ritu Beri speaks at Indo-Asian: Weaving Textile Relations Summit

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jan 24, 2018

On January 23, the fashion designer Ritu Beri spoke at the Indo-Asian: Weaving Textile Relations Summit and championed fusion wear as the way to truly put Indian fashion on the international map.

Beri, who has worked as a fashion designer in India for over a quarter of a century, is well known for her mix of ethnic traditional wear and western silhouettes. The designer has stated that India should follow Japan’s example of having a strong national aesthetic in their fashion industry in order to make more waves in the international fashion world.

“Japanese designers have created very strong corporate entities for themselves and they have not given up the spirit of Japanese culture,” said Beri at the 'Fusion is the New Mantra' panel talk. “India is a real treasure trove of talent, creativity, ideas, passion, design, artisans and craftsmen. We need to model a concept towards traditionalism.”

Beri went on to say: “We have to create our own identity and create what the world is looking for and wants. It is all about being who we are but definitely respecting the influences that create a global presence.”

Beri opined that fusion wear was the way to do this. Other participants in the panel included the Director General, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Sarada Muraleedharan, the Founder and former Director if the Mekong Ganga Asian Traditional Textiles Museum, Cambodia, Charu Smita Gupta, and R.A Lal of the Apparel Training and Design Centre. All panellists agreed with Beri that fusion is the future of Indian fashion.