Ritu Kumar: The First Lady Of Indian Fashion

There are names that have defined Indian fashion. And then there is Ritu Kumar, who didn’t just define it, but carved it from scratch when the idea of Indian fashion itself was an undefined canvas. With two tables, four handblock printers, and a fierce belief in India’s textile traditions, she sparked a movement with her brand. Today, more than five decades later, that movement has grown into a fashion empire with over 100 stores, several diffusion lines, and a legacy that continues to shape our sartorial story.

Kumar’s journey began in the late 1960s in a village near Kolkata. While studying art history and museology, she came across Serampore, a village once central to the textile trade along the Ganges. What she discovered were Indian prints that England had appropriated, mass-produced in Lancashire, and sold back to India, while the original artisans were left jobless. That moment of injustice became the catalyst. “These designs were being replicated abroad, and the Indian craftsmen were left destitute,” she recalls. “It became important to bring it back home.”

So she did. Armed with conviction and a deep respect for indigenous crafts, she began to revive forgotten techniques such as zardozi, phulkari, amli, kalabattun, while collaborating directly with artisans across India, often in remote villages. And what began was a lifelong mission: to document the visual language of India’s textile culture and reintroduce it, not just to the world but back to Indians themselves.

Beyond Borders

In 1969, she opened her first boutique in Kolkata, pioneering designer retail in India. By the 80s and 90s, her designs had quietly permeated every corner of India’s collective fashion memory, and her influence had reached international shores. Princess Diana famously wore a classic blue salwar kameez designed by Ritu Kumar during her visit to Pakistan in 1997, a look that remains one of the most iconic cross-cultural fashion moments. For nearly 20 years, she dressed Miss India winners who represented the country at international pageants, using the platform to promote Indian craftsmanship on the global stage.

Along with her collections, her campaigns were also ahead of their time. In the early 70s, she made headlines with bold, street-style shoots featuring models regulating traffic dressed in her denim kurtas and printed saris. In a media landscape yet to be saturated with fashion gloss, her visuals became a genre of their own.

Undisputed Queen

Kumar didn’t just create clothes; she created identity. At a time when post-colonial India was grappling with its cultural compass, she offered a roadmap rooted in heritage. Her work was proof that fashion could be proud, powerful, and unapologetically Indian. It’s no surprise that she is often referred to as ‘the first lady of Indian fashion,’ an acknowledgement of how singular her contribution has been.

While the designer herself avoided the spotlight, accolades followed. She was awarded the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award in 2007. In 2013, the Indian government honoured her with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours, for her contribution to fashion, textiles, and the preservation of traditional crafts.

Building Forward

No legacy stands still. Kumar was joined by her son, Amrish, in the 2000s, to take the brand ahead. Under his leadership, the House has evolved into a multi-brand powerhouse. “When I joined the brand, I brought a business degree and an understanding of scaling. But over time, I had to learn the design side too,” he says. He began by visiting craft clusters across Bengal, Kutch, and Kanchipuram, gaining an understanding not just of fabrics but also of the emotions behind them.

Amrish extended the business to newer categories, such as LABEL Ritu Kumar for younger audiences and Ri.Ritu Kumar for fusion wear, expanding the brand’s footprint while maintaining its soul. “You have to constantly innovate while staying true to your aesthetic,” he says. “That’s the only way to stay relevant.”

Full Circle

While speaking of Amrish’s leadership and his role in shaping the brand, Kumar acknowledges his commitment and the support he has provided to its evolution. “Frankly, I don’t think I would have taken the brand where he has today,” she says candidly. “Adjustments were always difficult, but once I realised what he was doing, I was able to relax. He’s brought an internationality to the collection,” she adds.

Today, the House of Ritu Kumar spans across couture, prêt, accessories, and even homeware. What Kumar has built is more than a design empire. It is a cultural institution. She stitched the past into the present, turning centuries-old skills into contemporary couture. Her aesthetic, drawn from regional textile traditions, quickly became a signature, instantly recognisable yet deeply rooted. Her work is deeply embedded in the very fabric of Indian design, to the extent that even when you’re not wearing Ritu Kumar, you might be wearing something shaped by her vision.

And that is true legacy. Not just a label, but a lineage. Not just a fashion house, but a home for India’s textile soul. She is the blueprint.

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