It’sa kind of return to roots for Ritu Kumar. She’s never really got Calcutta out of her design sensibility; there’s always that motif or print peeping out from her work that reminds you of the city she started off from. And sometimes she goes all out to remind you. Like this limited edition line of vintage hand-block printed saris that the designer is launching at her Woodburn Court Road store on February 27.
“The story goes back to the 1960s when I started hand-blocks with karigars from Serampore. It was a very small enterprise… I used to design the blocks and they used to print them on saris. Hand-blocks had died down then, with the colonial influence. But I tried to revive it. That’s where it started. And then you know… prints from Calcutta have always been my signature,” RK tells t2.
With the revival of the vintage prints, Kumar hopes to revive the elegance of wearing printed saris. “You know, when I think of these saris, I think of Rekha or Rakhi wearing these saris. All of us used to wear these saris in those days… we would even wear them to work,” she smiles.
For this collection, Kumar has dug out the hand-block motifs from the 1960s and ’70s and hand-screen printed them on saris and scarves (inset). The typical retro florals and paisleys are printed on a variety of silks, crepes and chinons. “We have developed the chinon particularly for the saris… this fabric just melts on your body,” says Kumar. The palette has a lot of black and red, along with soft hues like aqua, blue and yellow.
After launching it in Calcutta, Kumar plans to take the collection to Bangalore and Chennai. “Of course I wanted to show this collection in Calcutta first. For me this is all about nostalgia,” she adds.
The collection will be showcased at an exhibition at Ritu Kumar, 4 Woodburn Court Road, from February 27 to
March 3, 11am to 9pm
A quick chat with actress SHAHANA CHATTERJEE, the model for the day:
Do you wear saris?
I do, but I have to confess I do so only occasionally. But I love saris, they are so versatile… one of the most elegant outfits.
What kind of saris do you like wearing?
I love traditional weaves. And I think the choli is very important.
What do you think of this particular line of saris by Ritu Kumar?
Ritu Kumar is one of the most prestigious names in fashion… all of us have known her for years. I remember when she was not even ‘Ritu Kumar’, she was just called Ritu’s Boutique, my mom used to buy saris from her. These prints are so classic. They are elegant yet subtle. They are so wearable, can be worn by anybody.
How do you see yourself wearing these saris?
They can be dressed up with accessories for an evening do, or can be worn simply even to work. That’s what’s great about them.
Text: Smita Roy Chowdhury
Pictures: Pabitra Das
Make-up & hair: Aniruddha Chakladar
