Rooted in Fashion

When she first visited Bhutan five years ago,Ritu Kumar was a keen tourist. Since then,Kumar has visited the country several times — be it for a literary festival or as a designer and guest of Bhutanese royalty. But nothing,she admits,comes close to her most recent experience where she showcased a special Bhutan-inspired line to mark the opening of the Royal Textile Academy. This state-of-the-art museum was inaugurated on June 7 in Thimpu,Bhutan,as part of an event with the royal family of Bhutan and other dignitaries in attendance.

The Padma Shri designer recalls how she was approached to design a line to celebrate the launch of the museum. “With every visit to the country (Bhutan),I have grown more fascinated with their culture. Particularly interesting is the fact that they stress so much upon their national attire — their kira (an ankle-length dress) and toego (a long-sleeved jacket-like garment) prevail. Their repertoire of colours and handwoven fabrics makes their ensembles all the more appealing,” says Kumar,who sought inspiration in Bhutanese Tangkhas,prayer flags and handloomed weaves from the country’s remote regions. “Working with Benaras silks,woven crepes,woollens and even jerseys,my idea was to come up with a line that draws from the ethos of the country. Their nature as well as their culture — from the embroidery and colours to the Buddhist imagery — found voice in my creations,” she says,adding that even the accessories used in the show were handmade.

And while visiting and reading up on the country helped her translate her vision onto the canvas of the Bhutan-inspired line of tunics,jackets and skirts,her Chanderi collection is,in her words,“a long overdue project”.

“At a time when collections are rated depending on their commercial viability,we follow a policy of doing at least one line a year that celebrates a region’s rich culture This line is an ode to the textile heritage of Chanderi,a village in Madhya Pradesh,” says Kumar. The saris were round Ashrafi motifs in dull antique gold,embroidered with the traditional Aari technique of Bengal,and the colours borrow from a varied palate — lime yellow and greens to coral and orange.