When the world saw dying crafts and unemployed artisans, she saw a revival waiting to happen. With no blueprint, no industry to lean on, and only a fierce belief in India’s heritage, Ritu Kumar transformed a few wooden blocks and silks into one of the country’s most influential fashion houses.
Born in Amritsar in 1944 and raised in a modest household, Ritu Kumar grew up in a newly independent India where self-reliance and cultural pride were values instilled early. She pursued art history at Lady Irwin College in Delhi before moving to Kolkata to study museology. Here, surrounded by art, textiles, and cultural relics, her love for design began to take root.
It wasn’t fashion as we understand it today that fascinated her, it was craft. The meticulousness of embroidery, the storytelling in block prints, the history woven into fabrics. Unlike many who aspired to Western modernity in the postcolonial era, Ritu’s heart gravitated towards India’s forgotten heritage.
In 1969, during a field visit to Serampore near Kolkata, she encountered a moment that would define her life’s work. There she found artisans, once masters of hand-block printing, sitting jobless. These were men who carried centuries of knowledge, whose hands could bring alive patterns once coveted by global royalty. Yet colonial disruption and industrial imports had destroyed their livelihood. For Ritu, it was more than a sad sight, it was a call to action. She couldn’t bear to see such profound skill dismissed by history. With a small loan from her family, she took the unthinkable step of employing four of these artisans, setting up two wooden tables under trees, and beginning to print scarves and saris.
Her first stock was displayed not in a fashion boutique, but in a grocery store in Kolkata, because India had no organized fashion retail then. To her surprise, the products sold out almost immediately. Customers recognized something authentic, something missing from their wardrobes, and they wanted more.
That grocery store experiment turned into a venture that would change Indian fashion forever. By the early 1970s, Ritu was conducting small fashion shows in Kolkata, without stylists or models, often recruiting homemakers or friends to wear her saris. Her first attempt at printing on khadi was criticized as outdated. Instead of retreating, she pivoted to silk and chiffon, pairing them with vibrant block prints. This mix of traditional craftsmanship on modern fabrics clicked with consumers. Soon, she was exporting scarves and stoles abroad, catching the eye of international buyers.
The 1980s and 1990s were her expansion years. She established workshops across artisan clusters in Bengal, Rajasthan, and beyond. Rather than centralizing production, she worked within villages, allowing artisans to continue living in their communities while contributing to her collections.
Retail posed its own hurdles. India lacked fashion outlets, so Kumar pioneered the boutique culture, setting up stand-alone stores that introduced consumers to curated collections. Her label was among the first to bring Indian designer wear to global luxury stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Perhaps the boldest move in Ritu Kumar’s journey came with the creation of her multi-brand architecture. She strategically expanded her label into distinct verticals: Ritu Kumar, the flagship heritage line rooted in traditional crafts; Ri Ritu Kumar, dedicated to bridal and couture; Label Ritu Kumar, a prêt collection for young, contemporary consumers; and Ritu Kumar Home, which brought Indian craftsmanship into home textiles and décor. This diversification allowed her to straddle both luxury and accessibility without ever diluting the brand’s essence.
By the turn of the millennium, Ritu Kumar was no longer just a designer. She had become an institution. She was widely credited with reviving crafts like zardozi, phulkari, and kantha, which were once on the verge of extinction. Her clientele included some of India’s most prominent women, from film stars like Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra to international icons. Her designs graced red carpets, global runways, and even stages like Miss Universe and Miss World, further cementing her global reputation.
In recognition of her immense contribution to fashion and textiles, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri in 2013. Within the industry, she came to be celebrated as the First Lady of Indian Fashion, the one who carved a blueprint in a landscape where none existed. The momentum continued in 2021, when Reliance Brands Limited acquired a 52% stake in her company, Ritika Pvt. Ltd. For many observers, this marked a defining new chapter: The moment when an artisanal legacy brand was acknowledged as a strategic asset in India’s rapidly growing luxury ecosystem.
Behind the empire, Ritu Kumar has always remained deeply grounded. She is known not for flamboyance but for discipline and curiosity. Even today, in her 80s, she sketches designs, visits workshops, and interacts with artisans.
Her son Amrish Kumar now spearheads Label Ritu Kumar, expanding its reach with e-commerce and millennial-focused collections. Yet, the mother’s guiding philosophy, respect for craft, continues to define the brand.
Outside of work, Ritu has an archivist’s soul. She has authored books on Indian textiles, passionately documenting the motifs and methods of different regions. This scholarly pursuit reveals not just a designer but a historian at heart.
Ritu Kumar’s legacy is larger than fashion. She revived dignity for thousands of artisans who might otherwise have abandoned their heritage for survival jobs. Her decentralized model proved that businesses can be built without uprooting communities.
Her vision remains rooted in a simple yet powerful belief: India’s crafts are not relics of the past; they are blueprints for the future. She often says that India has 16 million practicing craftspeople, an unparalleled resource that, if nurtured, can power global fashion for decades.
As she looks ahead, the mission is clear: Preserve, modernize, and globalize Indian textiles without losing their soul.
In her own words,“Craft is not about nostalgia. It is about relevance. Our job is to ensure these traditions live, breathe, and grow.”
From four artisans under a tree to an empire backed by Reliance, Ritu Kumar’s journey embodies resilience, empathy, and foresight. She didn’t just build a brand; she built an ecosystem where heritage and modernity could co-exist.Her story reminds us that entrepreneurship isn’t always about disruption. Sometimes, it’s about listening to what the world has forgotten and giving it a voice again.
