Quick Answer: Ritu Kumar (born 11 November 1944) is an Indian fashion designer and the pioneer of the Indian fashion industry. She studied art history at Lady Irwin College, Delhi (graduating in 1964) and at Briarcliff College in New York (1966), where she developed the knowledge of textile history that would define her career. She began her fashion business in Kolkata using two small tables and hand-block printing techniques, and is credited with pioneering the boutique culture in India and reviving traditional Indian textile traditions that were declining in the post-independence era.
Ritu Kumar was born on 11 November 1944. She studied at Lady Irwin College in Delhi, graduating in 1964, then received a scholarship to study in the United States, attending Briarcliff College in New York where she studied Art History, graduating in 1966. Her education in art history gave her a deep understanding of India's textile heritage.
After returning to India, she began her fashion business in Kolkata with just two small tables and hand-block printing techniques. Rather than following Western fashion trends, she focused on reviving Indian textile traditions — block printing, bandhani, embroidery, and handwoven fabrics. She worked directly with artisan communities in Bengal, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. She is widely credited with pioneering the boutique culture in India, introducing the concept of designer boutiques where customers could buy ready-made garments designed by a named designer.
Over her 50+ year career, she has worked to preserve hand-block printing, bandhani tie-dye, chikankari embroidery, kantha embroidery, zardozi, and handwoven silks and cottons. The Ritu Kumar brand today includes Ritu Kumar Couture ($2,000-$15,000+), Ritu Kumar ready-to-wear ($100-$500), Ritu Kumar Label (contemporary line), and Ritu Kumar Home.