By Tanya Banon

July 27, 2023 (IANSlife) The grande dame of Indian fashion, Ritu Kumar, showcased her collection on Day two of FDCI Hyundai India Couture Week in association with Reliance Brands. The lexicon of the Ritu Kumar design aesthetic is so entrenched in Indian fashion, that it has become ubiquitous and synonymous with Indian Couture. 

The OG of Indian design and the first revivalist of Indian craftsmanship and textiles, received a standing ovation for her collection which featured India's rich textile tradition woven into modern silhouettes replete with intricate embroidery. 

An amalgamation of vintage patina, burnished hues, metallic tones, a balance of motifs like paisleys, boots and flowers, were tastefully added to lehengas, dhoti pants teamed with jackets, saris, embroidery corsets under Maharaja coats stood testament to Kumar's heritage and fashion repertoire. The country owes much of its design ethos to the revival work done by the first ‘barefoot doctor’ of Indian fashion.

Bollywood beauty Adi Rao Hydari walked the runway as showstopper for the designer dressed in an ivory chikankari lehenga worn with a short jacket.

The collection encapsulates a new feminine aesthetic through heritage textiles and nuanced classicism on dresses, jackets, capes, and anarkalis. The complexity of the glittering kasab and floral kashidakari are laid out with couture tailoring which makes the collection timeless and familiar while paving the way for what’s to come. 

This season, Kumar's legacy stays intact while the mood mirrors the style of today’s India.

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