Ri. Ritu Kumar

Mrs. Nita Ambani continues to make India’s textile heritage proud globally as she wears a vintage indigo sari from our archives in Paris at the first ever India House at the Olympics. This sari is in traditional indigo, a special colour of NEEL associated with Lord Krishna. The contrast embroidery is done in Ritu Kumar’s original vintage revival work exhibited at the Festival of India in the 70s. Time and detailing edge the ensemble as Mrs Ambani wears it with grace.@reliancefoundation @indianolympichouse #RituKumarCouture #nitaambani

Vaani Kapoor in Ritu Kumar Couture wearing Aster Saree. The Aster saree is a celebration of vibrant florals highligted with delicate sequin embroidery. It blends contemporary patchwork techniques with timeless traditional motifs. This collection is a playful fusion of colors, creating a balance between tradition and modernity. #RituKumarCouture #VaaniKapoor

| via @ritu.ritukumar The story of fabric and innovation is also a story of politics and power. One of the most fascinating parts of my study of fabric has been unwinding these threads of connection. Who would think that the ubiquitous block-printed cottons that abound in Indian summers even today are the result of a pragmatically-maintained period of peace in 17th to early 19th century Jaipur?The ancient kingdom of Amber was ruled by the Kachchawahas, a warrior clan which ruled for six centuries.Their magnificent complexes of palaces and battlements were designed to be impregnable to the enemy. Even as they warred with the Marathas and other Rajput clans, their battles were fought outside their own domain. Later, in the face of a formidable enemy in the form of Akbar, Raja Bharmal made a historic alliance to strategically protect his domain and continue his ancestral line by marrying his daughter, Jodha Bai, to Akbar.This strategic peace-keeping continued into the 19th century, when Jaipur had established strong links with the British.Even under the Treaty of Subsidiary Alliance, the Maharaja at the time developed a close rapport with the British resident and this led to further technological innovations from the West being brought to Jaipuri karkhanas.The textile crafts of the region thus became increasingly sophisticated and with the assured patronage of a maharaja, the karkhanas were able to refine their designs and techniques. Along with migrations of artist communities to Rajasthan because of political upheaval in other regions, this made for a time of great innovation in textile-production.Block-printing is one such example.It’s the practice of printing cloth with wooden blocks which often have floral or animal motifs carved into them. Dipped in natural dyes, artisans print the wooden blocks onto cloth with remarkable precision. Passed along for generations, today’s block printers are descended from 17th or 18th century artisans who practised the same technique. Even the patterns are reminiscent of block printing in previous centuries #RKArchives