We need policies that can preserve these age-old traditions
Ritu Kumar (RK) strongly believes in preserving the legacy of art forms, and believes in heritage. Her work with artisans comes from this strong belief system. Her classic timeless styling and designs are instrumental in the revived and continued heritage for fine craftsmanship and slow fashion. When artisans create a timeless artefact with numerous hours of passionate labour, its exclusiveness, cultural beauty, ability to sustain craft community, and the cost of production makes it sustainable luxury.
What is your definition of sustainable luxury?
Luxury is the appreciation and use of an ensemble, a saree or a coat, accessory which does not date or lose the aesthetic appeal of the workmanship, concept and can come up as a cherished item even after the time and space where and when it was made is far gone. It necessarily for me is the work done with a combine of mind and hand, with exquisitely worked fabrics and embellished materials. Each country and space have their own classical luxury definitions.
What is the meaning, purpose, and value of craftsmanship in your products?
I see myself as a catalyst as a designer. It gives energy and satisfaction to create a viable and meaningful product using traditional craftsmanship.
What is the relationship between consumer and artisan work for your products?
Indian traditions are a cultural phenomenon. Each region has rites of passage with sensitive choice of colours and crafts. As a designer, respecting those traditions and being sensitive to the needs of the consumer and the culture creates that relationship.
Do you stand true to the international concept of sustainable luxury?
I do not know if there are two different concepts in national and international parlance. The product may differ, but the concept remains more or less the same for both places. It is timeless in styling a design with fine craftsmanship, exclusive, beautiful, and is expensive because of the quality and detailed workmanship.
How do you include sustainability in your designs?
I put in a large amount of time in either working at collections or researching them. India has rich textiles traditions with multiple dimensions such as embroideries, weaving, printing and dyeing. It requires significant research to use traditional crafts and engage the craftsmen and women to preserve the culture, and yet create a collection that is current. Research involves looking at history and background of the traditional craft, folk to multicolour repertoires, understanding cultural patterns in the society, exploring various disciplines of the arts and crafts, and put endless resources and sustainable energy in my collection.
What are some challenges you face in engaging artisans in design and handwork?
The social fabric of most countries make them more modern, and children of craftspeople find other means which are less laborious as career options. We have to adapt and evolve to bring change to these crafts. We need more support, and policies that nurture these rich art forms. We have to include modern methods of embroidery, weaving to translate into more mechanical methods that keep the intellectual property with these craftspeople, but also provide them tools to make it less laborious.
New generation artisans in India would not want to follow the age old tradition and move to urban areas, how does Ritu Kumar as a brand take care of this?
All endeavour which is high skilled will have to move up in the price scale to make it attractive for the age-old traditions to continue. If the crafts are nurtured both economically and given their respect and due importance, tradition will continue; where that does not happen, it will not survive. We need support and policies that can preserve these ageold traditions.
What opportunities do you see in engaging artisans, design and handwork?
In the Indian context especially, luxury primarily engages the artisans of the textile craftsmanship. Some have a legacy of design and match it with the handwork which comes down many generations. We are very fortunate to have living crafts traditions and heritage that is one of largest in the world, and are valued too. We have in this country master craftspeople of the textile arts who still practice their crafts and produce luxury goods. Every state and region has its own traditional textiles art that are very rich and diverse. There is endless opportunity to engage diverse artisans and designs.
Are artisans hired on a yearly contract or by jobwork? Are there any perks? How many holidays? Vacation if on yearly contract?
It depends, depends on the work.
What is your take on the impact you have made in the lives of these artisans and their families?
Being a catalyst and adapting to the skill level of the artisans in essence creates wonderful opportunities for these artisans. With project like Kala Raksha, I am trying to revive and promote the art form through market-ready styling of the garment. This involves using the traditional art form while creating modern silhouettes and keeping end-use in perspective. There are several other similar projects in pipeline.
How do you make sure to offer novel designs keeping the traditional designs alive?
A commitment to the ethos of work, and also a commitment to the crafts of the country. It was difficult, but if there is focus and confidence in the heritage we possess, it becomes simpler to achieve.
Published on: 08/08/2016
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
