DESIGNER RITU BERI TAKES THE WORLD BY STORM
by Kumkum Ramchandani

Fashion designer Ritu Beri, together with another well known designer, Hemant Trivedi, wowed Beijing’s fashion savvy with a scintillating show on October 16, 2003. Calling it a celebration of “new age India”, Ritu’s Autumn/Winter 2003 collection, paraded by four Chinese and eight Indian models, featured rich embroidered jackets, crystal encrusted pants, bejewelled skirts, lacy dresses and gentle blouses. The inimitable blend of east and west was vividly portrayed in an unusual contrast of flowing and sturdy fabrics in faded pinks, rich fuchsia and burnt orange together with Indian reds, matted gold and shimmering silver. Ritu said that the Chinese fashion market was “interesting and very professional”.

Arguably one of India’s most successful designers, the thirtysomething Beri with film star good looks has come a long way from the early days when she was struggling for recognition in an unsophisticated fashion environment back home. In the early 1990s, domestic designers were just beginning to emerge from a cloud of obscurity and dubious success. Today, diverse personalities from Cherie Blair to Nicole Kidman have been bitten by the ethnic fashion bug while Madonna and Gwen Stefani have ratified the eastern touch with their use of nose rings and henna.

On July 6, 2003, Ritu staged a thirty minute blowout show in France entitled An Indian Midsummer Nights Dream. She featured silhouettes that were urban and intricately embroidered, mostly western but with a few tulle saris in teal, cola and peach and flowing silk skirts glistening with antique sequins. Dozens of brightly lit candles and traditional music set the stage at the Indian Embassy in Paris, while a guest list of eminent people cooled themselves with handcrafted fans specially flown in from India. The celebrities present included Princess Stephanie of Monaco, Mr and Mrs Gernot Langes Swarovski, Madame Jacques Chirac, Madame Arlette Mitterand, fashion guru Suzy Menkes and Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia.

Ritu has successfully combined two inspirations in her life – the centuries old culture of India and the freedom of contemporary chic. She has always admired French haute couture but feels that it is now time to express herself in her own spirit.

Said Ritu, “Since Paris is the centre of fashion one definitely has to strive at showing with the best. As a designer of Indian origin I think one has to move beyond the tag of ethnicity and compete at a global level, especially for prêt (ready-to-wear). I worked with the House of Scherrer as their chief ready-to-wear designer for a year and it was a great experience.”

Though rumours have been flying to the effect that the designer is to star in a Bollywood film and even take up modeling, she is quick to dismiss these as mere speculation. She said, “ Starring in a film – I seriously doubt it! Modeling has never interested me either. I prefer to restrict my creativity to designing clothes and interiors. However, I have always believed in being well dressed and exercising to stay healthy. I love to binge on chocolates though!!”

So how does a designing diva with a $4.5 million empire de-stress herself? “I like to go to an exotic location with close friends and spend time relaxing, reading, enjoying music and the surroundings. Music is an integral part of my life, no matter where I am, what I’m doing,” she explained.

But a creative person like her can never take time off for long. “Inspiration can come to me at any time – it could be something I experience on a holiday, some theme derived from a piece of music or art or even a piece of jewellery. One has to squeeze in some leisure between working hours, but I prefer to unwind at home with family and close friends. I’m not much into late night partying.”

The road to success has not always been easy to navigate. Ritu always thought she would be a doctor. Dress designing was something she did for herself and friends in her leisure time. However, when the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in New York set up a college in New Delhi in 1990, she rushed to enrol and won a seat after stiff competition. The rest was history. However, today, riding the crest of domestic and international success, Ms Beri is aware that this is not the end of the road.

She pointed out, “I have been in the fashion business over a decade. To sustain oneself one has always to improve and progress. As a person too, I’m more mature and confident of myself at this stage. I’ve always been a go-getter but now that I’ve seen my efforts being realized I know that I am capable of making my dreams come true.”

As regards the future of Indian designers, Ritu feels, “A lot of designers are doing great business and the new lot definitely seems very promising. I think what is important is to establish one’s individuality in creations without going overboard. Don’t forget that customers are more aware and discerning today than five to ten years back.”

Ritu has set up a forum, the Ritu Beri Fashion Fraternity, for struggling designers who need guidance and a platform to display their work. This stemmed from her moments of despair in the early struggle when she made a promise to be a stimulant for emerging talent if ever she was in a position to assist. She explained, “When I was struggling to achieve some measure of recognition as a designer I often wished I had someone with experience in the field to guide me, to give me a helping hand.”

Today Ritu admits that the world is her oyster. “I seem to have succeeded in prising it open just a little bit,” she says modestly.