Ace designer Ritu Beri exhibited her Khadi collection at KVIC, giving a new, marketable edge to the fabric. Unnati Joshi reports
When I started doing fashion designing, my first collection was in khadi. The sales were good. And now after being 25 years in the Fashion industry, today I am honored to do it again,” said designer Ritu Beri unveiling her collection using khadi.
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) launched the exclusive range in the presence of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises minister Kalraj Mishra, BJP’s national spokesperson Meenakashi lekhi and Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary. The designer, known for her love for khadi, tried to give the ethnic fabric a global image, to adopt it to different forms of creativity, rather than limiting it to the old yesteryear image.
“There is nothing more comfortable than khadi. It should be known everywhere in the manner linen is. Wearing it is a real luxury. Khadi is handspun and handwoven. What makes me happier is that it gives employment to millions of Indians. We should join hands and work together to make it more popular. In the latest collection, I tried out something that would be equally pleasing to almost all, be the youth or the old”, said Beri.
One of the guests, BJP spokesperson Meenakshi lekhi said, “Khadi is our national fabric and we should be proud of wearing and promoting it. If you want to take the heritage of the country forward, you will have to connect the younger generation to khadi.” She also thanked Ritu for designing a line that would gel with the youth.
Congratulating the designer, Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary said that “all of us should unite as a nation and support and promote khadi. The Prime Minister always promotes khadi even on his foreign tours,” he added.
Mr Mishra said that khadi is now meant for each and every one, rich and poor alike. When asked whether Ritu Beri will be named the brand ambassador of khadi, he said, “PM Narendra Modi has been attached to khadi for long. He has been popularising it across the globe. Modi jackets are worldwide trend now. So, why do we need an ambassadorIJ”
Ritu Beri agreed with Mishra and said that “It is my dream to design dresses for the PM. He’s a real inspiring leader. To design for him will be an honour”.
The new collection is about voluptuous indulgence and has a huge variety for men and women. It is a blend of ghagras, salwars, choga like jackets and easy wear tops. The colour palette ranges from whites to pastels, metallics to blacks.