Years ago, 25 to be exact, fashion designer Ritu Beri chose khadi as a fabric to launch her brand. It was a textile she was comfortable with; after all, Beri saw everyone from her forefathers to cousins wearing it.
But there was one more reason the then-fledgling designer used khadi, a fabric espoused by Mahatma Gandhi. “At that point of time, the fact that khadi was a green fabric, environment-friendly, natural and had unique appeal (as every yarn is different) were not factors playing on my mind,” recalls the fashion designer. “I simply could not afford an expensive fabric. So I used khadi, because it was affordable.” That is how Beri came out with her first two collections, which were in the fabric.
“Now, when I look back, I realise that I have always been in love with this fabric,” she says. “Khadi makes the person stand out. If a bride wears khadi, she immediately gets noticed. But now, we see the same monotonous look during weddings.” The material not only evokes patriotic fervour, but there’s also a romantic side to it. “The fabric played an important role during the Independence movement. My great grandfather was a big believer in the significance of khadi in nation-building. I remember an unbreakable rule existed in our house that everybody should wear khadi.”
The fashion designer has revisited her favourite fabric with Vichar Vastra, a collection of Western and Indian ensembles specially crafted for the festive season. “Basically, I have created a collection around khadi. I thought that Diwali would be an ideal time for people to promote [khadi] among their friends and families. For me, it is the most luxurious, special, hand-spun, hand-woven fabric with a zero carbon imprint. Also, as a designer, it is a fantastic fabric to work with.”
Beri has expanded her love for khadi by becoming an adviser to the Khadi and Village Industries Commission. She recollects how BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi asked her to make the fabric relevant for every age group. “When I saw the amazing collection of maroon, orange, pink, red, indigo, white (my perennial favourite), there was no stopping me. Khadi is such a versatile proposition. It is a creative social equaliser and is as much apt for politicians as for students and artists. When I take something up, I go completely into it. But I wondered how I could make the idea appealing for college-goers.”
A solution came when she heard the Prime Minister’s speech, which included a reference to Mahatma Gandhi saying that khadi was not a vastra (dress) but a vichar (thinking). “So I played with words and coined my collection Vichar Vastra,” Beri says.
For the festive collection, Beri has experimented with different forms and silhouettes ranging from beachwear to trousers. The designer believes that the fabric can play a vital role on the global scale. “Whenever I travel to Paris, I carry plenty of khadi and distribute it among my friends. Similarly, when my French friends come over to Delhi, I take them to the Khadi Gram Udyog. The moment they get into the shop, they get into crisp khadi kurtas . The whole intention behind the khadi movement is to make the world understand how beautiful our textiles are. We have a unique heritage which we need to take forward.”
In the future, Beri would like to make India a destination for luxury wear. She cites the example of Italy and France, countries which have luxurious, top-of-the-line brands. “As a proud Indian, I get offended when people talk in high esteem about other countries without bringing India into discussion,” she says, reminiscing about an incident where she attended a seminar on luxury where references were to Germany, Belgium and Vietnam for starting the luxury movement. “But there was no a mention of India. I was appalled. We are connoisseurs of luxury. If anyone looks at the hall at Bikaner House, where the Maharaja of Patiala has a heritage car, they would understand the kind of importance we give to luxury.”
And so the fashion designer is doing her best to put India on the world map of fashion and style, through khadi.
The designer believes that the fabric can play a vital role on the global scale
