Bridal couture shows come with their gold, brocade, chiffons, sequins, gota and nose rings. All of it was there. Also demanding attention, and getting it, were a few animal and camouflage prints. Opulent, yes, but not conventional wedding wear. But as Ritu Beri admits, her bridal collection is not just designed for the wedding but also for related events like wedding receptions, etc.
At the Bridal Asia fashion show this week, Ritu Beri’s line capped the evening that also featured bridal wear by Rina Dhaka, Gaurav Gupta and Shane and Falguni Peacock. While her collection came with its share of drama — wedding band (Chawla Band), palanquin, et al — the clothes didn’t let viewers’ attention wander. Camouflage-print velvet jackets with sequin work paired with silk pants and jumpsuits in gold lamé and tiger print, belted at the waist with broad, worked-upon belts and paired with brocade jackets, set the tone for the rest of her clothes. Seeing the designer herself clad in a head-to-toe animal print bodysuit, one should have guessed though. “My collection is traditional but, at the same time, unconventional. I love animal prints,” says the designer.
Ritu Beri’s Bridal Asia collection for Deepam, the silk house with which she has tied up, hinged heavily on Kanjeevarams fashioned into floor-length pleated skirts and dresses. “I like opulent, rich and pure fabrics. I especially love ikkat,” says Ritu. Fishtail skirts in black-and-gold kanjeevaram fabrics came with leopard-print panels or with animal-print halter blouses — unusual pairings which worked well ultimately. Camouflage prints also came as trims on more delicate lehengas.
Ritu Beri is part of India’s original breed of fashion designers and one of the first to make a mark internationally, having retailed in Paris and trained in embroidery under Francois Lesage. Coming November too, she has a show lined up in Paris. For now, being able to go through the fashion archives of YSL and Dior figures highest on her wishlist. “That’s because I love their brand vision, the way they think. Their archives would be highly inspirational.” A NIFT graduate, Ritu Beri is well-known for choosing to wear a handmade sweater to the selection interview instead of carrying along her drawings. “Back then, I used to enjoy knitting. The idea was that the real thing is always better than a sketch or illustration.”
She, of course, sketches now. Would she pull it off again if she had to? “Well? it got me a seat.”
