Ritu Beri is one of the rare names in Fashion fraternity whose international presence and impact are wider than at home; the Indian fashion designer who is known as the first Indian designer to present a collection in Paris. She has been quintessentially serving Indian fashion industry with her feminine and funky designer apparels; style and elegance reinstating the stamped tagline of her creation. She falls into the group of early fashion designers whose collection made it enormously big internationally. Now designer Ritu Beri wants to spread her wings by opening lifestyle boutiques to cater to everyone`s needs penumbra of one roof.
Personal Life of Ritu Beri
Her father, Balbir Singh Beri was an adjutant at IMA, Dehradun. Her mother, Indu Beri, is an entrepreneur & her younger brother Navin works with her. Beri, who is married to businessman Bobby Chadha, is also mother to a five-year-old girl. She says her daughter is already an aspiring designer. Fashion diva Ritu Beri still today is unable to conceal a nostalgic smile as her memory slowly but steadily jogs down those carefree days at St Anthony`s School, Hauz Khas. The words of her standard XI biology teacher, Rita Aggarwal, still ring in her ears: "Ritu, you`ll grow up to open a beauty salon." and indeed she has done her artistic exuberance not confining itself into beauty salon rather exploring the fashion fiesta globally.
Career of Ritu Beri
Ritu completed her graduation from Delhi University in 1987 and her dormant aesthetic sense injected her to do something artistic and ever since being fascinatingly engrossed in fashion; hence the innate choice was to try designing outfits. Ritu enrolled in the newly-opened National Institute of Fashion Technology of Delhi in 1988. Lavanya was her graduation collection created in December of 1990, after she became one of the first students to complete the fashion study course.
She became the first Indian designer to present a show in Paris, where she successfully launched her first luxe collection in 1998. Her gradual success led her to be named by Time magazine among the People to Watch in International Business. Success came instantly to her with this collection even in the fashion Meccas of London`s Regent Street, where a number of her creations were sold.
After being recognized as huge name in the international fashion industry, Ritu came out with "Sanskriti" which was path-breaking way of tracing her roots, and she divided her collection into four sequences. This creation was more of a cultural offering, which saw a range of clothing that delighted the ethnic Indian population and this creation of hers made her a star in her own country.
Today her designs have become a highlight in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, USA, London and Paris. "My dream is to open lifestyle stores all over the world. I want to cater everything that a person needs - from clothes, accessories to footwear, perfume and food. I want to start everything under one roof," Beri told IANS in an interview. Ritu Beri`s ready-to-wear line is a remarkable couture collection that had the French media raving about her. Influenced by India`s rich cultural heritage she has come up with the most splendid designs.
Contribution of Ritu Beri
Beri has made a mark with her chic apparel. From showcasing at the prestigious Paris Fashion Week to dressing up notable international celebrities such as Bill Clinton, Prince Charles and Nicole Kidman, the designer`s journey is a perfect representation of Indian fashion`s inroads into the worldwide fashion scenario.
Beri sells her creations through boutiques in France and Germany and a store in New Delhi. She has been awarded the chance as well as the challenge of designing for Indian counterpart in the curtain Raiser ceremony of Olympics at Atlanta. Apart from being a fabulous and top fashion designer she has got the heart of gold. She is highly compassionate for animals for which she has also started a project called `Caring means sharing`. The funds raised through this collection would go for animal care. This collection would exhibit a wide array of products. Ritu is a columnist for many leading journals. She is the force behind making India emerge as a power in the fashion industry. With her stunning good looks and innovative designs, she is likely to pave the way for many more Indian designers to come. This charming woman has the fire to make a difference in the fashion world.
