Homegrown label Ritika is rebranding and is all set to showcase at the India Fashion Week in London

FOR 36-year-old city-based designer Ritika Kankani, design and fashion is not new. Fifteen years ago, Ritika did her MBA in London, got married, came back to Chennai and followed her true passion which was fashion and designing. At 24, she had started her own label named Rainne by Ritika. Now, after working on several lines for the last decade, she will be rebranding her label to just Ritika, and introducing three new lines. She will also be showcasing at The India Fashion Week in London. 

“I did a basic one year course at NIFT just to get the hang of it and then I started the label,” says Ritika, adding that the decision to rebrand it came in the wake of an opportunity to showcase at the India Fashion Week in London, in November. “This has been happening for the last six years at Olympia London and this year they have 12 participants from India, and I am the only one from Chennai,” says an elated Ritika. She will be showcasing two collections — one will be a contemporary mix which will primarily be Indian wear with contemporary cuts like dhoti style saris with beaded work blouses, and the other will be her signature Kalamkari line since the colours are very earthy and Indian. 

Choose between a floral line named Eden, an earthy line named Terra and Timeline Genesis, a Kalamkari line this weekend. “The unique part about the kalamkaris is that we print the pattern on georgettes and silks,” says Ritika. The store will have everything to do with Indian wear, from blouses to anarkalis and saris. She uses moonga silks, pure fabrics, handlooms fabrics and sustainable fabrics. “I try to play around and help customers to mix and match. So, you’re not investing in just one piece but several pieces.” With around 60 pieces on display, Ritika has two workshop units in Chennai and sources her fabrics from the corresponding city of its origin. “We source the Benaras from Varanasi and the kalamkari from Andhra Pradesh, and so on,” says Ritika also adding that while earthy tones are her favourite, her collection will see a lot of pastels.  

Starting from `8,000  onwards. 
Launches today. 
Available at No 1,  
5th Avenue, Harrington Road.