Fashion designer Ritu Beri has big plans for khadi

Fashion designer Ritu Beri in her new role as an advisor to Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is all out to promote the fabric. She has already planned to do lots of initiatives including fashion shows to showcase khadi creations. The shows would also include kids’ wear. Her ultimate plan is to take it to the global arena.

As an advisor, she has been charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programmes for the development of khadi and other village industries in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary. Beri sees the fabric as breathable, comfortable and Made in India organic fabric. She admits that it was never considered fashionable, though during Independence it was associated with power and freedom. So, now it’s her responsibility to make it the fabric of the moment.

Beri plans to take the fabric to colleges and universities and rid it of its boring image. So far it has been associated with politicians and youngsters have stayed away from wearing it. But she wants to change all that. She would also like Bollywood celebrities to endorse khadi because filmstars make a fashion statement with whatever they wear.

Beri has been designing clothes for national and international celebrities for the last 25 years. A graduate of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Beri’s one of the first collection in 1990 was in khadi. The Delhi-based designer is known for her clean cuts and sharp tailoring of western silhouettes.