On September 8, Kareena Kapoor posted a short trailer on Instagram for Ritu Kumar's newest couture collection. The clip moves through a series of richly worked outfits, each one designed by Amrish Kumar, who now leads the label. Within hours, the video had fans and fashion writers talking about the return of an old, familiar pairing. Kareena and Ritu Kumar go back a long way, and this collaboration feels less like a brand deal and more like a reunion.
Jaisalmer, mirrors and old textiles
The collection borrows its name and its mood from Jaisalmer, and the desert city's golden, regal feel runs through every look. One outfit takes its cues from the mirror work of Kutch, with an embroidered jacket worn over a sheer printed shirt, paired with a matching bustier and skirt. Another is a printed silk organza sari that draws on Farrukhabad block prints, Jamawar weaves and Persian floral patterns, styled over a crisp shirt with an embroidered corset on top. The Jaisalmer jacket and skirt set, the piece that gives the line its name, updates traditional block prints with a modern cut, finished with fine aari, tikki and zardozi embroidery. There is also a Phulkari bodysuit layered under a silk organza cape covered in Persian jaals and Mughal paisley work. Together, the pieces show off decades of craft that Ritu Kumar's atelier is known for, while still looking wearable today.
A connection rooted in her own wedding
What makes this collaboration stand out is the personal history behind it. Kareena has said Ritu Kumar has always held a special place in her heart, and it is easy to see why. For her wedding to Saif Ali Khan in 2012, she wore a decades-old gharara that once belonged to the Begum of Bhopal, a member of the royal family and the mother-in-law of Sharmila Tagore. The same outfit had later been worn by Sharmila Tagore at her own wedding to Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Ritu Kumar spent months restoring the delicate heirloom so it could be worn again, shortening its long tail and refreshing the embroidery without losing its original character. That piece of family history is part of why Kareena calls this new chapter one that has come full circle.
A family affair behind the camera too
The campaign was produced by Anil Kapoor Film and Communication Network, and Kareena's sister Rhea Kapoor came on board as co-producer and stylist. Amrish Kumar, who now heads the design side of the label, called Kareena the obvious pick given the brand's long history with her. For a house that started decades ago with two tables and a handful of hand block printers near Calcutta, and went on to dress everyone from pageant winners to Princess Diana, this new couture line is another reminder that Ritu Kumar's clothes are built to be passed down, restyled and worn again, exactly the way Kareena's own heirloom was.
