Fashion designer, Ritu Kumar presented Varanasi Weaves at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2015 on India Textile Day, in continuation with her revivalist projects that centre around the traditional crafts and textiles of India.

Ritu Kumar’s collection titled “Varanasi Weaves” is woven in four parts. The collection began with the gossamer White on White line, highlighted with gold, in sheer and opaque threads woven in the main fabric, requiring meticulous cut work by women of the region. This is both an interpretation of one of India’s most coveted aesthetic that is White on White in gossamer weaves.

The next part of the collection was of saris rewoven to make them soft as butter, clinging and more sensuous than what has come of the looms of Benaras after a long time. The drape has been reintroduced along with the subtle gold and moga thread weaving which make the saris wearable and attractive for the young, with an aim of getting the newer generation looking to own one such sari as part of their wardrobe, and not necessarily for bridal wear only.

The last part of the show, was conceived and executed with weaves developed as part of the CSR programme of the Ritu Kumar team, to reintroduce in woven from Benaras the subtle and deep understanding of drape, colour and technique of weaving to produce highly glamorous looks, which are India’s couture and the city’s USP, as it is the country’s heritage.
Actor, Aditi Rao Hydari, was the showstopper for the show, dressed in an unconventional drape with gold leggings and topi.