6 looks, over 1800 hours: Kareena Kapoor channels vintage cinema in Ritu Kumar’s latest collection

Kareena Kapoor Khan stunned onlookers in Ritu Kumar's latest couture collection, drawing inspiration from vintage cinema, archival textiles, and India's rich craft traditions. The collection reimagines silhouettes with a contemporary touch, featuring six looks that combined traditional techniques with modern sensibilities. It took a total of 1,800 hours to bring the collection to life.

Styled by Rhea Kapoor, the ensemble included a Mehroz cape and Phulkari bodysuit, which showcased a silk organza cape with Jamawar motifs, paired with a Phulkari bodysuit adorned with zardozi, aari-tikki, and resham embroidery. Another look presented a gold-embroidered Rajwadi blouse, a Chogha-inspired printed jacket, and handcrafted denim, blending royal Rajasthan textiles with Awadh court silhouettes.

The third look featured a printed silk organza saree, complemented by a shirt and an embroidered corset belt inspired by meenakari. The ensemble demanded over 550 hours of handcrafted aari and zardozi embroidery. The fourth look, the Jaisalmer jacket and skirt, drew from Rajasthan's architectural heritage, incorporating traditional block prints with contemporary silhouettes and aari, tikki, and zardozi embroidery.

This ensemble demanded more than 600 hours of artisanal work. The fifth look took inspiration from Kutch, Gujarat's mirror-work traditions, featuring a mirror-embellished jacket layered over a sheer printed shirt, bustier, and skirt. The elaborate ensemble required more than 700 hours of craftsmanship. The final look was a contemporary interpretation of the Jamawar saree, featuring digitally printed paisley motifs combined with embroidery on silk satin and presented in a fluid silhouette.