Yes, I'm still obsessed with Indian block prints.
Born in Amritsar in 1944, Ritu Kumar is the fashion designer credited for bringing boutique culture to India. Kumar started her fashion business from her home in Kolkata in 1969, using two small tables and traditional hand block printing techniques. Over the next two decades, she opened stores throughout metropolitan India as well as branches in London, Paris and New York.
 |
| The beautiful Ritu Kumar (SOURCE) |
Ritu Kumar is still trading today and I often visit her shops in India to swoon over her wonderful textiles. Back in the 1970s and 1980s she worked with Monsoon (read my post about the British label HERE) and produced a range of her designs for their shops and I was thrilled to find this '70s dress on eBay the other day, especially as I won it for a fraction of the price they normally command as the seller had neglected to include Ritu Kumar in the listing.
Her contemporary dresses retail at around £150, even if I'd had the cash to splash I probably wouldn't want to risk wearing such an expensive frock to the pub, unlike this one which I'm wearing today for an all-dayer in Wetherspoons.
The details: Vintage label porn, solid silver gem encrusted tribal bangle (bought in Jodhpur) and a Banjara choker, bought from the roadside in Goa.
 |
| WEARING: Anokhi dress (Mumbai), vintage Andrew Stewart mohair cape (charity shop), Reiss hat (eBay), 1960s-does-Edwardian leather & suede boots (car boot sale) |
The Anokhi dress (above) was one of this year's Indian buys and is a reissue of an original 1970s design. Take note of the label, that's current Anokhi so if you see a seller trying to pass it off as vintage, take them to task.
I bought the Kuchi tribal pendant from Jaisalmer.
I bought the Kuchi tribal pendant from Jaisalmer.
A girl can never have too many maxi length wraparound skirts (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it). I spotted this early '70s India Imports of Rhode Island on eBay the other day with an absurdly low Buy-it-Now price and not having one in purple I had to have it.
 |
| WEARING: India Imports wraparound maxi skirt, vintage Jeff Banks W1 label blouse (car boot sale), felted wool hat and 1970s Indian screen printed silk scarf (both charity shopped) |
Here's a close-up of the label (the company went on to become Adini) and the mirrored Banjara earrings I bought in Goa.
Have you seen those crazy people stockpiling food on the news? The only thing we stockpile is vintage clothes in readiness for the festival season - that's if the government doesn't ban outdoor gatherings and then we're well and truly stuffed.
We're trading at Glastonbury again this year - yay!!!
We're trading at Glastonbury again this year - yay!!!
 |
| Clockwise from top left: 1960s felted wool hat; 1970s St Michael dagger collar shirt; 1980s rainbow stripe suede bag; 1970s acrylic knit; 1970s Saks of Fifth Avenue maxi dress; 1980s St Michael wool coat with velvet collar; 1960s Peggy's Pride cardi; 1960s Shannons of Walsall wool skirt; 1970s boucle edge-to-edge cardi; 1970s leather & suede shoulder bag by Dolcis; 1960s turquoise felted wool hat; 1970s felted wool hat; 1960s Gor-ray wool hobble skirt; 1960s St Michael swimsuit; 1950s vinyl handbag |
These are a few of the finds we've uncovered in charity shops recently. We try to be discerning shoppers and only buy what we like - not all vintage is good enough for the Kinky Melon rails - so at least 50% of the vintage gear we spot in the chazzas gets left behind. Just like toilet roll, hand sanitiser, and pasta we never buy stuff just for the sake of it.
 |
| Clockwise from top left: 1980s Taste of West Germany wool blazer; 1960s Borg sheepskin coat, made in Canada; 1970s suede waistcoat; 1980s boiler suit; 1970s Sears leather-trimmed wool overcoat; 1970s Hawaiian shirt; 1980s leather bomber jacket, made in England; 1970s Carnaby Street jumbo cord blazer; 1970s American-made cowboy shirt; 1970s leather bomber, Danier of Canada; 1970s Western shirt |
I'll be back later this week with more of the travelogue.
See you soon!
Ohh vix , That's really pretty a lovley shade of pink , I thought about you the other day and your festivales with the prospect of the government banning large gatherings , I hope it don't come to that xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Eileen! It's a bit of a concern, luckily I've only had to pay for one of the festivals we've booked into so far. This year is looking extremely tough. xxx
DeleteI love that pink dress on you! The sleeves in particular are just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThe stockpiling is ridiculous, I ran out of shower gel and had to go buy a bottle and the shelves were completely bare in Wilko. And I don't understand why everyone is stockpiling toilet roll, even in the rare chance they did contract coronavirus it doesn't affect the digestive tract so no idea why anyone thinks they need 30+ rolls. It's madness!
I had to donate some vintage clothes to the chazza myself today, it made me think of you and your always amazing finds! Hopefully they'll be claimed by another vintage lover.
Thanks so much!
DeleteJon's just come back from Morrisons and said it was utter madness. he had to help a few elderly people find alternatives to their usual products as there was nothing left on the shelves.
The toilet roll thing is ridiculous. How many rolls do you need anyway?
Wishing you piles of good karma for donating your unwanted vintage clothes to charity. Wish I lived nearer! xxx
Lovely post as always. Love the vintage, but being plus size I doubt if I will ever find any. The virus thing is crazy, three cases in my area, started by a person who was told to self isolate while awaiting test results. Instead he went to a party at a nightclub with 100 plus in attendance. I work with retail,in one of my stores today they had two pallets of lysol wipes out and people were grabbing like it was going out of style.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Darkelady. I do try and hunt out cool vintage in larger sizes, it is harder to find but I hate my curvier customers having to leave our festival pitch disappointed.
DeleteYour tale about that person going partying instead of self-isolating just about sums the entire situation up, they haven't got a hope of containing it, have they? xxx
Oh, gosh, I love your dresses, and confess I am a lover of label porn! That pink one is a find! I often think of you when I'm looking at vintage, and weeding out the "good stuff" from the crappage.
ReplyDeleteYour silver jewelry is drool-worthy, and that bangle is amazing. You have small wrists like me, so if you ever get tired of those, you can ship 'em right on over here. :)
OMG, the panic over here...I keep having to tell folks in my office to calm the f**k down and wash their hands!
I think we need tee shirts printed with that message on the front! The world's gone mad!
DeleteI do love a vintage label and always enjoy seeing yours, too.
I think we have similar sized wrists, I better hide that dragon bangle somewhere safe! xxx
What fabulous dresses! The wrap around skirt is beautiful and how interesting to learn about the change of label name. I love your jewellery buys especially that bejewelled bangle.
ReplyDeleteYour Kinky Melon finds are just astonishing; I love the swimsuit in particular.
WTF is wrong with people? Why are they stockpiling toilet paper in the name of God? I simply do not understand this mentality and it's so bloody selfish if nothing else!! Also don't understand the obsession with this virus - it didn't happen with bird flu or swine flu so why this one?
Have a great week and hope you stay warm and dry! Cold, wet and miserable today...
xxxx
Thanks, Vronni! I always get excited when I spot that India Imports label, even if it's just a tatty headscarf!
DeleteThat swimsuit is a beauty, it's so vibrant when you think it's 50 years old.
Just when I thought people couldn't stoop any lower than voting for Brexit and the Tories than they start stockpiling toilet roll. I hate to wish ill on anyone but it does make you think bad thoughts! xxx
Partly inspired by your love of clogs I've just bitten the bullet and bought my first pair of red Swedish ones from Ebay to wear to a wedding I'm going to soon. Arilx
ReplyDeleteYay! Clogs are the best - especially red ones. I can see a whole new obsession taking hold! xxx
DeleteIt's not often that we see you in so much pink, but I'm absolutely loving this dress on you. You're a vision of Spring! Well done on finding it for such a low price too. The Anokhi dress is a beauty too, and of course you needed that purple wraparound skirt, which looks amazing with your Jeff Banks blouse. Don't get me started on the manic stockpiling. Jos told me there was hardly any pasta left on the shelves today. People can be so bloody selfish. And I personally hate all the scaremongering about the virus, too. xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ann! I don't think I've ever owned anything this colour before and I absolutely love it.
DeleteConsidering some stupid people are boycotting Chinese takeaways and not buying Corona beer because of COVID 19 I'm amazed the idiots trust pasta! Words fail me! xxx
Pink is such a good color for you! And I again have jewelry envy over those bangles and the earrings. When you have long hair, large, sparkling but lightweight earrings are a must.
ReplyDeleteI over-buy everything, refusing to consider myself a stock-piler. I am just a compulsive bargain hunter. So we have plenty of stuff to last us through a quarantine. Which I am betting will be totally unlikely. Besides, I've been making my own cleaning supplies, including bleach disinfectant for cooking/kitchen surfaces, that I don't worry at all about sanitization. But if virus fears cause the world's jerks and assholes to stay home in paranoia.... yay!
Thanks so much! I agree, us long-haired girls need huge (lightweight) earrings, small ones are a waste!
DeleteYou're a sensible homemaker, not a manic panic buyer and kudos to you for making your own cleaning supplies.
"If virus fears cause the world's jerks and assholes to stay home in paranoia.... yay!" Best thing I've read all week!
I was looking forward to more of your travelogue, but alas, your salmon/pink dress is worthy of taking the spotlight. It's such a gorgeous dress. The colour is amazing and I quite like the length - so flattering when worn with boots.
ReplyDeleteThe Anokhi dress and your new wrap skirt are also quite beautiful.
As for the coronavirus, it seems like common sense has gone out the window and panic has hit the skates at full throttle everywhere. This morning's news on the telly announced that Italy's Prime Minister has put the whole nation into lockdown. Imagine the panic there! Just praying a vaccine comes along soon enough before people's heads roll off their shoulders!
Don't despair, the travelogue is back! I was too lazy to trawl through the photos at the weekend.
DeleteIt's utter madness out there, I don't know who's worse, the media or the panic buyers. I wish we were still in India away from the madness! xxx
every time i think it cant get better - you find another block print dress that is more stunning the the last!
ReplyDeletethe pink!! what a wonderful color, what a beautiful made dress!!!
the new anokhi and the skirt are gorgeous too.
fantastic jewelry!!!
@corona: i can understand that it is a bit frightening, but panic was never a good idea......
fab finds! and congrat to the stall @ glasto!
xxxxx
Thanks, Beate! I think the Ritu Kumar one might be my all-time favourite. I just love the colour. xxx
DeleteI do love you in pink! And those boots strike a pleasant Anglo-Indian note for mid-season footwear. (No sandals in March here; "wintry weather" is in the weekend forecast.
ReplyDeleteAgreed that the reaction to the virus is potentially more disruptive than the bug itself! When I had H1N1 back then, there was a battle between my doctor, who instructed me to self-quarantine, and my employer, who insisted I report for duty because I "didn't look sick".
The doctor won. I lost my annual bonus -- but kept my job. Now I pity those who are asymptomatic but know better, and those who are ill but have no sick leave. And then there are those who are stocking up on Vito's Vodka as a disinfectant, and those 40 Iranians who died from drinking bad bootleg.
It's a colour I rarely wear but I'm utterly besotted with it now.
DeleteI agree about the reaction to the virus being more disruptive than the actual virus. Jon went shopping for the basics today and the supermarket shelves were bare.
It's an ongoing concern here, who can blame people for going to work when they're ill if the choice is starvation. xxx
That Ritu Kumar dress is amazing. I love the colour and the print is delicious too. It looks so perfect on you, like it was made for you. I also like the maxi skirt you're wearing, that's another fab outfit. I think you might be right with that- girl cannot have enough maxi skirts. They really do come in handy.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Great finds as always.
Thanks so much, Ivana! Maxi skirts are the best, so handy and easy to layer up in the winter! xxx
DeleteI feel like I've never seen you in so much pink before! The shape of the dress is absolutely gorgeous, as is the design- so chic and comfy-looking. The colour ISN'T my shade so I'm not going to break into your house to steal it yet but if it were another colour, watch out!!! You do look ravishing in it and I'm glad you got a bargain!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful to learn about Rita Kumar!
The Anouki dress is so gorgeous- that I'm after, haha!!! Gorgeous pattern.
I'm rather taken with the sleeves of your Jeff Banks blouse- nice colour too!!! Is it cotton- looks brilliant!x
I don't own much pink but absolutely loved the soft tones of this dress, I've hung it from the picture rail so I can keep looking at it. Thank goodness it's safe from your clutches (unlike the Anokhi, I'll lock it up!)
DeleteYes, the Jeff Banks blouse is a lightweight gauzy cotton - bliss! xxx
wowww, your maxi dresses are always a feast for the eyes, even more because of the fabulous styling!, you're so talented!. Love all the bangles and pendants and accessorizing you pick!
ReplyDeleteLoving particularly your wraparound maxi skirt (a huge fan of this kind of skirts!) because of its magnificent color. You Rock in this outfit!
And thanks for sharing those labels and details, they're really interesting!
besos
Thanks, Monica! I do love a bit of label porn (and bastard massive jewellery!)
DeleteWraparounds are the best, they're so easy to throw on. x
I love both the dresses. And the fact they have sleeves makes them perfect for what (hopefully!) will be the transition into Spring.
ReplyDeleteNo stockpiling here either. We've got plenty for a fortnight if we have to self isolate. I try not to wish ill on people, but I am harbouring some dark thoughts about those stealing from hospitals, and those trying to profiteer.
Great news on Glasto! :-) xx
Thanks, Annie! They're proper all-year-round dresses, aren't they? Thermals underneath for the winter, bare legs and clogs in the summer.
DeleteOne of the chazza shop ladies told me that her sister works as a nurse at the QE and all the sanitisers on her ward got stolen. I hope karma gets the vile creatures who steal from society's most vulnerable people. xxx
Just gorgeous, what a find!
ReplyDeleteLovely to hear from you! xxx
DeleteAh, I wondered if you were going to Glastonbury as traders or festivalgoers. Have a great time - will the Ritu Kumar go to Glasto too?
ReplyDeleteI think Ritu will stay at home, I'd probably never be able to afford a replacement if anything happens to her!
DeleteI'm just praying that Glasto goes ahead, things aren't looking great at the moment. xxx
Oh, your pink Ritu Kumar dress is gorgeous. What a find!
ReplyDeleteThe panic buying is getting quite scary, because when you actually need to buy something, there’s none of it in the shops. It’s like when we were in the Australian bushfire area earlier in the year, when no food was getting delivered to the shops. What a terrible sight to relive. Hope for your sake that outdoor gatherings don’t get banned. X
Thanks so much, Jess!
DeleteA few of my Australian mates on Facebook have shared photos of the empty supermarket shelves and a video of two women having a punch-up over toilet roll. I despair of humanity sometimes. xxx
This is one of the prettiest dresses I've ever seen! Not a colour we see you in much, but it looks so lovely on you. I'm squeeing over those mirrored earrings too. It's going to be interesting to see how the next few weeks go - the toilet paper and hand sanitizer hoarding is happening over here in London, Ontario too (WTF people!). I really hope the summer festivals aren't cancelled for your sake.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shelley! I rarely wear pink, I HAD to have this, I'd have cried if I'd been outbid. I'm living in those mirrored earrings, they're cheering me up. xxx
DeleteGorgeous dresses, and of course you needed a purple version of that skirt - who doesn't?
ReplyDeletexx
Thanks, Hazel! I knew I needed that skirt, purple's a neutral, right? xxx
Delete