As International Women's Day 2025 dawns, we honor Ritu Beri, the trailblazer who transformed Indian fashion on the international platform. Opening her label in 1990, Beri was the first Indian designer to present at Paris Haute Couture Week in 1999, creating history and new benchmarks. Her historic feat of being the first Asian to lead the French fashion house Scherrer in 2001 solidified her international presence. Beri's fashions, which are donned by foreign celebrities and VIPs, mix Indian fabrics with Western shapes, earning her honors such as the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. Now 52, she continues to experiment with ESCAPE Goa, a boutique-cum-multipurpose venue that is housed in a 200-year-old Portuguese villa. Beri's evolution from a young Delhi designer to an international fashion icon is the embodiment of her mantra: "I don't just follow trends, I create them." Her legacy challenges a new generation of Indian designers to dream without boundaries.
Sources: Times Now News, Fashion Design Council of India, The Indian Express