Ritu Kumar has just finished designing a collection for Earth Day 2009. "The fabric used is organically-grown cotton," she says. Even though she has dressed the world's top celebrities in beautifully designed gowns, revival of zardozi embroidery remains her passion: "It's where my heart is." She warns that the glamour one often sees on the ramp is transitory. "Don't be deluded by it. If someone is keen on the fashion industry, they have to be very serious about it and be prepared for setbacks." She recalls her first exhibition in Kolkata. There were 25 saris on display, which took Kumar two years to make. Only a few were sold. "And one person commented that the saris looked like 'my grandmother's bedspread'.  I took it as a compliment. At least, this reaffirmed that I was moving in the right direction."

Kumar started out in a garage with two tables in the 1960s. "I would design saris with hand block printers and the tailors would come and finish the saris." Though she wasn't confident of a market for her saris, she was confident about her aesthetic sense. "I was clear that I would not wear polka dots or dresses from France." But she named her first store Ritu's Boutique. "It was silly to call my shop a boutique." People ended up mispronouncing the French word.

Her boutique shared a wall with a grocery store. "We cut the grocery shop into two, and one part became my store. It was very small." But it was the beginning of a long journey. The Tree of Life remains her favourite motif. "It's so rooted in life."