Founded by two college best friends, Ridhi Bansal and Mohit Rai, in 2019, Itrh is a brand born out of mutual love and passion for fashion. “We wanted to create a brand that allowed you to have a beautiful memory of wearing an outfit and never forgetting it,” Ridhi tells MOJEH. The brand encapsulates all that is inherently Indian but not without influences from western silhouettes aimed to add a spin on culturally rooted designs. With the brand bifurcated into two, Itrh and Itrh Two, it hopes to cater to the different facets of one personality, almost creating a bipolar identity for the designs. While Itrh focuses on the traditional, Itrh Two is tailored towards a more international audience.
The aim is to bring “freshness to mundane Indian fashion sensibilities,” says Ridhi. Madhubani (a traditional art form of painting mythical beings on fabric), Kalamkari (a fabric-printing technique in which a special purpose pen called 'kalam' is used to print designs on cloth) and Chikankari (delicate hand embroidery on fabric) are all slowly dying crafts in the country and by reviving it and moving away from the overdone styles of mirror, thread and sequin work, Itrh aims to bring something new to the table. The Lampi fabric, woven with copper and silver wires, is the brand’s signature design which has also been its USP in the Indian market.
During Dubai Fashion Week, Itrh Two made its international fashion week debut with the Diwali collection, Natak, which means drama in Hindi. The collection, inspired by local Indian theatre, brings the maximalist essence of drama to the forefront contained in elevated and classy silhouettes.
“The Middle Eastern market surprisingly was quite accepting and positive towards our brand. We had women from Doha, Qatar and Dubai placing orders with us on the heavy styles. It was great because it was unexpected as we were prepared for more of the abayas to work whereas more detailed couture was appreciated,” explains Ridhi about her experience at Dubai Fashion Week. A balance between Middle Eastern and western design was made in the collection through the coming together of shapes catering to the region while allowing the glitter and glam from the designer’s native to shine through, and successful it has been.
Irth is a brand that is often seen on red carpets and the Instagram accounts of Bollywood celebrities, and with their collections already garnering attention in the region, it is expected to soon be reaching wardrobes beyond the Indian subcontinent. “For me, it was a dream come true to see Paris Hilton wear our outfit. Who doesn’t know or love her?” says Ridhi. And the regional celebrity she would love to see in the brand's designs? “I hope to dress Huda Kattan next,” she adds.
With Diwali right around the corner, there’s ample reason to add some festive flair to your wardrobe and with Itrh you get exactly that — drama and excitement in clothing form. When asked about her memories of the Festival of Lights, Ridhi responds “My memories of Diwali have always been heartwarming as it’s always been full of diyas, sweets, family and friends. Also playing cards. So, just like always, I look forward to making even more beautiful memories this year.”
