Neeru Kumar

India

In the world of handcrafted textiles, Neeru Kumar is a rare and inspired talent who has pioneered something of a revolution in Indian textiles. Neeru has created a whole new visual vocabulary in textile design by using traditional Indian techniques and indigenous materials combined with constant experimentation and research. Widely covered by the media as a designer who had achieved a rare synergy between classic textile craft and contemporary design, her work is often described as ‘contemporary classic.’

Graduating in 1980 from the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India, Neeru made her first breakthrough in 1989 with her signature, internationally acclaimed black and tussar weave. The blend of her unique sensibility, especially in tone and texture, with her profound knowledge of the weaving process, as well as her commitment to support the craft sector of India has made such innovation possible.

Neeru’s adept sensibility in color and texture allows a continuous succession of new possibilities to populate her collections as she succeeds at what so many attempt to do: blending traditional craft and modern design. Through her tremendous output she has generated an exciting, original and extremely contemporary design palette, while at the same time pushing forward the frontiers of the traditional skills on which her work is based. Her innovation has gotten her international acclaim as her creations have been deemed “collectible antiques of the future.”

Recently, Neeru has dedicated her research and development skills to three types of traditional Indian textiles: Kantha, Khadi and Ikat. Neeru’s experiments with traditional textile processes demonstrate the critical importance of innovation, bringing new life and energy to the technique itself, while transforming the possibilities of the product to make it possible to be kept alive and available for future generations.