Aaquib Wani on Designing Ritu Kumar’s Couture Set: A Sacred World Between Memory and Imagination

Celebrating five decades of Ritu Kumar’s legacy, Day 5 of Hyundai India Couture Week saw a showcase like no other. The designer’s “Threads of Time: Reimagined” collection came alive against an evocative and immersive backdrop envisioned by art director Aaquib Wani. Known for designing the Indian Cricket Team’s jerseys, Wani collaborated closely with Amrish Kumar, Ritu Kumar’s son and Managing Director of the brand, to create a space that was both deeply rooted and surreal.

The result was a world that felt “suspended between history and imagination,” Wani told. With towering Ayyanar terracotta horses and an enigmatic red neon script dubbed the RKumara Script, the set was a poetic contrast of cultural legacy and futuristic design. “The vision was to create a space that felt like walking into a forgotten memory, part mythology and part invention,” said Wani.

He described the concept as intentionally abstract, designed not to tell a literal story but to evoke timeless emotion. “We weren’t interested in a literal narrative. The idea was to evoke something timeless, something that felt sacred but also surreal.”

Two main elements dominated the minimalist set—sculpted terracotta horses and a glowing red neon script that framed the stage. “The horses were large, sculpted pieces inspired by Ayyanar traditions... made in a way that felt true to the craft but scaled up for the space,” Wani explained. Meanwhile, the R Kumara Script—built entirely in-house—served as an ethereal bridge between language and feeling. “It doesn’t ask to be read, it asks to be felt.”

The fictional script, designed to be a fully functional digital typeface, added a speculative dimension to the stage. Wani emphasized, “We weren’t trying to communicate information, we were creating a feeling.”

Creating this dreamlike visual world took nearly a month. The typeface required full character design and spatial adaptability, while the horses demanded the skills of seasoned artisans to retain a handmade authenticity despite their grand scale.

Speaking on set decor’s role in fashion showcases, Wani noted, “It should support the story being told... a good set is one that expands the world the designer is creating. It’s not background, it’s context.”

The partnership with Amrish Kumar made the process seamless and focused. “There was a lot of clarity in what we were trying to say,” Wani said, highlighting the simplicity and strength behind the concept. The audience response was telling—visitors eagerly captured photos with the sculptural horses and script wall. “When people want to hold on to a piece of the set, you know it is connected,” he added.

With just two well-thought-out elements, Aaquib Wani succeeded in building a space that visually and emotionally echoed Ritu Kumar’s quiet yet powerful couture narrative.