Cotumes & Textiles of Royal India by Ritu Kumar, Edited by Cathy Muscat, published by Christie's Books London 1999, 1st Edition Hardcover with dustjacket in very good condition.

Black cloth with gilt lettering to spine and cover, 344 pages, illustrated throughout. No inscriptions, slight wave to text block from gap at spine. Lightly bumped, fading to edges, light fingermarks to corner of gloss first endpaper, the odd small mark but generally clean and bright throughout,  a very good copy.

Dustjacket in very good condition, light corner rubs and rub along rear top edge with a few small (<1cm) worn patches.

A sumptuous book celebrating many of the last surviving examples of traditional Indian royal clothing. An in-depth study of the evolution of Indian royal costume spanning the centuries from the first representations of clothing in ancient India, through the reign of the Mughal emperors and the days of the British Raj, to Indian independence and royalty in the present day. The author covers both men's and women's garments, Hindu and Muslim styles, and documents the evolution of European-Indian fashions.

Includes never before published material ranging from archive photographs, miniatures, royal portraits and cinema stills, to detailed images of garments and textiles from as far back as the seventeenth century.

There are commissioned photographs of members of royalty wearing their traditional clothes to emphasise the colour, shape, ornament and texture of these stunning costumes. This royal family album is supplemented by stories of Royal India told to the author by the last Rajmatas who recall the splendours of courtly life.

AUTHOR: Ritu Kumar is one of India's foremost designers, who has developed a unique style combining the ancient traditions of Indian craftsmanship with contemporary innovations. She began her work many years ago in a small village near Calcutta with just four hand-block printers and a couple of tables. Rita Kumar has gone a long way towards redefining the word 'fashion' in the Indian context. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for fashion and her commitment to the revival and continuation of traditional craftsmanship.