JJ Valaya is known for his couture sensibilities, but for those unaware he is a true-blue royal nomad at heart! This year, as his luxury occasion wear brand celebrates its 30th year in fashion, Valaya who doesn’t believe in drawing boundaries when it comes to creativity, is all set to launch his bridge-to-luxury brand JJV at FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week.
The bridge-to-luxury brand retains the distinct signature of the JJ Valaya ethos yet is a modern label for the modern traveller who likes to be prepared for celebrations wherever he/she may go. Known to have brought the world to his cohesive space which happened to Kapurthala in Punjab, the debut collection of the JJV brand is inspired by the travels of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala.
Shedding some light on the concept, Valaya expresses, “In those times Kapurthala was known as the Paris of Punjab, there used to be a lot of influences from Europe and its art décor. The Maharaja was a Francophile and that shows in the architecture in the city [Kapurthala]. So, this collection is based on his spirit of travel and also resonates with my own spirit as a royal nomad. The brand year after year goes after different cultures, countries and discovers new things and blends it beautifully into Indian sensibilities to create a credible Indian fashion line. JJV is that.”
Valaya always felt that whilst we all prefer to travel light, there are so many instances during these journeys where we need to dress up to step out, be it for impromptu soirees, fine dining experiences or the opera. JJV acknowledges and embraces this need, where one can still maintain a unique sense of personal style albeit sans the weight of heavy embroideries.
Valaya’s journey in the world of fashion has been an enriching experience for the designer. Be it his photography, interior designing or the latest jewellery launch, evolution is a constant process in his career graph. “Yes, I started my career nearly 30 years ago and what a wonderful ride it has and continues to be. We age but not just in years but also in maturity towards creative sensibility. The way I kind of understand style, sophistication and fashion today is probably much deeper than it was many years ago,” shares Valaya.
He further adds, “And yet when I think of it, it doesn’t seem like it is 30 years. I can feel my nift days in my bones, every time I do a show or new collection it feels like presenting a brand-new collection in design school. So that excitement, the level of yearning and looking forward to doing something new and being surprised by the results each time is the most amazing part about my career.”
Valaya, who had presented a digital showcase at the phygital edition last year, is looking forward to a physical fashion week. “When two of the most credible fashion bodies [FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week] of the country come together and become one entity then results are bound to be spectacular. I am looking forward to a buoyant, optimistic, positive and spectacular display of some fantastic fashion,” expresses Valaya.
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