JJ Valaya’s designs have a certain charm that’s laced with mystique. It’s like the remembrances of an old love, which wafts across your mind, bringing a smile to your face, without you ever quite being able to pinpoint its nuanced embrace of your senses. An aftertaste that’s deeply satisfying but whose pleasure points are often hard to verbalise.
The designer’s bridge-to-luxury label, JJV. Kapurthala, which showcased its latest rendition of chic luxe made of “eco-conscious fabrics” at Lakme Fashion Week X FDCI being held at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, on Thursday, had the same nuanced romance. Of glittery red lips. Dewy skin. A carefree spirit imbued with a sense of the contemporary cool. Valaya’s daughter Hoorvi J. Valaya, who styled the show, described the mood as “sexy glamour yet traditional”, at rehearsals to t2, as we sat on the sidelines, soaking in a sneak peek of the narrative that was about to unfold in the next few minutes. “The idea of this brand is to break the tradition. So, even if we have a sari, we always want to make it look like it’s more than a sari. We have a lot of jackets with saris, unusual drapes,” Hoorvi told t2.
A tight collection of primarily classic hues and easy styling made up the showcase, with neat elegance as the leitmotif. As was the dramatic chevron, a character in the show, as much as it is the soul of the brand. Separates, saris, kaftans, shirts, kurtas and waistcoats came in rich hues and softer shades, mostly blue. There was the romance of the rose, featured as prominent accessories, and gorgeous prints. As was a hint of sheer and classic oomph.
“(It is) a simple line. Never compare it with couture. People have this preconceived notion of JJ Valaya, the brand, bridals and drama, whereas this is a completely different spin. It’s simpler and more accessible and lighter. All those things come together to create that new energy,” Valaya told t2 before the show began.
Indeed a vibe of youthful-regal contemporaneity.
#TheMaking
The beautiful backdrop added warmth to the ramp decor. “The ethos of the brand doesn’t change, which is royal and grand. JJ is a showman. We have to make sure that the ethos of the brand remains the same, but we have to make it more modern, hip and young because it is a pret collection, a diffusion line. Because the inspiration has always been the royal nomad, we thought of the beautiful desert sands, whether it is Rajasthan or the Middle East or Persia. All the carpets are old and antique and we have sourced them. We decided to do a chevron awning because it is reminiscent of the Bedouin tents in the desert,” said show director Anu Ahuja.
Anu and Valaya discussed the nitty-gritty. “The most important thing is a holistic approach to the presentation. It’s not only about the clothes. It’s about the models, the make-up, hair, the set, the music, the lighting. Everything has to come together like that perfect poem and that’s always something that you yearn for, and more often than not, you get it right. Of course, sometimes you see the lapses, but then I think, only I see those lapses,” said Valaya. They then went back in time to recollect their association. “Anu is one of my earliest models and I go back 30 years with her and then she also worked for me for two-three years and then she donned this new mantle and she has done brilliantly well,” said Valaya.
Anu said it was a “natural progression” for her. “JJ’s one of my oldest friends in the business and he’s somebody very dear to me. In the middle, I worked with him for a bit, I was his brand ambassador and I helped him launch a pret line, but as he said, it was a little before time and hence it got launched again and his show direction... it seems like a natural progression... I understand him really well and the brand and have also been a part of the journey of the brand....,” she said.
One final walk before the show began. “A fashion week show is very different from a couture show... but the energy is the same. The bottomline is for those 18-22 minutes, you have to showcase what you’ve been working on for the last six-eight months in a small capsule and you hope that you put up a good show, but other than that I am past that stage where I feel nervous or anything. I just feel very happy that another collection is done and we get cracking on the next. For me, it’s a coming together of so many creative energies, which creates this new bundle of energy which is fantastic. It’s an ongoing process and takes a couple of months when we start because if we are commissioning music or creating new music... tonight we have Bhuwin who is a one-man band, which is fascinating for me,” said Valaya about the making of a fashion show.
Anu was particular about every second. “We have very less time to put a show together and everybody’s expectations of the show are big, grand, dramatic, amazing. A very tightly packed show keeps the audience engaged and sometimes it is literally a matter of 30 seconds to one minute of something not sitting together to make the show boring or people losing interest,” she said as she headed for her “control room”. Let the show begin!